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

last years concubines, and rusty with
basking BY winters fires and yearnful
for the breath Of the free ocean. or the
yet dearer breath Of adventure. and
thus one day went down to the strand
where my good ship lay hauled I'D and
tented over against the storm and snow.
to see the work that Skaun the car.
penter and Vedrey of the brushes had
done upon her. And as l walked about
that gallant hulk my blood took q new
color and beat q quicker measure than
It had done for long, while the winter
sloth dropped from me and the hunger
OF the rover for quest and danger was
born anew in my heart A better skeid
never was steered by a sea kings son.
I thought Her sides were blue-blue
as last winters ice in the shadows of
June-right up from the water edge to
the high gunwale. while inside the
Trondhjem forest oak was secured as
white as maiden's linen. The tall
mast in the center was slim and straight
as an arrow, and on either side were
rowlock holes for sixty oars. A-lovely
ship, indeed, and cunning Vedrey had
vanished her until her clinker sides
shOne like the back of a new caught SAL
mon, and had carved and gilded every
oar hole with golden scroll of twisting
serpents, and here and there and every
where had been at work so deity that
1t was days wonder to explore the
workings OF the loving zeal wherewith
he had adorned the vessel from glitter
ing stem to stern. And Skaun had seen
to every peg and sinew that laced her
shapely sides; he had been aft and for
ward; above, below; had scraped the
oars and set new seats for rOwers, and
caulked afresh each seam with red cow
hair and resin-oh. lovely ship. in
deed, and in my pride surely 1 thought
such one never stood on mortal slips
before. Once more l would venture q
cast with fortune, and in a burst of
pleasure and such life as had lain asleep
too long within my heart vowed then
and there to start on a foray before
three days were over. And, hot In the
revulsiOn OF my feelings. I set Skaun
and Vedrey running here and there as
they had never run before, and collected
some of the lazyb oned villeins who had |
basked in my porch and snored by nv
pine wood fire all through the snow and
frost. and made them work as they had |
not worked for many a day.
Under our busy hands the beautiful |
winter hulk put on her war gear and |
blOssomed like a summer tree. We
fetched out her sixty great oals, Feet |
OF the Sea-wOlf," Of ash -four men sat
at EACH and strapped them into their
painted rowlock holes. Then we slung
in the landing boats and set the great
rudder aft on the starboard; we put the
black leather tent on board, and under
1t the hudfat sleeping bags to shield me
and my jolly pillagers from the English
rain. We shipped the landing planks-
many were the white feet of captive
girls We hoped would tread them-and
, hundred stout rollers in case our
needed to be beached. Then
We put in the arms chest and filed it to
he brim with glistening swords and
lxes, praying all the time to Odin that
heir shine might be dimmed ere We re-
'urned; we put the brass kettles on
board, and the provisions, and barrels
II water with little lids. Next we set
Up the tall mast that shone in its winter
'oat OF bears grease and was SO red
md straight, and hoisted to the spar
he great square sail, Cloak Of the
Wind" It was the great jarl Kand of
I1skerdal, my foster-brother, who gave
ne that sheet, and it was colored blue
nd white and made of wooden stuff as
oft as silk. Lastly of all the glisten- I
ng dragon head was put upon the PROV,
nd the warriors shields, black and
elbow, each overlapping each. were set
long the bulwarks, and there, flashing
q the sun with a hundred colors, beau
lful and complete from stem to stern.
~ sea bride sat shining on the ways! i
So well had we worked that the dawn :
the second day from my ,'ow We were :
eady, and half the valll yame to see
S of. All went we'll with the launch
lg and in few minutes after the props L
ERE knocked away we slid out into the q
ord and f1Oated true and straight, and r
the same instant my five score fight
lg men set up the hymn to Odin, the
Ill was spread, and. the long oars be- =
an to dip, swift and strong, into the -
Jerry water that ran ripping by US. q
oudly, loudly prayed from my place q
= the high tiller to the three fatal Sis +
RS who live beneath the ash Yggdrasil il
lat they would send me this time to the o
rms Of my love, and loudly, loudly to
lis moment bewail me that my prayer Z.
as granted.
no BE Continued