The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-01-27

Of the northern sea I sit by the din
shine of my lamp, while the night wind
sigh sighs E;.s n2crGss these a Ian;
fingers thae ~tremple like the white
aspen leaves, lies fair braid of yellow
hair. Long, long it seems since that
braid was cut from the head that grew
1t. Long, long months of pain and days
Of regretting have passed since that
strand was cut from its wearer; the
salt sea has dimmed it, time has touched
Its luster, and the dark stain of blood is
upon it, yet as I, the monk Ulla,
raise that fair thing again and again to
my lips and press 1t where naught but
the sign of the new faith should be
pressed-press 1t trembling and silently
TO those cold lips-something of the old
love shoots through my shrunken veins
something OF the strong passion that
once nerved them tingles into those
withered fingers that smooth that gleam-
ing toy so tenderly, and a white mist
rises to my dull eyes. and my head
troops forward, and the little cell seems
widening out as wide as life itself; and
sad as the sound of the wind among
pine trees, desolate as the beat of the
areless pulse Of the sea upon the rim of
the night comes to my lonely heart the
echo Of long ago.
It was in the time Of my master, HALF
Ian the Black, and was Norway jarl
and lived by the white lip of the sea in
Baldersund. was young then, 1 was
scarcely twenty, and had herds and men
and farms all the way up the wild coast
as far up as fair Hitteren. and long
ship lay in the creep by my homestead,
and boar hounds lay on the rushes by my
lnglenOok, and my bows and spears lay
On the tressels, and hundred jolly fell
lows drank from my flowing horns and
carved my meats each day, and were
proud to call me lord and leader. Three
times as many stocked my yellow har-
vests and filed my barns. Aud I was
strong and tall and big Of limb, and al
though was SO young had already
been twice abroad and had harried
across the wide sea in distant Farey1ar
and down south to Ljodhus. I had
slipped the glorious wine Of battle. and
watched the red flame Of burning thorp
and tower leap up to heaven from my
footsteps. Princes had courted me and
scalds had sung; everything 1 had,
everything that told heart could hope
Tor or strong hand reach-everythinR
but one; the chair on my left hand still
stood empty at the feast. no bright eyes
welcomed Ulla returning victorious from
a foray, no tall Norway maid tempered
with her presence the rude revelry in
mis- fathers hall, for lila was unwed.
Yet it was not for lack Of fitting
choice, for our maids were straight as
young spruces. supple as the yellow
sedges by the tarns and fair as the
spring flowers of the fields when the
May snow rolls back from them, and
many such might 1 have had for the
asking. Tho-alla there was, for in
Eance, whose locks were as yellow as
the ripe hill barley: and INN, whose |
sky-blue eyes shone wondrously kindly |
On her handsome neighbor when they
met in shady forest path; and Thyri the |
slim. whose mother thought the lands Of |
Clla and their own would we'll match |
together. and Thora the smiler and |
many another. But I was wild and |
and as difficult to net as the |
Tree blue hawks that sail along the cliff |
lace in springtime.
Matters were like this when my
haste. King Halfdan. more easily per-
'uaded, had determined to marry the |
.omely Ragnhild. dauehter of Harold |
and. everything having beeu
settled by the ambassadors, one day in |
sarly summer from all tie isles and |
jords and every river town and noun
ain Fat came trooping the Norway lords
md chiefs to honor the ceremonial and |
zee the show. By Frigga's self that
vas q day, when all those cavaliers came
'iding down to the plain by the southern
,ity, and so far as the eye could see the
meadows were aglisten with spear and
,uirass and winged helms, and every
way was blocked with mighty men In
.kins and golden armor. strong sons OF
Odin with wild blue eyes. keen features,
md yellow hair astream upon their
shoulders and mighty muscles showing
their clinking armlets and
bands of beaten metal. Indeed. that
vas day. and could I'LL here, as sit
with nothing but the blank rock wall
before me, . hundred pages with the
names and deeds Of those who came.
md every name should sound to YOU
Ike that Of giant and princely brother,
md every splendid deed I linked to
svery name should bring the blush of
ride to your cheek and the pulse Of
pleasure to your kindred hearts-but
he lamp burns low and I am no scald.
hnnof0ra LAT EhoaA Warlikn nhadovu maee