Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1900-02-20
THE WATCHERS
BY L. Won Eehren.

year ago Ne had married pretty Ntl4e
Ola, the daughter OF the inuEceper at
11Allritsala.
The nourners came. one after another.
lifted the sheet from his face. took a
long look, and said, "Ah. how changed"
or HE looks as natural as in life" &C.
cording to the disposition Of the speaker.
Then they pressed tile hand Of the young
widow. who stood with swollen eyes by
the bedside. and went into the adjoining
room for bite and a glass of punch.
Gradually the throng dwindlcd away and
only four persons remained to comfort
the widow and watch over the dead.
These four were OlIa's mother, Onni Dit
kalachti and Asto Snutati, who had been
Lass best frieuds in life, and Oge
Handler.
The last had not been exactly friend
Of the deceased, for he had been his rival
for Olla's hand and had never forgiven
Laas for having carried off the prize.
But now that Laas was dead. Oge re-
manned with the watchers in order to
show that he did not carry hard feelings
beyond the grave. which was very noble
and kind Of him. to be sure.
And so all five, the widow and her
mother, the two friends and Oge. sat to-
gcther, silent and sorrowful.
After awhile Onni rose and approach
ed the table. He drank glass Of punch
and said in mournful accents:
I'VE are all sad. very sad: but we must
not forget the necessity of the flesh. You
permit, Olla?"
Ola readily permitted, and the others
drew round the table, on which was not
only good Swedish punch, but a liberal
provision OF eggs. ham and other smoked
meats and great. fat loaves Of the hard
Swedish bread.
They all ate and drank and wept to-
gethcr.
The night wore on. The clock struck
2, but it was not yet dark. The white
night lay over Lauritsala, the bright
summer night Of Finland in which Koit
and Aemorik. dawn and twilight, kiss
each other. Fellow lay the quiet Sauna
lake. which reflected the rosy glow of the
sky. Stiffness reigned in the watch cham
ber All except Ola and Oge were
asleep. with their heads on the table, and
Ola and Oge sat gazing at each other
with a new light in their eyes.
Come" Oge whispered. 'let US leave
them sleeping here and go down by the
lake."
She clasped his hand and they went
out together. The others slept calmly
on.
Through the window the dawn looked
into the chamber whore the dead man
lay 80 still. Somebody had forgotten to
draw the sheet over his face. and the
beams Of the rising sun fell full upon it.
Dear, good Laas in this light looked quite
handsome and not IN the least like
corpse.
A little dy was buzzing about him. 1t
alighted on his hair. but not finding that
region to its liking. it crawled over his
forehead and down his nose and at last
entered his nostril.
Now it Is an exceedingly unpleasant
thing to have fly up ones nose. and
Laas evidently thought 80. for he sud-
denly sneezed twice with great violence.
and then he opened his eyes and sat up.
He gazed about him stupidity at first
for fellow is apt to be little ratified on
awaking from the dead-but he gradually
got his bearings and understood.
All. fe thought. how glad his wife
would be to see him alive again!
He climbed out Of bed and shivered In
the cool morning air. for be was very
lightly clad. So he picked up the sheet,
wrapped it tightly around him and went
forth to look for his wife.
Hc felt trife dizzy. but people who
rise from the dead must put up with a
little discomfort at first. In the next
room he found the watchers still sound
asleep and the remains Of the punch and
other good things on tho table.
Laas was very hungry, but he was de-
termined to find his wife first Of all
things. which was certainly very good Of
him.
He walked ont of the house door. Out
side the dew was sparkling on the grass,
fine clouds were floating over the lake.
which gazed up at the overhanginS YER
dure like a great, bright. blue eve.
The cocks were Growing Justify. Down
by the lake LAS saw the CLEAN Of a
white kerchief that he knew very well.
for he had given 1t to OLA.
All! There she sat. weeping for him!
Laas picked up the skirts of his wind
ing sheet. the end Of which trailed on the
ground behind him. and stalked down to
the lake with mighty strides.
Yes. Ola was there. but Oge Handler
was there too. and their heads were very
close together.
Suddenly the lovers were startled by
Laas Kapiaisen's hand coming between
them from behind and falling with loud
thwack on Oge's cheek. They srrang to
their feet. regarded the shected Laas
with horror stricken eyes for an instant,
then fed in panic fear without uttcring a
SYLLABLE
One ran to the right. tho other to the
left clrng tie shore Of the lake. and LHas
stood gaming n=rlv c'tcr Thorn by turns
He shock his fist at the fleeing Cse
ard r'uttcrch to himself. THAT fellow
ncvc: enters my house again"
Then, with n sorrowrul micn and much
shakin. Of tive head. he went slowly hack
to the wat', chamber. There the flies
wore awake and hu2"ing. but the three
watchers were still asleep.
Md Laa%. it'll his rncful countcnance
L. ! lis white. winding snect, sat down
beside t'r!n at tH'l". and. to the nccnm
ra,;,"rnt Of lI.cii s''"r"S. r. --''e;' h''1So!f
with ham and eggs Snl mighty DRIFTS Of
his much loved Swedish punch. Trans
lated From the German For Short Sto-
rcS.
Essl.icnnhlc Tarisian Life.
A witty Frcnchnan has declared that
the Pari%ians a:c pas$:onatc.y fond OF
the country. bnt they never dare drive
farther than their beloved park for fear
4 thNy~