The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-02-22
7HB TROLLS DAUGHTER

Ric8 IN VAN Tor nx long months against
eternal snow. and the stars and the au-
rors borealis casts hut 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 ohalice
10 the sun. Only from time to time the
huge, shapeless whale rears his vast
form above the waves and the white
bear issues with heavy and mysterious
steps from his icy cavern.
Well. 1t was the end Of March in the
year 1906. 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
flint, and the wind songhed 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 be straying at random, so
completely had the snow effaced every
sign Of road or Of human habitation.
The horses were reeling with fatigue,
and 1t 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.
"Perkelei' name of the devil in Fin
nishl exclaimed the driver of the first
sledge, q sort of deformed dwarf wrapped
in y filthy sheepslxin 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, rs the tongue of it was broken
and the horse famed.
"a cursed country thisi Monseigneur,
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 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 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 ST
terrible that thoywere unfit for further
service when once more raised.
Yet the darkness increased, the cole
grew more and more biting, and the tenn
pest whirling the snow along before il
shook the fir trees in the forest and ever
the loose rocks on the mountains.
I'VE are lost, we are lost!' cried the
whole troop in despair.
But look! Yonder appears in the dis
lance specter of indistinct, wavering
outline, eyes that CLEAN like two live
Goals and a 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, lyon sec
that they are making signs TO us there
Let us gois
.Oh, monseigneur, can you think Of do
ing so?'
"What, Are you afraidr' Francoi:
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 hi,
teeth:
Cursed country, cursed country
They crossed river and arrived near
alofty mountain, whose crown of birches
and frs added yet deeper shadows to the
gloom that already surrounded them.
GfduCOlo WIS dllluSt Dtsitit Iiilintii Win
fatigue and terror.
For Gods sake, monseigneur, not
another stepl This il tho end Of the
world, and that sign that leads us is the
sign Of hellr'
The young man stopped. The scene
was truly 50 wild, SO savage, that he
hesitated to go any farther. However.
he again took courage and advanced yet
few steps. The specter rose to its full
height before him, and then plunging, as
it were. in the snow revealed to the
travellers tho 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 60 upon all tours
in order to enter them. But the one they
now beheld was more like the den of a
bear than human abode.
"What is to be done should this prove
nothing else than q cave of bandits to
which have been decoyed for murder
GUS purposes?"
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 pronouncing
these words:
Citizen Louis Philippe Of Orleans.
enter without fearr'
NJ. Francois Etienne Colin Guillemot,
valet de chambre to his royal highness
the Duke Of Orleans. flung himself down
in the snow, and embracing his masters
knees, "Ahl monseigneur." said he.
''you have often enough scolded me for
disbelieving in divinity and devil.
now see that one must come into tlis
world OF spirits to comprehend how
things are. Was 1t not the evil one who
just articulated your manner"
The prince leaned over toward the cav
ern, az IL to catch another sound of the