Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-24

of the northland, who, unsullied by the
hand of trade, pass their uneventful
lives in the fullness of contentment and
simplicity, caring nothing for the great
and strenuous existence of the world
beyond their ken. And who is there to
say that they, even in their seeming
condition of lowly life, do not come
nearer to that satisfaction which is
the goal of all human existence? The
sea furnishes them from its stores
the soil supplies their simple needs and
the mountains and the hills support
their fiocks, while their spiritual and
aesthetic nature is amply supplied by
the contemplation of that majesty and
grandeur which defies the artists brush
to paint or the poets power to de-
scribe.
Located far back at the head of one
of the great fjords that run back into
the land is little hamlet of peasant
people dwelling peacefully in the little
valley through which winds one of
the swift mountain streams, threading
its way through wood and field. Here
lived Eric, the last of an acient viking
family whose ancestors had settled In
this rugged glen in times so remote
that only legend now told of their
bloody forays and warlike deeds. Here
had these bold warriors headed their
excursions against their neighbors; and
here, too had they retreated to enjoy
the spoils of the conquests. Many old
and time defaced landmarks attested
the nature of their calling. Here also
had they held in the stern bondage or
slavery their less fortunate and weak
er brethren, and when the time came
for making preparation for their last
long voyage, from here ii was that
they set out for Valhalla. lighted on
the way by the light from their own
burning vessel. The placid waters of
this fjord had witnessed many such
a Journey into the vast unknown.
Eric, now young man Of perhaps,
20 years of age, was true type of the
Norseman. with light blue eyes. fair
hair and ruddy though seemingly
transparent skin of the true Scandi-
navian. Tall straight and powerful he
was. yet with no suggestion of that
worn out and faded expression so
often seen in the physiques of men or
later generations of the more cultured
races, boasting of warlike ancestors.
In his strong young face could be seen
those old-time characteristics so often
painted on the faces of his daring and
rugged Viking ancestry. Yet, while
they were fierce wild and unbridled.
strong in love and in war. Eric had
that dreamy, far-away look of one
who lived in a world just beyond the
confines of sight and sound. There was
no effeminacy or weakness manifest
ed but even because of this sort of
dreamy and far-away appearance there
seemed to be added q sort of mysteri-
Gus suggestion of mastery. His edu-
cation consisted mostly of the old tales
of war and conquest of the old time.
of the stories of sylphs. undines and
other nature sprites, with only very
small smattering of that education now
considered so essential. He was past
master in the language of the hills and
mountains, the laughing waters and
the woods while beast and bird seemed
to understand him as one of them
selves. To his sensitive and impress
sionistic nature, Nature had spoken TO
him and touched him with that magic
wand of understanding which alone
can interpret her secret heart. His
soul was filled with music and he
sought to find expression of his hopes
and aspirations through its magic
chords He was no mean performer
upon the violin, though he had been
denied all training in its wonderful
possibilities except such as he could
secure from an old violinist of the ham,
let. Even then, to those who had ever
CHANGED to hear him perform when
the spirit of the unseen seemed to be
upon him. his playing was enhancing
and wonderful and the plaintive mel
odies he would call out upon the violin
seemed to be the very soul of music.
In the long afternoons of the sum-
mer time when there was nothing at
u,biob 70 kaan hirnself huSV he would