Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-07-15
KAREN

There was once upon a time in Kraruper
inn a maiden named Karen. She attended
to the serving of the guests herself, for the
landlady lived among her pots and pans in
the kitchen. And many people came to
there when the autumn evenings began to
darken and sat in the warm room and
drank unlimited quantities of coffee punch;
travellers and wanderers, too, who came in
blue with cold, stamping their feet and
calling for something hot, that would en-
able them to reach the next station.
Karen went about silently, without
haste, serving each in his turn. She was
small and delicate, only a child, earnest
and reserved, and the young fellows did
not notice her. But she was very dear to
the older customers, to whom a visit to
the inn was an event of Importance. She
prepared their coffee quickly and served 1t
seven times hot. When she moved about
among the guests with her waiter, the
burly, c~oarsely dressed men stood aside
and made place for her and every one look
ed admiringly after her. Karen had great,
gray eyes that took in everything and
seemed to look far, far away, and her eye
brows were arched in surprise and won
der. Strangers thought she did not under
stand their orders, but Karen heard it all
and made never a mistake. She had a way
all her own, whether she gazed off into the
distance or listened or waited or dreamed.
The west wind blew strong. 1t threw up
long, heavy waves from the west sea. Salt
z..l J-~,. -sA fr1@L nnl f~n-, ~ 41-a,r
them on the sands. But when the wind
reached Kraruper inn, it had only strength
enough left to tear open the stable door,
| and then that which connected the kitchen
| with the stable. 1t burst in, filled the
| space, swung the lantern that hung from
the roof back and forth, tore off the hos
| tiers cap and rolled 1t out into the dark.
ness, threw the horses blankets over their
heads and finally blew a white hen from
her perch into the water trough. The hen
squawked f%rightfully, the hostler swore,
| the chickens cackled. The kitchen was full
| of smoke. The horses grew restless and beat
| sparks of fire from the stones with their
hoofs. Even the ducks, which were gath
cred quacking together near the Manager to
be at hand when the oats were scattered,
began to chatter, and through it all the
wind roared fearfully. At last two men
came out of the inn parlor and, putting
their broad backs against the door, pushed
1t shut, while a shower Of sparks rained
from their pipes over their dark boards.
Having done all the mischief possible the
wind fled back over the plain, crossed the
great pond and shook the mail coach that
rolled majestically along about half a mile
from the inn.
"What terrible haste he always makes to
reach kraruper inn, " muttered the pos
tilion, Anders, cracking his whip over the
smoking horses. For the twentieth time
the conductor had let down the window to
call to him. At first 1t had been a friendly
invitation to take a coffee punch with
him; then little by little the good nature
disappeared. Finally the window went
down with a bang, and remarks far from
conciliating were showered on driver and
horses.
The wind swept low on the ground, and
long, mysterious signs murmured through
the heather bushes. The moon was full,
but thick clouds obsoured its light. Be.
hind kraruper inn lay the gloomy moor,
covered by black heaps Of peat and deep,
treacherous holes. And between the heath.
er bushes wound a strip of grass that look.
ed like a path, but 1t was no path, for II
came to a sudden end at the brink of q
hole deeper than the others and filled with
water. In the grass a sleek fox orouched
and waited and a hare hoped softly ovel
the plain. The fox could reckon with Ger
tainty that the hare would not make 9
long circuit so late in the evening. Hi
stretched out a cautious nose and, as hi
shifted in the direction Of the wind ant
sought a secure post Of observation, HI
thought how wise foxes always were an(
how stupid the hares.
Yonder in the inn there was an unusua
commotion. A couple of travelling mer
had ordered roast hare. The landlord hat
gone to an auction at Thisted and Iii
wife was used only to the responsibilities
Of her kitchen. Now it happened, unfor
tunately, that the advocate would speak
with the host on business, and because hi
was not at home the good woman mus
listen to a long speech and take charge ol
an important letter, a proceeding that sad
ly disturbed her composure. A stranger
stood by the stove in greasy sailor clothes
who was waiting for a bottle Of soda wa
ter. Two fish peddlers had three times or
dered brandy tor their coffee. The stable
boy stood with an empty lantern and wait
ed for a candle, and q tall, rough farmel
followed Karen with longing eyes-sh'
owed him change for a crown he had jus
given her. Karen came and went withou
haste, without error. One would hardl!
imagine she could attend to 80 many thing
at once. The great eyes and the higl
arched brows were full Of wonder and ex
pectation. The fine little head wal helt
straight and still. II she would make il,
mistakes, she must keep her thoughts col
small for her. The tight neckband wrin
killed. her flesh just ulder the hair. 9Th,
maiden from Agger has a white skin,
said one fish peddler to the other. The.
were young people and spoke of Karen al
connoisseurs
Some one stood near the window an,
looking at the clock said, "The post 4
early tonight" 1t ratified over the pave
ment, the doors were thrown open and til,
wind blew the smoke from the stove
Karen entered from the kitchen just as tn
conductor stepped into the door and greet
ed the company with a hearty GOOD even
ingr' He was a tall, handsome man, will
I dark eyes, a crisp brown beard framed bill
face and curly brown hair covered hi
. small head. His long heavy mantle o
Z beautiful red royal Danish cloth was trim
med with black fur and hung from BIZ
Q shoulders. The entire light Of the tw,
dim p~araf1n lamps that were suspended
/. from the wall over the table conferred itsel
!. on this spot Of glorious crimson as II l
loved II. and left all the black and gray o