Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-04-14
BOOK III.
BOOK III.
THE LAND OF THE LONG SHADOW.
CHAPTER NXXI.

AASh1 80 SANs
We, from the letters OF the light
unbound.
Healed of our wound OF living. shall
sleep sound! "-Swinbourne.
Night on the Altenfjord,- the long,
loLg. changeless night of winter. The
sharp snow-covered crests OF the
mountains rose in white appeal against
the darkness of the sky,-the wild
north wind tore through the leatiess
branches of the pineforests, bringing
with it driving pellets of singing hail.
Joyless and songless, the whole land
scape lay as though frozen into sculpt-
ured stone. The Sun slept,-and the
Fjord, black with brooding shadows,
seemed silently to ask-where? Where
was the great king of Light?-the
glorious god of the golden hair ana
rudy conference.-the glittering
warrior with the flaming shield and
spear invlncible? Where had he found
his rest? BY what strange enchant-
nent had he fallen into so deep and
long a drowSineSs. The wind that had
rioted across the mountains, roofing up
g1eat trees in its shaking career north
wards, grew hushed as it approached
the Altenfjord there weird stiffness
reigned, broken only by the sullen and
monotonous splash of the invisible
waves upon the scarcely visible shore.
few tiny, twinkling lights showed
the irregular outline of Bosekop, and
now and then one or two fishing-boats
with sable sails and small colored
lamps at mast and prov would fit
across the inky water like dark mes
sengers from another world bound on
some mournful errand. Human fig
ures, more shadowy than real, were to
be seen occasionally moving on the
pier, and to the left of the little town,
as the eye grew accustomed to the
moveless gloom, a group OF persons,
like ghosts in dream, could be dimly
perceived working busily at the mend
ing of nets.
Suddenly a strange, unearthly glow
flashed over the sombre scene,-a rosy
radiance deepening to brilliant streaks
of fire. The dark heavens were torn
asunder. and through them streamed
faring pennons of light,-waying,
trembling, dancing, luminous ribbons
of red, blue, green, and delicious
amber, like the flowing of golden wine,
wider, higher, more dazzlingly lust
rous, the wondrous glory shone alott,
rising upward from the horizon
thrusting long spears of lambert lame
among the murky retreating clouds,
till in one magnificent coruscation OF
resplendent beams blazing arch OF
gold leaped from east to west, span
ming the visible breath of the Fjord,
and casting towards the white peaks
above, vivid sparkles and reflections
of jewel-like brightness and color
Here was surely the Rainbow Bridge
of Odin-the glittering pathway lead
ing to Valhalla! Long tilmy threads
of emerald and azure trailed down
wards from it, like ropes OF talry
flowers, binding it to the earth --aboVe
it hung a fieece-like nebulons' white
ness a canopy through which palpl-
tated sudden flashes OF amethyst.
Then. as though the arch were bent
bow for the hand of some heavenly
hi nter, crimson beams darted across II
in swift succession, like arrows shot at
the dark target of the world. Round
and round swept the varying circles
of color-now advancing retreat
irg-now turning the sullen waters
;,,tr ~ gtpalU
green-now of heaped-up pearls and
diamonds. The whole landscape was
transformed and the shadowy cluster
of men and women on the shore paused
in their toll. and turned their pale faces
towards the ripping splendor,-the
heavy fishing nets dropping from their
hands like dark webs woven by giant
spiders.
IT'S the first time We have seen the
Arch of Death this year" said one IN
awed accents.
"Ay, ay!" returned another, with a
sigh. And some one is bound to cross
it, whether he will or no 'Tis sure
sign
"Sure!" they all agreed, in hushed
voices as faint and far off as the break
ing Of the tide against the rocks on the
OF posite coast.
AS they spoke, the fairy-like bridge
in the sky parted asunder and van
shed. The brilliant aurora borealis
faded by swift degrees-a few moments
and the land was again enveloped in
gloom.
1t might have been midnight-yet by
the clock it was but four in the after
noon. Dreary indeed was the Alien
fiord.-yet the neighboring village of
Talvig was even drearier. There.
desolation reigned supreme-it was
frozen region of bitter, shelterless cold
where the poverty inhabitants,
smitten by the physical torpor and
mental stupefaction engendered BY the
long, dark season, scarcely stirred out