Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-08-01
A PERILOUS WOOING.

From the time that Aslang was quite
grown up there was no longer any peace
or quiet at Husaby. In fact, all the
handsomest young fellows in the village
did nothing but fight and quarrel night
after night, and it was always worst on
Saturday nights. Aslang's father, old
Canute Husaby, never went to bed on
thosenights without keeping on at least
his leather breeches and laying stout
birch stick on the bed beside him. IF
I have such pretty daughter" said old
Canute, II must know how to take
care of her"
Thor Nesset was only the son Of a
poor cottager, and yet folks said that it
was he who went oftenest to visit the
farmers daughter at Husaby. Of course
old Canute was not pleased to hear this.
He said it was not true; that, at any
rate, he had not seen him there. Still
they smiled and whispered to each 9th
er that if he only had thoroughly
searched the hayloft, whittier Aslang
had many an errand, he would have
found Thor there.
Spring came, and Aslang went up the
mountain with the cattle. And now,
when the heat of the day hung over the
valley, the rocks rose clear and cool
through the suns misty rays, the cow
bells tinkled, the shepherds dog barked,
Aslang sang her "jodel' songs and
blew the cowhorn, all the young men
felt their hearts grow sore and heavy
as they gazed upon her beauty. And
on the first Saturday evening, one after
another, they crept up the hill. But
they came down again quicker than
they had gone up for at the top stood a
man who kept guard, receiving each
one who came up with such warm
reception that he all his life long re-
membered the words that accompanied
the action, Come up here again, and
there will be still more in store for
you'll"
All the young fellows could arrive at
but one conclusion-that there was only
one man in the whole parish who had
such fists. and that man was Thor Mes
set. And all the rich farmers daugh-
tiers thought it was too bad that this
cottager's son should stand highest in
Aslang Husaby's favor.
Old Canute thought the same when
he heard about it all and said that if
there We're no one else who could help
him he would do it himself. Now,
Canute was certainly getting on in
years. Still, although he was past 60,
he often enjoyed a good wrestling match
with his eldest son whenever time in.
doors fell heavily OH his hands.
There was but one path up to the
mountain belonging to Husaby, and it
went straight through the farm garden.
Next Saturday evening as Thor was Oh
his way to the mountain, creeping care.
fully across the yard, hurrying as soon
as he was we'll past the farm buildings,
q man suddenly rushed at him.
"What do you want with me?' asked
Thor and hit him such blow i'll the
face that sparks danced before his eyes.
"You will soon learn that" said
some one else behind him and gave him
a great blow in the back of the neck.
That was Aslang's brother.
"And here's the third man, !" said old
Canute and attacked him also.
The greater the danger the greater
was Thor's strength. He was supple as
a willow and hit out right manfully.
He dived, and he ducked. Whenever a
blow fell, it missed him, and when none
expected it he would deal good one
He stopped down, he sprang Oh one side,
but for all that he got a terrible thrash
ing. Old Canute said afterward that
che had never fought with Drawer fell.
low" They kept it up until blood be-
gan to flow. Then Canute cried out,
"Stop!' Then he added in croaking
tone, "If you can get up here next Sat-
urday in spite Of Canute Husaby and
his men, the girl shall be yours. F"
. Thor dragged himself home as best
he could, and wher he reached the cot
tage went straight 20 bed. There was a
great deal of talk about the fight upon
Husaby hill, but every one said, ''Why
did he 60 there?" Only one person did
not say SO, and that was Aslang. She
had been expecting Thor that Saturday
evening, but when she heard what had
happened between him and her father
she sat down and cried bitterly and said
to herself, "If may not have Thor, I
shall never have a happy day again in
this world"
Thor staid in his bed all Sunday,
and when Monday came he felt he
must stay on where he was Tuesday
came, and it was very lovely day. It
had rained in the night. The hills
looked 30 fresh and green, the window
was open, sweet odors were waited in,
the cowbells were tinkling ON the noun
tain, and far up above some one was
"jodeling." Truly, if it had not been
for his mother, who was sitting in the
u