Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-08-05

from one shore to another | sup
pose the restless spirit of my fathers
was in me, | was never contented
unless saw some rev coast every
six months or SO. Wen, Lovisa
was always foremost among the girls
OF the village who watched me leave
the Fjord.--and however long or short
u time | might be absent. she was
certain to be on the shore when my
ship came sailing home again, Many
joke | have cracked with her and
her companions--and she was bonnie
enough creature to look at then, |
tell you,--though now she is like a
, battered tigure-head on wreck. Her
marriage spoiled her temper, her
husband was as dark and sour man
as could be met in all Norway, and
when he and his fishinghoat sank In
a sQuall of the Lctoden Islands.
doubt if she shed many tears for his
| less. Her only daughters husband
he but three months wedded,- the
| g!rl,-Britta's mother.-pined and
pinned and even when her child was
bt I'm took no sort OF comfort in It.
She died four years after Britta's birth
her death was FASTENED. so have
heard, through old Lovisa's harsh
treatment. anyhow the little lass she
left behind her had no very easy time
of ii all alone with her grandmother,
eh Britta?"
Britta looked up and shook her head
emphatically.
Then" went on Guldmar. when
my girl came back the las: time from
France, Britta CHANGED to see her,
and, strangely enough here he
winked shrewdly -''tock fancy to her
| face wasn't It? However moth
ing would suit her hut that she must
be Thelma's haLdmaiden. and here
she is. Now you know her history, =
she would be happy enough If her
grandmother would let her alone: hut
the silly old woman thinks the girl
is under a spell, and that Thelma is
the witch that works it;"-and the old
farmer laughed. There's grain of
truth in the notion too, hut not In the
way she has of locking at it,"
All women are witches!" said
| Duprez. "Britta is little witch her
self"
Britta's rosy cheeks grew roster at
this, and she tossed her chestnut curls
with an air of saucy defiance that de-
lighted the Frenchman. He forgot his
wounded cheek and his iisligurng
| bandages In the contemplation of the
little plump figure cased in it's close
fitting scarlet bodice, and the tempt
ing rosy lips that were In such close
proximity to his touch.
IF it were not for those red hands,"
he thought. "Dieu! what charming
child she would be, One would in
stantly kill the grandmother and kiss
the granddaughter"
And he watched her with admiration
as she busted herself about the supper
table attending to every one with
diligence ard care, but reserving her
| special services for Tholma, whom she
waited on with mingled tenderness
ard reverence that We're both touch
ing and pretty to see.
The conversation now became gen.
eral, and nothing Lrther occurred TO
disturb the harmony and hilarity of
the party-only Erington seemed some
What distracted, and answered many
questions that were put to him at hap
hazard, without knowing, or possibly
caring, whether his replies wore in
telligible or incoherent. His thoughts
were dreamlike and brilliant with
fairy sunshine. He understood at last
what poets meant by their melodious
musings, woven into golden threads
of song--he seemed to have grasped
sCme hitherto unguessed secret of his
being-a secret that filed him with as
much strange pain as pleasure. He
! felt as though he were endowed with a
thousand senses, each one keen,y
alive and sensitive to the smallest
| touch, land there was q pulsaton IN
! his Hood tfat vas new and bevo ID
his Contrcl,--a something that beat
wildly in his heart at the sound Of
| Tfelma's voice or the passing hutter
o. her white garments near him OF
what use to disguise it from himself
| any lcEger? He loved her, The terrible
| beautiful tempest of love had broken
over his life at last; there was no es-
cape from its thunderous passion and
dazzling lightning glory
He drew sharp quick breath--the
hum of the say voices around him was
mere meaningless to his ears than the
sound of the sea breaking on the beach
below. He glant ed at the girl-the
fair innocent creature who had, In his
Imagination risen to throne OF i'm
perial height from whence she could
bestow on him death or salvation.
How calm she seemed She was listen
ing with courteous patience to a long
slcry OF Macfarlane's, whose Scotch
accent rendered II dificult for her TO
| understand. She was pale Philip
thought. and her eyes we're heavy; but
she smiled now and then,-such
smile! Ever so sweetly might the
kiss worthy" lips OF the Greek
Aphrodite part, could that eloquent and
n atChless marble for once breathe into