Smyrna times., 1901-10-23

well again by Saturday, and Friday
found him on his legs again. Then ne
thought of what Aslang's father had
said. IF you can get up to her next
Saturday without being stopped by Ca
mute and his men. the girl shall be
yours" Over and over again he looked
up at Husaby farm. Il shall never see
another Christmas" thought Thor.
AS before mentioned, there was but
ono path up to Husaby hill. but surely
any strong, able fellow must be able to
get to it. even though the direct way
were barred to him. For instance, if
he were to row round the point yonder
and fasten his boat at the one side it
might be possible to climb up there,
although it was so very steep that the
goats had great difficulty in climbing
it, and they are not usually afraid of
mountain work.
| Saturday came, and Thor went out
early in the morning. The day was
| most beautiful. The sun shone so
| brightly that the very bushes seemed |
alive. Up on the mountain many voices |
were 'jOdling," and there was much |
blowing of horns. When evening came, |
he was sitting at his cottage door |
watching the steaming mist rise up on |
the hills. He looked upward. All was |
quiet. He looked over toward Husaby
farm. and then he jumped into his boat
and rOwed away round the point
Aslang sat before the hut. Her days
work was done. She was thinking Thor
would not come that evening and that
therefore many others might come in
stead, so she unfastened the dog and
without saying anything walked far
ther on. She sat down so that she
could see across the valley, but the
mist was rising there and prevented
her looking down. Then she chose
another place and without thinking
more about it sat down so that she
looked toward the side where lay the
ford. 1t seemed to bring peace to her
soul when she could gaze far away
across the water.
AS she sat there the fancy struck her
that she was inclined to sing, so she
chose Il song with long drawn notes,
and far and wide it sounded through
the mountains. She liked to hear her.
self singing. so she began over again
; when the first verse was ended. But
when she had sung the second it seem
ed to her as though some one answered
from far down below. Dear me, what
: can that be-" thought Aslang She
= stepped forward to the edge and twin
i ed her arms around Il slender birch
), which hung trembling over the preci-
1Nic Il 1rf chn
see nothing. The ford lay there calm
) and at rest. Not single bird skinned
) the water. SO Aslang sat herself down
Il again. and again she began to sing
Z Once more came the answering voice in
the same tones and nearer than the
first time. THAT sound was no echo
whatever il may be- Aslang jumped
to her feet and again leaned over th'
cliff. and there, down below, at the foo
Il of the rocky wall, she saw n boat fas
70 tened. 1t looked like a tiny nutshell
~ for it was very far down. She looked
- again and saw a fur cap and under
l. u the figure of Il man climbing up tn
- steep and barren cliff.
III "Who can it be-" Aslang asked hel
self, and, letting go the birch, she steI
"a ped back. She dared not answer he
- own question, but we'll she knew VIII
IN it was. She flung herself down on til
w. greensward, seizing the grass with bot
- hands. as though it were she who dare
lS' not loose her hold for fear of fallin;
But the grass came UP by the root
- She screamed aloud and dug her han(
10 deeper and deeper into the soil. 81
Il 4 LII, IA I,,,A fl,oV,
ne struck her that this feat of Thor
" would be called tempting Providence
." anil therefore he could not expect he
from above.
rs only just this Cne"' she praye
% "Hear my prayer just this one tin
-. and help him. Then she threw h
a. arms round the dog, as though it we
Thor whom she was clasping, and 70
~ ~" ed herself on the grass beside it.
,i. ,ne The time seemed to her quite endle:
ms Suddenly the dog began to bar
Bow wowr' said he to Aslang al
-i jumped upon her. and again, "Wo
=" woww Then over the edge of the cl
en- a coarse round cape came to vie
-, and-Thor was in her arms!
oiu He lay there a whole minute, a
neither of them was capable of utt
w. w. ing syllable, and when they did be9
Pie to talk there was neither sense L
an reason in anything they said.
But when old Canute Husaby hes
Inv of it he uttered remark which h
- both sense and reason. bringing
''H7 fist down on the table with trem'
= dOus crash The lad deserves her"
az cried The girl shall be his"'
up Our First Pottery.