The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-24

with his followers to the defense of
the realm. Ride back to those that sent
thee" said Frithjof. land let them clear
ly understand that after the insults they
have heaped upon me everything is at
an end between us. I will not take up
arms for them"
After the messengers had gone Frithjof
sat brooding for a while and then said
to himself: Let Beles sons send out
the war call over hill and vale. l go
not to the field. In Balders halls Is
my battlefield-ny world" Then he
opened his heart to his friend Bjorn who,
so that he could serve Frithjof, cared
little for law or danger. 1t was FIRTH
jofs plan to go in the ship Ellide to a
cove near the groves of Balder, land and
seek a secret meeting with Ingeborg. This
plan was carried out and many a meet
ing did Frithjof and Tngeborg have in
the sacred groves in the pale dusk of
the northern spring nights. 1t did not
| seem natural for Ingeborg to fear when
| Frithjof was with her, nor did she think
| she was doing any wrong In conversing
with him as she had done all her life
| unchided But still in these innocent
communings Ingeborg did not forget the
| risk that her lover ran by penetrating
| into those forbidden places and it was
| she who noticed the first signs Of the
coming day. the larlk's first song, the first
| flush of morning in the eastern skies.
| One night-a night when Ingeborg
was expecting Frithjof--the young man
did not appear and as the night walked
old her heart sank within her. Morn
| ing" she thought, as she looked at the
whitening sky, land Frithjof Is not
here" Then she thought of her guilt
in having violated the laws ofthe sane
tuary and cried out in despair that her
punishment had come-FrithJof had
forsaken her. AS the time crept on and
she meditated on all the past and the
present, the thoughtless girl changed
into the woman, braced to suffer and
endure sternly and to meet her fate in
solitude and seclusion, bravely, as war
| riors meet theirs in battle. Then sud
denly Frithjof stood before her. One
glance at his face told her that he had
tidings of woe for her to hear.
Tell me ALI" she cried. THE worst
will not be what 1 felt was impending
all this dreadful night" Without one
caress or one word of endearmenr
Frithjof told his tale.
| It had been Thing day, and Frithjof
had gone to Bele's mound. where the
| two kings sat upon the Stone of Judg-
ment, and where, from foot to top, stood
the .freemen of Norseland in orderly
ranks, shield to shield and hand on hilt.
| He had stepped before the kings and
said: WAR threatens thy borders. Give
me thy sister and my arm is strong to
| fight thy battles. With one word thou
savest thy crown and thy sisters heart.
BY Thor I swear l offer thee my nand
now in friendship for the last time
great murmur swept over the Thing and
a great shout arose
"Give him 1ngeborg! Oh. give him
Ingeborg!"
Even Halfdan arose from the royal
seat and begged his brother to accede
to Frithjof's demand. But Hedge, darkly
lowering, replied sternly, in contemptu-
Gus tones:
1.-THE bonder's son might call Inge-
borg BRIDE but not the violator of the
sanctuary. He would hardly be u fit
mate for a daughter of Odin. Did you
not, Frithjof, violate the sanctuary OF
Balder--meet and speak with my SISTER
in the forbidden place? Answer yes or
no." KAY
Say Nor went up from the people
in vast shout; but Fritjof said:
II would not buy valhalla's JOY with
lie. did meet and speak at night
with Ingeborg in Balder's temple; but
not for that did / break the peace OF
the holy place."
Frithjof turned to the people to sec
those nearest from him recoil from him,
and on every side he was met with
looks of aversion and fear He was, by
hisown confessions . violator q the