The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-03-19

day found him on his lers again. Then re
thought q what Aslang. father had said.
II you can get up to her next Saturday
without being stopped by Canuts ana
his men the girl shall Be yours Over
and over again he looked up at Husaby
farm. II shall never see another Christ
mas thought Thor.
As before mentioned. there was hut
one path up to Husaby hill; but surely
any strong. able fellow must be able&o
get to 1t, even though the direct way
were barred to him. For instance. In he
were to row round the point yonder and
fasten his boat at the one side, il might
be possible to climb up there, although
It was 80 very steep that the goats had
great difficulty in climbing it, and they
are not usually afraid OF mountain work.
Saturday came, and Thor went out
early. in the morning. The day was
most beautiful: the sun shone so bright
" that the very bushes seemed alive.
Up on the mountain many voices were
'.jodling," and there was much blowing
Of horns. When evening came he was
sitting at his cottage door watching the
steaming mist rise up on the hills. He
looked upward all was quiet; he looked
over toward Husaby farmland then lie
jumped into his boat and rowed away
round the point.
Aslang sat before the hut; her days
work was done: she was thinking Thor
would not come that evening, and that
therefore many others might come in
stead, so she unfastened the dog, and,
without saying anything, walked farther
ON. She sat down, so that she could see
across the valley, but the mist was rising
there, and prevented her looking down.
Then she chose another place, and with
out thinking more about it, sat down %
that she looked toward the side where
lay the ford. II seemed 10 bring peace
to her soul when she could gaze far away
across the water.
As she sat there the fancy struck her
that she was inclined to sing, so she
chose song with ..long drawn notes, I"
and far and wide 1t sounded through
the mountains. She liked to hear her
self sing, so she began over again when
the first verse was ended. But when she
had sung the second, il seemed to her AZ
though some one answered from far
down below. Dear me, what can that
be?' thought Aslang. She stepped for
ward to the edge and twined her arms
around a slender birch which hung
trembling over the precipice, and looked
down. But she could see nothing; the
ford lay there calm and at rest; not q
single bird SKINNED the water So
Aslang sat herself down again. and
again she began to sing. Once more
came the answering voice in the same
tones and nearer than the first time.
"That sound was no echo, whatever II
may be- Aslang jumped to her feet
and again leaned over the cliff. And
there down below. at the foot Of the
rocky wall, she saw boat fastened. II
looked like tiny nutshell, for it was
very far down. She looked again and
saw fur cap, and under it the figure of
man. climbing up thesteep and barren
cliff.
who can it be2' Aslang asked herself;
and letting 90 the birch she stepped back.
She dared not answer her own question,
but well she knew who it was. She flung
herself down ON the greensward, seizing
the grass with both hands, as though Ii
were she who dared not loose her hold
for fear Of falling. But the grass came
up by the roots: she screamed aloud and
dug her hands deeper and deeper into
the soil. She prayed to God to help him;
but then it struck her that this feat Of
Thor's would be called tempting Provi-
dence," and therefore he could not ex-
pect help from above.
sOnly just this oncel" she prayed
Hear my prayer just this one time, and
help him. Then she threw her arms
round the dog, as though it were Thor
whom she was clasping, and rolled her.
self on the grass beside it.
The time seemed to her quite endless
Suddenly the dog began to bark. Bow
wowl" said he to Aslang, and jumped
upon her. And again, 'sWow, wowir
then over the edge cf the cliff a coarse,
round cap came to view, and-Thor was
in her armsl
neither Of them was capable Of uttering
syllable. And when they did begin to
talk there was neither sense NOR reason
in anything they said.
But when old Canute Husaby heard OF
it he uttered a remark which had both
sense and reason. Bringing his fist down
on the table with q tremendous crash,
tsthe lad deserves her." he cried, 'sthe
girl shall be hisl"- Translated from the
Norwegian of Bjornsterne Bjornson for