The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-14
Bentine.

ca reful indeed as to their 1OoIlng, anu ma
nv of the ladies were content with the view
/ from the windows of the coaches. one
| girl rather below the medium height, with
! a wealth of hair and quick. spring.ns
| step. crossed the narrow stretch Oh grass
/ and leaned against the railing apparently
unconscious of everything around her save
the endless rush CT the water, gray and
dun IN the early morning. had noticed
| her on the train; her seat was just In front
! Of the one 1 occupied. Her bright, quick
evas had attracted my attention and I
! had thought she had one of the most com
nrebensive and piquant faces I had ever
| seen.
Az the train bell rang the girl turned
/ quickly. her feet slipped on the frozen
J Grass and she would have fallen If 1 had
NOT caught he- She turned her head
quickly. then she smiled and said in
voice that was low and musical: II thank
Won &" I raised my hat and she returned
/ IN the car. On taking my seat behind
her she turned to me and said: DO we
! stop long in Buffalo. do you know?
'.You are going to New York;"
"Yes"
..Tbe connections are quite close, be-
/ lieve''
She. looked pleased. I wondered il the
| Christmas shopping was attracting ner
| m Gotham ] asked as much II was
hold thing for a stranger to do, but sne
seemed glad to speak 10 some one
az stop in New York only few hours"
she answered. 'T am going home
That explained 1.-THE winsome freedom
from afrectation, the simplicity OF the Tor
eisn born. She was not an Englishwoman.
| OF that was sure. She was not Ger
man. Then it dawned upon me; she was
from the Northiand. Your home is in
Sweden:' 1 ventured.
I'm Norway" she answered. HOW oid
! you know"
.It was suggested by your personality
| and your voice"
81 am glad" she said. 'T want the peo-
ple al home to find me just as 1 was when
! I went away" wistful expression cross
ed her face, but 1t melted into a smile and
I saw that she was thinking of something
| that pleased her. changed my seat to
| the one opposite her in the same section
and we talked as the train sped along. She
! told me how her father, her mother, and
herself had come to America five years be-
/ fore. "My father sent some money to TINS
country many years before to be invested
by his friend, Neils Anderson, in some
! mines in the Northwest Neils Anderson
wanted my father to come over, and so
we came My mother died. and the voice
was lower than before, land then only two
months ago my dear father dled, ana 1
was left quite alone"
| She was looking out of the window now
! at the pare trees and the brown flelds.
"And you are going homer
he oil n SATURDAY.
Many of my country people viii sail on
that boat. The people of Denmark and
Sweden and Norway love to go home for
the Christmas holidays. 1 shall meet many
from the Northland. But do not go alone
from New York.
Her lips parted over her white teeth In
lust a suggestion of smile She looked at
me as II wondering If she could tell me
her story. ST will be married when L reach
New York" she said, "snd my husband
and I VIII go home together"
was interested She saw II and with
the frankness of her race she said: Shall
1 tell you about it,
please do said.
"Then listen At home there was lad.
| Olaf, his name. You must remember that
| we were all poor in those days. My father
had sent the savings of his life time to
Neils Anderson and Olafs parents were
dead and he had only his hands as an in
| her;tance Olaf and I were to be married
some day. Then we came to America Olaf
could not come, but he said to me: L viii
| come as soon as I cam He used to write
me often, and always cheerfully. Then he
said he was going to London to look for
| work For long time did not hear from
| him. Then he wrote me that he was saw
ing little each week. By and by he would
| come Then my dear father died and
was quite alone. I wrote to Olaf, but my
letter was returned. I was very lonely.
went to live with Neils Anderson's family,
and one day Neils Anderson came home
and said: My fortune is made, and yours
too. Bentine. The mines are rich. 1 car
sell our stock for many thousands My
first thought was of Olaf. Now we could
buy back my dear old home in the Alter
Fiord 1 have so much money. Olaf and
I will meet there, and some day I will
bring my dear father and mother to be
buried at home. But where was Olaf;
Then one cay came this letter"
She withdrew her hand from her muff
She opened the letter she held and spread
it out SO I could see it. You can not read
it" she said. ct will read it for you. Olaf
SAYS. am coming 10 yOu. DChbihS'
am In New York BY the Christmas hol
days I will have enough money 20 reach
YOU. My heart is true and filed with love
for you
Happy Olaf" said TO myself.
You see, re does not know that I an
wealthy. He does not know that 1 am com
ing TO him. He is bravely working there
in New York. and all the time 1 am com
ing to him. and we will go home on the
Hekla to the Alten Fjord for the holi'
days"
There were tears OF happiness in hel
eyes. and she leaned her head upon hel
hand and closed her lids and spoke on a:
one speaks in a revere. 1T will be cold
tourney. We viii travel by sledges TO the
Alten Fiord. by the reindeer sledges. l car
hear the Jingle jangle' OF the bells and
the sharp hoofs beating on the frozer
snow. Il will be dark. the long. dark win
ter of the North, with the red and the pink
and blue of the aurora in the sky TO hgh'
our way-but there will be home beyond
and there will be-Olaf-"
Happy Olaf" said /.
I mt her into a carriage. perhaps yor
will come to Norway some day. sne said
Come in June. when all the world is love
IL. when the midnight sun hangs In tbs
heavens. O. our country IS beautiful fot
Will like it. and Olaf Will be glad 70 sc:
YOU" She held out her hand Then
closed the carriage door.
on Sunday night I read OF the sailing o.
the Hekla One paper said:
ANY one who happened 20 be on th'
Thingvalla line steampsh;p pier al Hobo
ken yesterday afternoon when the Danisf
| steamer Hskla sailed for Chr!st,ansand