The record-union., 1894-07-21


The people have but few weeks In
which to gather their wisps of grass from
the viks and crags," he said. Few
strangers have come this year. The flord
is silent"
l fretted and fumed few days longer.
Boats there were in plenty. but no boat
men. l VIII go alone, / at last deter
mined, and so told the landlord. He be-
came alarmed, not tor the loss of guest,
but truly for my safety.
That night he came to my room and
awakened me. A tourist family had
come from Styve to Bake by rowboat.
The boatnan, or faergekone (boat-
woman), he added, would await my
pleasure until morning, if [ would pay
her score at the inn.
Yes, yes, l would do that dozen times
over if there were chance of thus begin
ming my explorations. But boat
woman was a novelty to me. What sort
OF human is this faergekone? wished
sleepllly to know of nay host.
''Oh, she is only Freda-Freda of the
Naero ford. That is all we know. You
will see her for yourself in the morning,
sir. Good night!"
With this he trundled away, but the
incident had aroused me. L sat bolt up
right in my bed for little time pictur-
ing to myself the form and nature of
woman who could bring an entire tourist
family from Styve to Bake in an
open boat, over the dark and dangerous
ford.
Hearing voices in the court behind the
little inn l stepped TO the open window.
Just beneath it was wooden gallery
running around the court. The moon
light revealed the figures of the landlord
and woman, or girl. The latter held
in her arms a bundle of skins and blank
cts.
There you can rest for the night" said
my host pointing TO a little recess in the
gallery.
The girl at once spread the skins upon
the floor, turned and thanked the land
lord after the profuse Morse manner,
grasped both his hands for moment,
and, with good nights and thanks innu-
merable, turned TO her improvised bed as
the landlord disappeared indoors, knelt
beside it for little, threw herself upon
the couch lightly, and, in moment
more, as l could hear from her gentle
and regular breathing, was trayerSing
the pleasant fiords of dreams.
My curiosity and interest were thor
oughly piqued, but | at last fell asleep. l
was awakened shortly after daylight by
the sound of running water, conmingled
with sundry puffings, snortings and
swashings, proceeding from the court
yard.
These were unusual sounds. and the
traveller is sensitive to such things. L
stepped to the window. My eyes invol
UNFAIRLY sought Ereda's couch. 1t had
disappeared. But Freda herself had not
gone.
Over there at the farthest corner of the
courtyard where rude fountain, sup
piled by mountain stream, was spurt-
ing and gushing high in the first orange
- III
young boatwoman, secure from intrusion
in the early hour, stripped to the waist
and enjoying the luxury Of whole
some bath.
Her exquisitely nodded form had free
play from her lively movements. It was
almost hidden by her wondrous head of
hair which fell far below her waist, and
was of that indescrible color between
ashes and orange, in which the very
throbbingS of gems seem to ripple and
play wantonly, and which, as the water
broke upon it and the sunlight quivered
through it, cleaned and flashed like
mantle of diamonds set in gold.
Now and then the girl plunged beneath
the gushing stream with a savage sort of
impetuosity. Again she would take long
draughts from the spout, when the force
of the water woul1 drive her back with
shower OF spray upon her, within which
i
Then she would shake her head and toss
and whip her locks like huge retriever
emerging from the water.
Finally. with her tine head high in air
and her sbapely arms thrown back over
her fair shoulders, she wrung and
whipped and hetcheled her locks nearly
dry, meantime whipping with their tas-
seled ends the glitterlng spray from her
shoulders and waist, and with wondrous
n fVT hQ WAY no n n fxy n
huge braids, while softly grooming weird
and tender fiord-side song, OF which
was only able to catch the refrain:
will wait by he vik,
BY the o ID l will wait,
viii work, Will spin,
While awaiting nay fate.
Oh speed Wind on speed wave, return of my
May fortune attend my noble sea rover!
What a strange jumble of inconsistent
cies is the human mindi
Though l had not even seen this water
nymph's face; though it might be sodden.
glowering and repulsiye, / turned from
my window, where l had longed TO
be be an artist with an artist 5
power to reveal the simplicity and
abandon of the exquisite scene, with a
lonely and indefnable hunger to be sung
for as this innocent creature had sung for
some doubtless absent hulk of a ships
stoker or common sailor; actually ex-
perienced a pang OF jealousy. and.
stranger than all, as my thoughts flew to
the absent Peter, almost wished my
cablegram had not reached him and that
he would somehow fail TO come.
A new interest had invested dead old
Bakxe at the foot of the mountain walls.
The gloomy Naero ford was instantly
rife with myriad destinations. Ali OF
Sonber Norway had become a land of
sunlight and charm.
Immediately after breakfast the land
lord began a series of willy negotiations.
He must have share of the wage, 1 knew,
and to bring myself upon pleasanter foot
ing with Freda. for lump sum to my
host secured her presence and the priv
ilege of arranging terms with the young
TaefgckOne myself.
Freda came into the little parlor alone
with many, please, sirs ~ and ''Tank
yous,'' in English, and as many curtseys
and bowings in Morse.
Ii had been fascinated, from an artists
standpoint, by the strange early morning
scene at the courtyard fountain. how
much deeper was the charm when / first
looked on Freda's face and heard her
voice.
= Il was not a Morse face, save in the
eyes and complexion. 1t was of oriental
mold in all but these-oval, with soft and
melting lines, as If wrought in luminous
wax, with here a there q tiny freckle
TO intensity its snowy whiteness; lips and
teeth of coral and pearl; neck wide at
the shoulders, tapering like doves to
the throat, and arching exqulsltely 10 the
round, tine chin; nostrils wide and
tremulous; eyes as blue as the liquid