The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-16
PROFESSOR DETRIUS MORAINE.
nTALEs OF TEN TRAvETERsns SEXES
BY EDGAR :. WAKEMAN.
Copyright. 1894.

y
a moment before a placid wave Of silence
stole softly in upon the choppy surf OF
discursive chatter; and, settling our
selves comfortably in our various places,
we listened to the Chronic Travellers
pleasant tale.
More than a casual glance would have
been required to make sure whether he
was an old young man or young old man,
as he dismounted from his carriole and
entered the common room of the little inn
or station of Ormeim, standing just above
the picturesque Vaermofos waterfall,
near the head of the wild and wondrous
Romsdal in Norway.
His step was light enough, and GER
tain nervous eagerness in his manner sug-
gested yOuthfulness. On the other hand,
his shoulders were rounded, his chin ex-
tended outward curiously and his hands
and face had a marked physical habit of
unconscious proximity in moments of alb
stractiou which betokened advancing
years.
Though his clothing was of fine texture,
it fitted him lily. His dOuble-visored
travelling cap almost touched his nose
before and his shoulders behind, giving
his head, which was unusually large and
set upon a slender neck, the grOtesque APP
pearance, in profile of a huge beak; while
the half obscured glasses upon his nose
aided in intensifying the monetary SEEM
ing that his bright, deep-set eyes were
those of a very cunning bird.
Added to these peculiarities was that
of face spare in flesh and strongly
nodded. 1t was of a singular grayish tint
and without trace of mOustasche or
beard Even the scalp in front of and
above his large, outstanding ears was
bare and gray, and only a few uLevenly
trimmed strands of hair, of an ochreish-
ashen color, tloated TREMENDOUSLY above his
wrinkled collar behind.
He went straight to the dagbOk or
daybook-that curious receptacle at all
Norwegian posting stations of tourists
names, complaints, t1ippant observations
and occasionally witty sayings-wrote
with ierky movement and, without re-
mark to landlord or servant, pumped
himself into chair, crossed one leg upon
the other and his two upturned palms,
and sat thus for little time nervously
swinging his bony limb, while looking
through the open door out upon the frozen
nights of the painless Midtfjeld which
lies to the east of Ormeim.
"Odd character that" whispered my
companion, a genial English literator,
whose acquaintance l had made at Mode
and with whom, though it was late in the
season, | was now leisurely travelling
through Norway.
We had formed a habit ST studying pass
ing tourists and endeavoring to place
them in the social or professional cate
CORY before their identity was revealed
Sometimes we added zest to the idle pro-
ceeding by a trlfing wager.
What is he?" | returned cautiously /;
principal of a female seminary, an old
bachelor broken loose from a personally
conducted party of tourists or a miser
astonished at finding himself giving up a
little of has hoard in travelP'
Neither. III lay you twenty kroner
even, he is some scientist wearing himself
to skin and bone over an undemonstrated
theory
Done; if you'll name either his profess
sion or theory"
My friend made excuse to walk around
the newcomer a few times as if the i'm
patient exercise so common in the long
waits for ponies and carts at these Nor
wegian mountain stations, and after re
garding him closely returned with the
quiet remark:
"Geologist or glacial action crank. sure
Why If that man could command the
physical power to do so, he would have
every mountain and field in Norway over
turned and standing on its head for in
spectiOn before morning."
Il sauntered to the day-book and saw
ne had witten in it simply the words:
"Detrius Moraine."
"Oh, yes, OF course :" insisted my friend
when had announced this discovery
Prof. Detrius Moraine;' and if YOU had
it all, it would be Prof Detrius Moraine,
+. X. A. s., +. c. S, f. Il. q. s., etc etc.
Indeed you would find him a sort of an all
around fellow who belongs TO every as
sociation and society on earth for poking,
proddng and penetrating earth sea and
air for the secrets of the immutable, and
especially 10 wrangle with every other
fellow who has poked, prodded, pene-
trated ana published before him.
An right l answered cheerily.
"Weu get acquainted with him and
worry him at supper"
While l was saying this, the professor
squirmed around suddenly in his chair
and began speaking tiuently in Norwegian
to the stocky and stolid herbergerer
or innkeeper.
How far is it to the top of the Midtf.
Jeld,'' he asked, snappishly.
Maybe twenty English miles "
Can / get up there the first thing in
the morning."
Here the innkeeper blew off a great
WuASL4C VI surprise dL MS lnDeJuOus
guests ignorance.
In three days, if you climb WELL" he
finally answered, looking suspiciously al
his guests thin limbs.
"Confound Norway anyhow" retortec
the professor, springing to his feet and
walking impatiently back and forth
through the little room.
why confound Norway anyhow" re
torted the landlord with some spirit. "I1
the fields and mountains were not here
you would not come - which burst of pom
derous logic so pleased its author that ht
trlumphantly resumed whiting upon
some out-landish pine ornament for the
front of his roadside inn
Are there huts, cabins, shelter or hu
man beings on the tield2n demanded the
professor anXiously.
No. Below them a few miles are the
saeters only"
R"tor the Lord s sake what are saeters'
Il can't fix the etymology of the word g
? "Saetcrs are saeters, in Norway" was
the sentcntious reply.
Men women, any body in them?'
just the saeter girls.
In heavens name, what do saeter girl.
do?n
They 60 there with the herds In tn,
sumner, care for the milk, make the but
ter and cheese, and come back to the val
.leys when the winter sets in. Some have
already come down, sir. "
No fathers or mothers or brother.
with themi'