Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-06-02
uE4lEl1M A...
q Society Hovel.
NARfa coRELLi.
Continued.

oL' Iel llS STE ~ sue AhNA AANiSN
half-Sobbingly. "Father,-dear ia
Their! knew he would not leave ME
without world"
Sir Philip reverently opened the fold
ed paper which Svensen had committed
to his care that morning, and together
they read the bonde's farewell. 1t ran
as follows
"Thelma. my beloved,
The summons have waited for has
come at last, and the doors OF Nalhala
are set open to receive my soul. Won
der not that depart with JOY! Old rs
am, long for youth--the everlast-
ing youth of which the strength and
SAVIOR fails not, l have lived long
enough to know the sameness OF this
world-though there is much therein
to please the heart and eye of man
but with that rowing restlessness that
was born within me, | desire to sail
new seas and gaze on new lands, where
a perpetual light shines that knows no
fading. Grieve not for me--thou wilt
remember that, unlike a Christian, |
see in death the chiefest glory Of life
and thou must not regret that l am
eager to drain this cup of world-obliV-
ion offered by the gods. leave thee,
not sorrowfully-- for thou art in
shelter and safety-the strong pro-
lection of thy husbands love defends
thee and safeguard thy own inno-
cence. My blessing upon him and
thee! Serve him, Thelma mine, with
full devotion and obedience-even as
Il have taught thee-thus drawing
from thy woman life its best measure
of sweetness, keep the bright
shield of thy truth untarnished-
and live so that at the nour OF
thine own death-ecstasy thou mayst
depart as easily as song-bird soaring
to the sun! pass hence in happiness
If thou dost shed a tear thou wrong
est my memory,-there is naught to
weep for. Valdemar will give me the
crimson shroud and ocean grave Of
my ancestors-but question him not
concerning this fiery pomp OF my last
voyage--he is but a serf, and his SOIL
is shaken to its very depths by sorrow.
Let him he-he will have his reward
hereafter. And now farewell. Child
OF my heart-darling of mine age
clear mirror in which my later life has
frightened to content! All partings
are brief-we shall meet again-thou
and | and Philip-and all who have
loved or who love each other the
journey heavenwards may be made by
different roads, but the end-the glory
the immortality is the same! Peace
be upon thee and on thy children and
on thy children's children!
Thy father,
"O,af Guklmar."
In spite of the brave old pagan's dee
lsration that tears would wrong his
memory, they dropped bright and fast
from his daughters eyes as she kissed
again and again the words his dying
hand had penciled, while Errington
knew not which feeling gained the
mastery over him, grief for a good
mans loss. or admiration for the
strong, heroic spirit in which that good
man had welcomed death with rejoic
ing. He could not help comparing the
bondes departure from this life with
that of Sir Francis LennoX, the man
Of false fashion, who had let slip his
withered soul with an oath into the
land OF Nowhere. Presently Thelma
grew calmer, and began to speak In
hushed, soft tones
Poor Valdemar!" she said medita-
lively. His heart must ache very
much, Philip"
Philip looked up inquiringly.
"You see. my father speaks OF the
crimson shroud,'" she went on.
That means that he was buried like
many Of the ancient Norwegian sea-
kings;-he was taken from his bed
while dying and placed on board his
own ship to breathe his last: then the
ship was set on fire and sent out to
sea. always knew he wished 1t so.
Valdemar must have done 1t all-for !
l saw the last glimpse of the flames on
the Fjord the night / came home. Oh,
Phillip" and her beautiful eyes rested
tenderly upon him, ut was all so
dreadful-so desolate! wanted-I
prayed to die also! The world was So
empty-it seemed as II there was moth
ing left"
Philip still sitting at her feet, encir-
cled her with both arms, and drew her
down to him.
my Thelma!" he whispered" there
is nothing left-nothing at all worth
living for,-save Love!"
"Ah! but that" she answered softly
lis everything"
Is 1t so, indeed? Is Love alone
worth living for-worth dying for? is
1t the only satisfying good we can
grasp at among the shifting shadows
OF our brief existence? In its various
phases and different workings, is It,
after all. the brightest radiance known
in the struggling darkness OF our lives?
Sigurd had thought so,-he had died
to prove II. Philip thought so,-when