The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-03-01
THE TROLLS DAUGHTER

gle1 In vain for six long months against
eternal snow. and tho stars and the au-
rora borealis casts but q pale light with
out one particle Of heat through the noe
turnal glooms. There neither the heart
Of man beats. nor does any sward grow
green or any flower open its fresh chalice
10 the sun. Only from time to time tho
huge. shapeless whale rears his vast
form above the waves and the white
bear issues with heavy and mysterious
steps from his icy cavern.
Wen, II was the end Of March in the
year i7e5. The winter was celebrating
the last days Of its reign by incredible
rigors. The heavens were dark and
stormy. the cold as hard and sharp as
fint, and the wind soughed in icy gusts
through the naked frs. All nature
frowned. and both men and animals fed
In CONSERVATION to their subterranean
homes.
Allat once there appeared on the plain
OF Karesuando three sledges which
seemed to he straying at random. SO
completely had the snow effaced every
sign Of road or of human habitation.
The horses were reeling with fatigue,
and It was in vain that their drivers
strove to revive them and urge them on
ward with their hoarse cries and re-echo-
ing whips.
The caravan halted.
"Perkele!" name of the devil in Fin
nishl exclaimed the driver Of the first
sledge. sort Of deformed dwarf wrapped
in filthy sheepshin horrible to behold.
'Perkele!" he repeated, clambering out
Of deep hole into which he had just
been pitched headlong.
The rest ran to his assistance, but had
great difficulty in setting the poor wretch
on. his feet again and in adjusting his
sledge. ns the tongue of it was broken
and the horse famed.
"A cursed country this! Monseigneur,
we are lost" grumbled an individual in
the second sledge.
Hush, Francois, replied the person
who had been addressed as monseigneur.
instead Of swearing find out whether
we cannot procure shelter somewhere in
this neighborhood."
This last phrase was communicated to
one of the drivers in Finnish by third
person who seemed to be the interpreter
Of the troop.
The driver addressed pressed down his
cap over his left eye. wiped his nose
once. as the northern usages permit in
such q scene, on the sleeve of his mantle.
took his horse by the bride, and after
all these acts Of preparation at length re-
piled In tone Of perfect tranquility.
mo. there is not a house in the neigh.
borhood where shelter can be had"
This distressing announcement threw
the travellers into CONSERVATION.
Cursed country, cursed country re-
peated the man in the second sledge. with
increasing i'll humor.
To add to their trouble the two first
equipages upset. and their fall was SC
terrible that thog were unfit for further
service when once more raised.
Yet the darkness increased. the colo
grew more and more biting. and the tenn
pest whirling the snow along before ii
shook the fir trees in the forest and even
the loose rocks on the mountains.
1--WE are lost, we are lostr' cried the
whole troop in despair.
But looki Yonder appears in the dis
lance o specter Of indistinct, wavering
outline. eyes that CLEAN like two live
Goals and hairy hand that seems to
beckon the strangers toward it. Was
this not one Of those dwarfs so famous
in the northern Sagas. who entice strayed
travellers into their caves that they may
immediate them there to the somber del
ties they worship?
Francois" said the youngest Of the
troop. leaping from his sledge, ''you SCI
that they are making signs to us there
Let us gor'
"oh. monseigneur. can you think Of do
ing so!'
"Whatl Are you afraidT' Francois
did not dare to reply.
The way was rough and bestrewn with
fragments of rock, trunks Of trees and
snowdrifts. The young man advanced
bravely. Francois followed him, NUT
tering oaths and growing between his
teeth:
Cursed country, cursed country
They crossed O river and arrived near
a lofty mountain. whose crown of birches
and frs added yet deeper shadows to the
gloom that already surrounded them.
Francois was almost beside himself with
fatigue and terror.
'.For Gods sake. monseigneur, not
another step! This is the end Of the
world, and that sign that leads us is tbs
sign Of hell"
The young man stopped. The scene
was truly so wild, SO savage, that he
hesitated to 60 any farther. However.
be again took courage and advanced ye;
a few steps. The specter rose to its full
height before him. and then plunging, ai
1t were, in the snow revealed to the
travellers the traces of subterranean
habitation. This was no new thing to
them. as at Tornea and Muonioniska
they had already met with those deep
novels Of which the door is so low that
You are compelled to go upon all fours
In order to enter them. But the one they
now beheld was more like the den Of a
bear than human abode.
What 10 to be done should this prove
nothing else than cave of bandits to
which ] have been decoyed for murder
GUS purposesy"
Such were the reflections passing
through the young travellers mind, and
he was already preparing to call his
companions. when. from the depths of
the cavity. woman's voice, sweet and
pure. was suddenly heard prdhouncing
these words:
Citizen Louis Philippe of Orleans,
enter without fearr'
Thy mother is illr' replied the wiz
ard; ''how great thy audacity, o sick.
ness. in having attacked her! Who art
thous Whence CONTEST thou? CONTEST
thou from the sepulchers Of kalma
region of the dead or from the depths
Of manala fhelli2 Cnfnast fhnn from,