The free press., 1895-12-05

branches apart, and called her.
She looked calmly up at him, not in
the least disturbed to see him, and
pointed to the moss-covered seat by
her side.
"Them be sad verses, Sylvelin.
Now, if you would let your lover meet
you in the meadow. he would be glad
to twine fresh roses in your hair all
his life long"
but l have no lover, ye see, Jor
gen, and 1 donna want any. 1t was
ma me as wrote them verses. The
minstrels made them for me, so /
have been reading them again and
again, to try to catch them in song.
Most people donna understand the
power and gladness O. song. Ye be
the only one patient enough to listen.
That is why like ye, because l need
ma mind about ye, ye donna interrupt
nor hinder
"That is why ye like me! Because
ye medina mind whether 1 be there
or no?"
"Well, yes, about that. Ye see,
when ye come. l go on singing as if
ye be ma there at all. If it be any
one else a-coming. I run and hide,
excepting it be the minstrels; ay, they
make me sing to them, they do, and
they say there be a rare fortune in my
voice, and that makes me happy, not
for the money-but, then, no one
would think it the waste to sing. 1
would be giving all my money to ye
and grannie, and 1 could spend my
life wi song"
''But did it na strike ye ever, Syl-
velin, that grannie and me might ma
care SO over much for the fortune
neither? Maybe as we should prefer
to keep ye here, sure no one hinders
yer song?"
"Mabe, as they have M hindered
me, for that would be useless. They
could na stop the birds if they tried,
and be like bird. But many be
the time Trine Krogstuen remarked
on it and it makes me weary at heart
to think | donna do my duty to gram
nier she be so rare in her kindness
to me. So when this longing do seize
me to fly far away to yonder side O
the mountain that I may spend my
life in song, 1 be half wearied to think,
maybe, as ought to stay at home and
milk the cows. Be that what l ought
to do, be ye thinking, Jorgen. ?"
eff it be only the COWS ye worry
about, ye may leave them to me. But
be it only just the cows ye think on
Sylvelin? We played together as little
ones. Don't ye feel bit sad at part
in wi grannfe and me, lassie?"
"Well, ye see, I know ye will be
better off wi me gone, for I'd be send
ing all the money to ye and grannie. "
cay, ay! But ye may ma be going
yet awhile"
'I be ma so sure O. that. The min
strels be coming to see grannie on
their next round. They said some
one would be coming with them as
would be glad to engage me and pay
me handsomely, only just to sing.
How l shall love that life Though L
shall weary for my little goats at
times; they be the best little COM
rades l ever had. Ye gave them to
me Jorgen; will ye mind them for
me?"
She looked at him with tears gath
ering in her eyes. He turned half
from her and nodded.
So they sat silent long while, till
some one called Sylvelin from below.
They looked over the slope and there
we're grannie and the minstrels.
Jorgen started then passionately,
blindly, he stretched out his arms to
hold her.
"Don't--don't be leaving me, Syl-
velin! 1 love ye so, little lassie, l
love ye sol"
But she was down the slope before
he had finished. She flew like bird
on the wings of newborn hope.
Jorgen sat staring into the brook
let. He struggled with sharp pain,
till overcome by grief. he bowed his
head in his hands with despairlng
cry.
Then came Sylvolin's voice, fresh
and sweet. She was singing to the
minstrels.