The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-09-15

| stay on where he was Tuesday came
and it was lovely day. 1t had rained
in the night; the hills looked so fresh
and green, the window was open, sweet
odors were waited in, the cowbells were
tinkling on the mountain, and far up
above some one was "jodling." Truly,
if it had not been for his mother, who
was sitting in the room, he could have
cried. Wednesday came and still he
staid in bed on Thursday, though, he
begin to think about the possibility Of
being well again by Saturday, ana Fri
day found him on his legs again, Then he
thoughtof what Aslang's father had said,
"If you can get up to her next Saturday
without being stopped by Canute and
his men the girl shall be yours" Over
and over again he looked up ut Husaby
farm. Il shall never see another Christ
mas" thought Thor
AS before mentioned, there was but
one path up TO Husaby hill; but surely
any strong. able fellow must be able to
get to it, even though the direct way
were barred to him. For instance, il he
were TO row round the point yonder and
fasten his boat at the one side, it might
be possible to climb up there, although
it was 30 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
ly 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 ut 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 he
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, 80 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 so
that she looked toward the side where
lay the fjord. 1t seemed to 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."
and far and wide it sounded through
the mountains. She liked to hear her
self sing, 30 she began over again when
the first verse was ended, But when she
had sung the second, it seemed to her as
though some one answered from far
down below, "Dear me, what can that
be2" 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
fjord lay there calm and at rest; not a
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 it
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 n boat fastened. 1t
looked like tiny nutshell, for it was
very far down, She looked again and
saw n fur cap, and under it the figure of
man, climbing up thesteep and barren
cliff,
"Who can it be2" Aslang asked herself;
and letting go the birch she stepped back.
She dared not answer her own question,
but well she knew who it was. She flung