Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-01-21
THE PROOF
OF THE GODS

IuoEs EIegl alA kA1l b8Aa1-rN4 NAea-
ga, Hela and Freya- But Athrud |
still laughed
NO he said. what proof have
you that there is such a thing as Val
ballaf Odin and Thor are but crea-
lures Of the imagination"
One night he lay in his bed think
.ng about the future. He wondered
whether there were gods; invisible
people who haunted the great above.
AS he thought there was a crest
,Iast Of a trumpet Athrud shudder-
ID and lay still
"Athrudl Athrudl" called a voice.
He went TO the window and threw
back the shutter. Nc Sne was in
sight The full moon was arriving at
he zenith.
He slept TIL morning. Then he
went to the woods and hunted. He
killed a deer.
As he was bringing It home on his
powerful shoulders a man came up
behind him and tried to pull it of.
Athrud threw down the dead beast
and then did as much for the man.
Holding a knife at the mans throat,
he demanded, who are you that dare
to steal my lawful gain7"
The fallen man muttered, Il wish
to place II on Odin's atari"
Then so much for yOul" cried Ath-
rud and he killed his adversary.
Said he to the dying man. DO you
still believe in Odin?" A movement
Of the eyelids Indicated the affirma-
tive. where VIII you go when you
are dead3' asked Athrud, standing
pensively over his now nearly dead
zoe. No answer. The limbs stiffened
and the blood flowed more slowly.
Athrud drew his long sword and
began to whfrl 1t over the body. Nov
shall kill your soul, IL you have
one, on its upward flightI" he said. in
the same tone he would have used to
a -neigbbor in talking of the weather
or the hunt
After a while he ceased, for the
man was dead. As he sheathed his
sword there was a whir overheard
But on looking up he could see moth
ing. Placing the knife in its case, he
once more took up the deer.
"Athrudl Athrudi" called the voice,
as on the previous night His knees
shook; no one was in sight. Reach
ing his house, he skinned his prey
and cooked a piece for dinner.
That night as he lay in bed he felt
his house shake and there was a low
growl as Of distant thunder. Then
followed a jarring of the earth, such
as made by a heavy blow. The
Hammer OF Thorl" he calculated.
He was alone in his house, as was
his unvarying rule. For the first
time in his life he was afraid of the
darkness. II he had had a lighted
lamp by his bedside, he would not
have taken fright SO quickly. But
the darkness was awful There was
Gathering of hoofs beneath his
window and a creaking Of wheels. He
-ushed to the window; threw back
The shutter; put out his head.
Two black goats stood below. He
uttered cry; The steeds of Thorl"
Immediately The goats started on
and the creaking recommended, while
a voice in the distance cried ~AthrudI
Athrud!"
The next night ne built FIRE in
his room and kept it burning bright
y.
It was nigh midnight when Athrud
vas startled by the blast OF trumpet
He went to the window and looked
1t the heavens. There was a faint
every moment. There was also a
lark mass IN that light which grew
larger In proportion to ii.
Suddenly there was a second blast
Of the trumpet and a brass chariot
dashed down from the sky, drawn by
two black goats. The brass shed a
bright light over all. Athrud watched
with quaking heart and shaking
hands.
The chariot passed the window. the
goats paving the air and doubling
their necks In their efforts to gallop
faster. The figure in the chariot held
the reins In one hand and in the
other he brandished a powerful ham
mer.
1t was Thorl
After him came twenty ValkyrIes
on winged steeds. They we're clad in
silver armor and bore javelins and
! awords. Like whirlwind they swept
past
Then came the grand car OF Odinl
All gold was It and set with Jewels
The eagle perehed on the shoulder oi
the greatest Of the gods Of the north
land. solemnly went the triumpha
car past the window Of Athrud the
unbeliever.
Then came the long retinue Of Odin
The gbostly elank Of their armol
smote upon the cold night air ant
sent chill through the heart Of the
terrified mortal at the window. Thl
grand host of odin passed by and as
eended TO the above.
As the last warrior disappeared
. there came a cry: -Athrudl Athrud
Dost thou believer
-odin. Thorl" cried the converted
]. man. sinking hack. 4 believed be
/ lievei But give me one more proc
! that thou art indeed a godl"
. And 10. there came a bolt from
1 heaven and Athrud was strichel
blindl That was tho proof OF tn
gods and Athrud believed.