Connecticut western news., 1892-01-28
NORWEGIAN C0URTSHIP.

above the average man. - s. Slight: No. That is too poetical a word to be in any way applied to the heroine of this little tale. whose lean, scrawny figure looked for all the world like series of badly connected angles, and whose stopping shoulders and mar row chest were clad in a faded black | jacket.
 This garment. with its rusty surface and pulled seams, suited we'll the sad looking woman into whose dreary life came one little bit of color, which shall try to describe. -...
 Her face corresponded well with the rest of her appearance, for it was faded and worn, and surrounded by a fringe of straight. dusty brown hair, pulled tight ly back from the sallow, weary face, whose one redeeming feature was the eyes-dark gray, and oh. so sad!
 She had that expression of wistful waiting sometimes seen ill the eyes of q faithful dog who has lost his master, and seems ever to wait, always patiently. and to watch ever expectantly for the beloved face.
 She was Norwegian. named Etta. and lived in our family as cook for near ly year.
 Weeks passed by and early autumn, which fad brought her to us, shed leafy tears, and departed suddenly, leaving us all unpreparel for winters advent. which announced itself ill a cold, dismal rain. Up to this time Etta had never re- ceivesl a letter or any communication | from the outside world. She never left the house, and scorned the idea of an afternoon out. However, on this drizzly day. there was surprise, great sur prise, for Etta was discovered holding an open letter tightly grasped in one hand. But when she found herself re- garltd, it was hastily thrust into d voluminous pocket in her skirt.
 Now this pocket was marvel in it. self, as it could hold lnyriads of things | Why. one day saw her produce q pill low case, d workbox, scissors and d brass thimble at one fell swoop; at another tilne--but am wandering far away from the letter and its consequences. - The mysterious epistle was seen sev eral times again, and these glimpseS showed it to be worn and rumpled with much reading. No doubt 1t would have been read and reread out of existence had not another, fresh and clean, re- placed the first. ...-
 This took from the postlnan, and so had a chance to see the uneven, char acterless writing, the ChriStiania post mark and Norwegian stamp. It Was | followed week later by another, then another. ~.... ts-..s ...
 became interested, for I felt was on the track ( f a real. live romance.
 The pale, tired face seemed to grow brighter in those days, and for the first time Etta made frequent trips to the city, returning laden with bundles of every size and description. All her spare I time was now employed i'll sewing. Cali coes and prints were made and laid aside. For some reason or other Etta was replenishiny her clean but scant and somewhat dilapidated wardrobe.
 Another link ill the chainl thought l, and began to imagine the arrival of a stalw art Norwegian lover left in Nor way two years before, when she had come to try her fortune in America.
 Letpers came more frequently, and | cheerier-shc even seemed to try to hold herself more erectly, for often the bent shoulders were suddenly strengthened as she went about her work. Her voice formerly so tired and hopeless, took on | more cheerful tone. ... .s
 Not the least remarkable of Etta's peculiarities was her manner of speak ing: slowly and lispingly came the broken English, which was at first SC hard to understand. Such sad mix ture of her mother tongue and this new strange language, such verbal c0mbina tions and misplaced plurals were never heard before.
 About this time 1 mentioned my TO mantle notions to my mother, but sht only laughed, being entirely unable tc connect Etta's sad appearance with | lover, Norwegian or of any other land She called me romaucer, but still fel sure was right.
 Sooner than Iexpected came the chance to vindicate myself, for the next day a sat idly by the window, watching th' passers by, my attention was attracte, by a queer little figure way down th' street, which came on toward the hous at d rattling pace, gayly swinging q hug cane and puffing vigorously at Il mann moth cigar. At distance it was i'm possible to tell whether he was boy 0 man. such co1nical, little figure he was dressed in a snuff colored suit, with rose in his buttonhole and the tinies derby imaginable tilted over one ear. Gazing laughingly at him, WAS jus telling my mother to look at that absurt little creature, when what was our sur prise to see Etta, the staid, the quiet dash wildly across the lawn, rush dow to the gate, and throwing her arm about the little fellows neck kiss hin first on one cheek and then on the other The man, after few quiet but ear nest struggles, managed to free himself from her long, thin arms, and looked up into her face, so high above him, with < pleasure surely, but without trace of ) loverlike ardor. .-..
 On closer inspection it proved to be such funny. rosy, childish face that il was impossible to look at it without ' laughing. Etta seemed to find it so. for - smiling happily, she escorted him bach to the house, her long arm linked in hi: ,hort one, almost lifting him from tht lround at every step, and presently wt heard the low monotone of their voice: n tha ktahaR haloz.