Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-02-05
THORLINDA.

The morning wind blew freshly up
the ford along the hillside, futtering
the red kirtles Of two chieftains who
stood there and rufding the white swans
wings that decked their helmets. AS the
cloaks of the warriors streamed back
ward the April sunlight sparkled gayly
among the rings Of their mail coats and
flashed upon the silver pommels of their
swords, while whenever 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 Gud-
mund 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 had
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 a
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 by head than the wives
of the fishermen and villagers. She was
Thorlinda, cousin to Thorof and Gud-
mund, and she was the beloved of Tho
rolf. Wonderfully beautiful she looked as
the wind blew back the linen drapery
across her breast and limbs and rippleo
the wreaths Of red gold hair about the
fullness 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 sad one and passed al
quickly as it came. Gudmund spoke n(
word nor smiled, but stood as one wht
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. Tht
helmsman called that all was ready.
Thorolf turned and took Thorlinda il
his arms. Gudmund still gazed seaward
and none saw that just when the lovers
lips met his right hand tightened abou
the ak hilt until his fingers grew Whit
| and bloodless while wildness CLEANED
from his helmet shaded eyes. Yet whel
Thorof put aside the maiden IS arms ant
leaped with rattle Of wargear to tn
beach Gudmund turned to her quie
face, met her smile moment, looked
down and silently followed his brother
AS the chieftains strobe to the ster1
the rowers backed water with swirl O
foam and shout. Then the helmsma1
threw his weight against the steering
oar, the bow swung round, the carve'
dragon head at the bows seemed t.
stretch its neck seaward, snuffing for tn
broad sweep of the ocean, and to tn
measured roll and chant of an oar SON.
the ship glided down the ford.
Yet as she nodded lightly to the har
bor chop Gudmund staggered where h
| l., le k< Iii Sc.
Then he went forward, ran out an ca
and swung steadily with the beat Of tn
rowers. Thorolf stood thoughtful, gaz
ing above the simmer of the wake t
where figure futtered white upon th
hillside, and something Of triumph, al
most a smile, was in his look, for he
kiss still lay hot between his lips.
Presently he turned and looked for
ward and saw where his brothers. mai
coat cleaned among the blue jenkins Q
the seamen. Yet his face he did not see
for Gudmnnd's dark hair was blow
about his cheeks and forehead as b
swung to and fro. Thorolf watched th
sweep of his brothers oar blade as
lashed through the water.
| "Ah, Gudmund," said he, "you par
lightly, and your heart goes out befor
you to new lands. For me, feel a
though my heart were left behind wit
Thorlinda, yet my bosom is no lighte
for its~loss. -
"Aye," said the helmsman as
watched the white water swirl aftel
she pElls stronger oar than many. an
1t is but little while that we though
him D STRIPPING. Youth and ligl
heart carry the ship against head ga
when age and sorrow drive under tol
canvas"
Thorof sighed and turned again
look at the green hillside, the white fl
ure and the dark fir trees beyond. b.
some of the rowers heard through tt
rumble of their oars the sob that bur
its way between Gudmund's lips.
To those watching from shore the sh
was lessening fast, and the oarsmen
song faded into the tapping of wat
along the beach. Now she had pass
the headland, and they saw her rise al
fall with the long heave of the op
tea Now the wet cars flashed i'll t
sun as the rowers tossed them inboar
and running forward loosed the gre