The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-11-19
NUMBER 90.


well again by Saturday, and Friday
found him on his legs again. Then he
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. 4 shall never see
another Christmas" thought Thor.
AS before mentioned, there was but
one 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, IL
he were to row round the point yonder
and fasten his boat at the one side, 1t
might be possible to climb up there,
although it was so very steep that the
goats had great difficulty in climbing
1t, 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, put 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 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 nae, what
can that be-" thought Aslang. She
stepped forward to the edge and twin
| ed her arms around a slender birch
| which hung trembling over the preci-
pice and looked down. But she could
see nothing. The ford lay there calm
and at rest Not single bird skinned
the water. So Aslang sat herself down
| again, and again she began to sing.
Once more came the answering voice in
the same tones and nearer than the
first time. THAT sound was no echo.
whatever ii may be-" Aslang jumped
| to her feet and again leaned over the
cliff, and there, down below, at the foot
Of the rocky wall. she saw a boat fas-
tened. 1t locked like tiny nutshell,
for it was very far down. She looked
again and saw fur cap and under it
the figure of a man climbing up. the
steep and barren cliff.
"Who can it be-" Aslang asked her.
self, and, letting go the birch. she STEP
ped back. She dared not answer her
own question, but well she knew who
it WAS. She flung herself down on the
greensward. se:zing the grass with both
hands. as though it were she who dared
not loose her hold for fear of falling.
But the grass came up by the roots.
She screamed aloud and dug her hands
deeper and deeper into the soil. She
prayed to Ged to help him, but then it
struck her that this feat of Thor's
would be called tempting Providence" !"
and therefore he could not expect help
from above.
"OnIy just this oner' she prayed.
"Hear my prayer just this one time
and help him. Then she threw her
arms round the dog, as though it were
Thor whom she was clasping. and roll
ed herself on the grass beside it
The time seemed to her quite endless.
Suddenly the dog began to bark.
Bow wowr' said he to Aslang and
jumped upon her. and again, Wow.
wowr Then over the edge Of the cliff
a coarse. round cape came to view,
| and-Thor was in her arms,
He lay there a whole minute. and
neither of them was capable of utter
ing syllable, and when they did begin
to talk there was neither sense nor
reason in anything they said.
But when old Canute Husaby heard
of it he uttered a remark which had
both sense and reason. Bringing his
fist down on the table with a tremen-
dous crash, "The lad deserves herr" he
| cried. '.The girl shall be hisr'