The record-union., 1894-07-21
FREDA OF THE NAERO FIORD.
[Copyright, 1894, by Edgar I. Wakeman. All
rioilfs reserEed

[Copyright, 1894, by Edgar L. Waken1an. AL
rights reserVed.l
Being an aimless traveller and bach
elor at large, through the closing of al
early life romance FL favor of more
alert suitor, had never again expected
to participate in romance much less 6
Norwegian romance of an extremely
Iowly nature.
Indeed when 1 employed Peter Zacha-
riasen as master Sof my little coasting
yacht, in which ] yearly explored the
maze of islands lying along the north
eastern shores. nothing could have been
further from my most fanciful imagina-
ton than that this hulking giant should
be the second man to supplant me in the
affections of woman.
l suppose stranger things have hap
pened; but as l sat there in the little Nor
wegian inn of Bake recalling the Curl
Gus peasant wedding which had just been
celebrated in the old Bake Church, and
lotting down in my diary some of my ex-
perience and reflections, it emphatically y
occurred to me-and [ generously set II
down for the benefit OF others-that IN
matters of love it is wise TO eschew the
companionship of even seryitorS or
friends.
OF course, the series of incidents lead
ing UP 10 this conclusion was not IN any
particular premeditated, the curious
course of events could not in any ordlna-
ry human wisdom have been foreseen.
but the excellent principle of permanent
solitariness in affairs of human affection
seemed to me as keenly impressive as
though l had prearranged the lesson for
my own teaching and stubbornly sharp
ened the knife for my own wound.
/ had been at Bayreuth to witness the
first presentation OF the great music
drama of "Parsifal." This final triumph
of Wagner's life had drawn to the little
Bavarian city music lovers and music
critics from all lands. At the old Hotel
Sohne, where | lodged, was Norwegian
musical sayant from Bergen. We be-
came friends. and he descanted so glow
lngly upon the glorious scenery of his
own country that 1 had turned from my
purpose of second visit TO the Swiss
Alps for brief tour, by carriole ana ford
steamer, in Harold Haartrage's ancient
hero land.
1.-The most stern and majestic exam
pies OF precipice and glaciertield, of aw-
ful icewastes, mighty waterfalls and I'M
passable mountains, of ford in measure
less nights and soundleSS depths, all
COuDlSQ Will lut VI NI1idS
eagle-nest farms, cragslnen and dales-
men who have not yet become familiar
types to the tourist, and of a perfectly
simple and almost primitive peaSantry,'
said my musical friend from Bergen,
''you will find along the dark and gloomy
Naero ford. Make the village Of Bake
your headquarters, and you will see and
know scenes and folk you Will never Tor
get!''
If I could have known how literally
tsxIe his words were to prove l should
have kept straight on to LuZerne-
In our long coaSting trips together the
peaceful solitude of the sea had induced
a familiarity between myself and Peter
Zachariasen on board my little yacht
which, perhaps, could never have eX-
listed upon land. In this he confided to
me that his ambition in leaving his ma
tive land was to earn and save a very
modest sum of money which he said
would make him rich and happy in Nor
way.
never asked him how. He never told
me. L had perhaps never cared. being
only indolenLly interested in his manner
OF service and its term, which was sooI
10 end.
He had mentioned Bakke I now rec
objected, and l thought, too, some refer
ence to the Naero ford had been made
All these names of places were strange
10 me and their sound was SO harsh ano
outlandish at the time that only family
remem bered them now, thinking merely
OF how valuable his companionshiE
would be. So l cabIed hlm to leave the
yacht and join me at Bakke, which
knew would please him and serve me
greatly.
On my way from Christiana, through
the picturesque Hallingsdal, the lordly
Loerdal, along the Auerland's ford ano
into the grandly solemn Naero ford
found many Norwegian types strongly
reminding me of Peter. but none alto
gether like him.
The faces of the merry ''skydguts," ol
postboys, those bareheaded, barefooteC
Pucks of Norwegian travel, who viii rur
beside carriole or Stollcart all day ant
turn as happy a face upon tho kindly
hearted traveller at night as when he Sc
forth from the station at day break
brought Peters broad, line face, which
was the very birth spot of sunshine
0ftenest TO me.
Some of the huge cragsmen of the Au
erland's district were like him in mas
siveness OF. frame. Many of the patri
archal bonders, or rich farmers, of tht
Hallingsdal region, recalled a certain
solemn gravity which l often saw haC
settled down upon him when l founC
him alone.
but HOW IUdl L " dS III NOIS6ldllQ ItSS1l
where its hero-days and wondrous my
thologies grew upon the Imagination
with each days strange experiences.
found that Peter Zachariasen was contin
ually in my mind.
Indeed my memory of him-as / ha(
countless times seen HIM stand silent
sunny and thoughtful at the wheel of my
little yacht, the sea wind tossing his curly
hair about his massive head, his opei
shirt showing a CLINT of a breast lik,
bronze, and his fine, huge frame having
the unconscious poise OF majestic statue
wrought him. across the distance, witt
no effort of fancy, into the mold anC
measure of some great Heimskringla jar
or king of old.
/ waited idly week for the arrival o
Peter at Bake. Snow-capped noun
tains rise thousands of feet sheer behinC
tween habitations and towering walls O
stone. The somnolence of Bake anC
the contemplation of scenery SO be
and awful that ii continually suggested
the internal, finally became unbeara
ole.
Impatient to explore the Naero ford
and especially to know something OF th'
peasant life within its gloomy vikS anC
above it's stupendous walls, where lonely
eagle-nest farms dot the perspective o
snowfields and glaciers like poisins
doves far up athwart the clouds. at las
determined to secure a boatman at any
cost and arrange for Peter to follow me
when he should have come TO Bake.