The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-01-27
THE STORY Of U[LA
Told at the Edge of the Northern Sea, and
Written for This Paper.
BY EDWIN LESTER ARNOLr

| unchronicled again into the ds O
| memory from whence they came.
In the mid of the plain the kings mel
| had built a hall Of rough-hewn pine
logs. 50 long and wide that 5000 chiefs
could sit to meat within it at once. AnG
every vassal of the king had sent pol
ished buckler % deck the bride house
and these were ranged in rows along
the roofs and sides until all these war.
like trappings cleaned together with
one broad shine that men could see
from Akinfell to the white pools by
FlekkerfjOrd. And every Norway maid
had bound fillet of green spruce and
golden flower, and these were ranged
between the shields until cloud Of soft
color wrapped the palace far and near,
and the sweet new pine smell hung
warm and heavy over. cad
Nor was this all. Every jarl and sea
lord, every captain and rover who own.
ed long ship or snekja, a skeid or
skuta, had brought them round to the
ford and hauled them up over rollers,
and there they stood, those great navies
of the vikings that had paled the cheeks
OF maids and matrons In twenty lands,
their golden names-"Deer Of the Surf, I"
Raven Of the Wind" "Egir's Steed, {"
Hawk on the Cults Track, Snake Of
the Sea, carved in runicAon each steep
rising Prov, in two long rows a mile or
two in length, with rarti-colored sails
all set, and red raiding flag streaming
on the wind, and gilt dragon heads ali
turned inward, and jolly crews in bright
vestments in their idle ranks of oars,
md garlands of flowers about those
cidoo 1oh tho - - ~
foam were wont alone to deck. 49,
all about the great raii hall were
scores Of lesser houses, so that where
green gress-greV a week ago was now q
gay" wooden city, and a thousand troops
OF horse stood munching Halfdan's hay,
and thousand stalwart clansmen were
quaffing Halfdan's ale, and thousand
tables bent with Halfdan's provender,
and thousand trumpets sounded Half
dams war-note, and a thousand scalds
were singing Halfdan's praises that day
King Haitian married.
The great prince had chosen me to
be among his right-hand men, and thus
that which was the sweet and
the bitter. the light and the darkness of
my life. King Goldbeard came ashore
from his ships early in the morning,
and my handsome black-haired master
took the sweet Ragnhild by the hand,
and at the head Of long procession of
princes, chiefs and ladies. all on foot,
through the mighty concourse
Of the shouting people and up the long
lane OF dragon ships into the great hall
itself. There the feudatories ranged
themselves in gallant rows at the many
tressel tables, while the kings and we
with them went on to the further end,
where stood some oaken benches.
These made three sides Of a square.
On one sat Harold with his peers; on
the other, facing him, was Halfdan-I
and l on his right-and four strong
arls from the corners of his kingdom
20 flank us. The last bench across the |
other two was filled by ladies', and amid |
.hem-all in white bride linen. with a |
splendid torque of jewels binding the |
Dose folds across her bosom and dia- |
lem Of rough gold in her golden hair
'at the bride.
scarcely know what followed. Isaw
he bride-price paid and the bench gifts
made on Bonded knee. I saw the fair
md frightened Ragnhild clinging weep
ng for minute to her fathers neck,
md then l saw King Halfdan take her