The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-03-07
Select Storp.
THORLINDA.
From the New York Times.

The morning wind blew freshly up the
ford along the hillside, futtering the red
kirtles of two chieftains who stood there
and rufiing the white swans wings that
decked their helmets. As the cloaks of
the warriors streamed backward the April
sunlight sparkled gayly among the rings
of their mail coats and flashed upon the
silver pommels of their swords, while when
ever they turned or moved. the broad blade
of the war ak each carried on his shoulder
shot back the arrows of the sun.
The two were brothers-Thorolf and
Gudmund-both tall men and good to look
upon, but Thorolf, the elder, was ruddy
and broad and fair, while Gudmund was
of slender build. His eyes, too, were
dark. His neck and forehead were shaded
beneath his helmet by waves of blue black
hair.
On the beach before them the brown
armed seamen had pushed their ship out
into deep water. Her PROV only still
muzzled in the sand and held her steady
against the shoreward wind and the lap of
the harbor waves. Her crew mad slowed
the last barrels of beef and casks of mead
for the voyage, and now one by one they
clambered in over the bow, and seating
themselves at the thwarts each hung his
leather covered shield outside the gunwale.
Then they tossed the long, ashen oars
blade upward and dropped them into the
tholepins, the fiat blades slapping the water
as they fell. After fastening the leather
thongs that held the oars in place against
the wash of head sea the men sat silent
lingering their oar butts, waiting for the
chiefs to come aboard.
Folk had gathered on the hill to watch
the vessel sail In front of the little group
stood Vikings daughter very fair and
taller bysa head than the wives of the
fishermen and villagers She was Thor
linda, cousin to Thorolf and Gudmund,
and she was the beloved of Thorolf Won
derfully beautiful she looked as the wind
blew back the linen drapery across her
breast and limbs and rippled the wreaths
of red gold hair about the fulness of her
throat.
Thorolf stood near her, talking little,
but with his eyes upon her face, smiling
ever at the words she spoke, though the
smile was a sad one and passed as quickly
as it came. Gudmund spoke no word nor
smiled, but stood as one who wishes to be
gone, his dark eyes gazing beyond the
ford mouth to where glimpse of the
ocean glimmered grayly through the fast
clearing haze. The helmsman called that
all was ready.
Thorolf turned and took Thorlinda in
his arms. Gudmund still gazed seaward,
and none saw that just when the lovers
lips met his right hand frightened about
the AK hilt until his fingers grew white
anu bloodless, while a wildness cleaned
from his helmet shaded eyes, Yet when
Thorolf put aside the maiden arms and
leaped with rattle of wargear to the
beach Gudmund turned to her quiet face,
met her smile moment, looked down and
silently followed his brother.
As the chieftains strobe to the stern
the rowers backed water with a swirl Of
foam and shout. Then the helmsman
threw his weight against the steering oar,
the bow swung round, the carved dragon
head at the bows seemed to stretch its neck
seward, snuffling for the broad sweep Of
the ocean, and to the measured roll and
chant of an oar song the ship glided down
the ford.
Yet as she nodded lightly to the harbor
chop Gudmund staggered where he stood
and pressed his hands to his face. Then
he went forward, ran out an oar and swung
steadily with the beat of the rowers Tho
rolf stood thoughtful, gazing above the
simmer of the wake to where a figure
Auttered white upon the hillside, and some
thing of triumph, almost smile, was in
his look, for her kiss still lay hot between
his lips.
Presently he turned and looked forward
and saw where his brothers mail coat
cleaned among the blue jenkins of the
seamen. Yet his face he did not see, for
Gudmund' dark hair was blown about his
cheeks and forehead as he swung to and
fro. Thorolf watched the sweep of his
his brother oar blade as it lashed through
the water.
sAh, Gudmund, said he, ''you part