The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-03-07


my heart were left behind with Thorlinda,
yet my bosom is no lighter for its loss.
Aye" said the helmsnal, as he
watched the white water swirl after .he
pulls stronger oar than many, and it is
but little while that we thought him a
STRIPPING. Youth and light heart carry
the ship against head gale when age and
sorrow drive under torn canvas.
Thorolf sighed and turned again to look
at the green hillside. the white figure and
the dark fir trees beyond, but some of the
rowers heard through the rumble of their
oars the sob that burst its way between
Gudmund' S lips.
To those watching from the shore the
ship was lessening fast, and the oarsmen'
song faded into the tapping of water along
the beach. Now she had passed the head
land, and they saw her rise and fall with
the long heave of the open sea. Now the
wet oars flashed in the sun as the rowers
tossed them inboard, and running forward
loosed the great square sail that bellied
from the yard Twice the canvas tapped,
then, sheeted home, it stood taut and full,
while the good ship, heeling beneath it,
plowed steadily southwark
The haze had cleared before the fresh
sea wind, and the ocean lay blue and spark
ling in the sunlight Thorlinda stood
alone, her grave eyes watching the CLEAN
Of the sail until it sank from sight, and
the empty, peaceful ocean gave no sign of
the storm which was to drive that keel far
into unknown waters.
Noon lay heavy over a southern land
land shady with groves of palm and fruit
trees, scented with thick odors. washed
about its shores by clOudless sea. Upon
a dazzling stretch of sand Gudmund sat
silent, looking out across the ocean-an
ocean such as he had never known in his
northern home, for its waters were of Il
deep and glowing purple, like the light
upon mountain peaks at sunset, and in
place of the thunder crash of Norwegian
surf low ripples curled unanimously along
the shore Gudmund was no longer Il
youth. His face was older and thinner
than on that day when they had left the
ford
He sat now with his chin upon his hand
slowly tracing with the tip of his scabbard
a wonan's face upon the sand Through
out his boyhood he had looked up to his
brother as braver and stronger than him
self, as always doing the deeds he merely
longed to do Yet now, sunk in the Ian
guor of this new land. Thorolf had still
delayed sailing, and the vikings ship lay
on the beach like stranded sea monster,
her planks gaping open in the fierce sun.
To Gudmund, gazing seaward with empty
eyes, there arose dream of his own north
land. The ford glimmered gray between
black walls of rock; the snowy land lay
white and silent in the winter twilight,
darkened with long violet shadows upon
the eastward hills. Here and there a
breath of smoke rose skyward from some
half buried grange. Again he saw their
fathers hall-the hearth with great logs
roaring in red fame, the long tables where
house carles laughed and clattered, the
mead horns, and high up on the dais the
ruddy face and beard of the old viking
crowning the feast, Thorlinda at his side.
While he unused his brother came from
among the shades of the thicket seeking
him and threw an arm in kindly way about
his shoulders.
"Why, Gudmund, were the dark girls
shy, or are you unkind to them?'' he
asked
II dreamed of home said the younger,
duly ''How soon do we sail p
Thorolf pushed him roughly away.
''Ihat again? You are an ungrateful
fool who would wander from good land
to worse Yet, take the men and 90.
1 shall stay
''How shall | greet the home folk from
you, an honorless man, and your troth to
Thorlinda p
Thorolf scowled, and his hand flew to
his swordless side. Nothing rouses the
wild beast so quickly in the mind of a weak
man as when another steps in to help his
better angel in the losing fight. Anger
famed hot in Thorolf s face as he sprang
forward, but Gudmund's s sword flashed
bare, and for the first time the elder man
gave buck and shrank from leaping with
clinched hands against leveled blade.
His glance, which had ever been steady
and as keen as steel when swords were
drawn, changed to heavy look, and he
lowered his eyes before the seorn of his
brothers gaze. Then as the brute within
him rose in final triumph over his better
self he turned away with laugh
$50 to the cold northern land. &c
yourself and shiver between Thorlinda' S
arms, he cried out, and strobe back into
the musky shade.
Once again the long dragon ship lay
ready to sail. OF her crew some had been
lost at sea, some had died, and some had
wandered away with savage maidens far
into the inland valleys Yet still rem
nant were eager to follow Gudmund home
ward They were rich with the gold OF