Year: 1877

A PeriIous Wooipg.


When Aslang became a full-grcwn girl


peace was gone on Husaby farm. The finest


boys of the parish wrangled and fought


there, night after night. 1t was worst on


Saturday nights, but then old Junt Husaby


went to bed with his leather breeches on and


birch club at his elbow. "Have l got


girlF' he said, 81 shall know how to take OF
her."


Tore Neset was only squatter's son.


There were people, though, who said that he


came oitener to see the farmers daughter on
Husaby than anybody else. Old Junt did


not like this talk and said it was not true, for
he had never seen him there. But people
smiled to one another and limited that if he
looked better into that corner where Aslang
sat, instead of squabbling with those who
strutted on the open floor, he would have
found Tore.


Spring came, and when the cattle were
driven up on the hills for grazing Aslang fol-
lowed to take care of them. Hot lay the day
over the valley, but the cliff rose cool above
the sun-smoke, and when from its top the
cow-bells tinkled and the watchdog barked


and Aslang sang and played on the liur, how
did the boys feel toiling in the meadows be-
low! The first Saturday night they all took
to the cliff, one faster than another, But


still more fast they came back, one after the
other, just where the path turned the ham
mer, some one stood and took hold of them,
one by one, as they came, and wheeled them


downward, making his words well remem-


eered: III you choose to come again you


shall be better served"


AS far as people could understand there


was in the whole parish only one who had


the proper hand for such a piece of work.


and that one was Tore Neset. But all the


rich farmers sons thought it rather mean,


that he, the squatter's son, should take his


stand next to her, Aslang Husaby,


The same thought also old Junt, when he


heard it, and he thought further that if no
one else could master that chap, he would try,
and those sons of his. Junt had begun to
grow old, but although he had passed the
three-score, he still liked to try wrestling
match with his Oldest son when sometimes
the company seemed to him to become
sleepy.


Up to the Husaby grazing grounds there
led only one pathway and it started Just in
front of Husaby farLA. Next SATURDAY. even
ing when Tore intended to take this way and


already felt little more quick-footed because
he had cleared the stables, one rushed upon
him and grasped him by the throat. ''What
do you want % said Tore and threw the 9TH
er to the ground so it rang through his body.
"That I shall tell you," said another, and
gave him a blow from behind; it was the
brother. 'And here is a third,'' said old
Junt and clasped him around the waist.


Tore grew stronger with the danger; where
he hit it was felt. And he was timber like
wilow-wand; he bowed and bent; where
blows fell, he was not; where, blows were
not expected, he hit. But at last he
tumbled, overmatched, and a sound thrash
ing be got, though afterward old Junt often
said that bQ had had f1por lo1 TO
with. The three kept on till the blood came,
then Husaby said stop. and added shrewdy:
NOW if next Saturday night you can cheat
the old Husaby bear and these cubs of his,
you may have the lass"


Tore dragged himself along as best he could;
when he reached home he lay down. Much
was spoken in the parish of that fight on
Husaby farm, but every one said: what
would be there?' there was one, though,
who did not say so, and that was Aslang.
She had waited for him that Saturday night,
and when she heard of the meeting between
him and her father she sat down and cried,
and said to herself: ''If I cannot get Tore
shall not see another glad day in this world"


Tore was laid up for the whole Sunday, and
oD Monday he felt that he must still keep the
bed. Tuesday came, and what fine day it
was! 1t had rained during the night, and the
cliff was green afresh. The window was open
ouu tuC otAcll vi III. UDOO
cliff the cOw-bells tinkled and somebody was
singing. Had it not been for his mother who
sat in the room, he would have cried.


On Wednesday he was still in bed, but on
Thursday he wondered whether he could not
be all right till Saturday, and on Friday he
was up. He remembered now the words
which Junt had said: "If next Saturday
night you can cheat the old Husaby bear and
these cubs of his, you may have the lass" He
looked away to Husaby farm, time after time.
II don't think there will be any more beat
ing" be said.


There led, as above mentioned, only one
pathway up to the Husaby grazing grounds;
but one who dared, might get up there,
though he did not go the beaten way. By
rowing round small land-ship and mooriDg
at the foot of The cliff, one might get up,
though the wall was so steep that it had sell
dom been trodden by the goat who else is not
very particular about her way.


Saturday came and Tore was outd oors the
whole day. Never was such day! The
sun played, so the woods danced, and every
now and then some one sang and called upon
the cliff. He sat in front of the door when
dusk came and dewv mist crept upward
along the hills. He looked toward the cliff;
all was quiet there. He looked toward Hus-
ably farm, and then he jumped into the boat
and rowed around the slip.


Upon the cliff, before the hut, sat Aslang,
her days work done. She thought that since
Tore could not come, all the more would 9TH
er people come, and she let loose the dog and
strolled away. She sat where she could look
down into the valley, but there stood the |
mist, and somehow she did not like either to
look down there just now. Then she moved
away, and without any more thought she
came and sat on the opposite side of the cliff
where she could look down over the Fjerd.
There came peace to her from the long view
of the water.


While she was sitting there she thought she
should like to sing, and she chose song with
long notes and a burden. which fioated far
away into the calm evening. She found that
she liked to hear herself sing, and when she
came to the end of the first verse she began
the second with louder voice. But when she
had sung that verse it seemed to her as if
somebody was answering from far below.
"Dear me, what can that be?" she thought,
stepped out on the uttermost ledge, and
threw her arms around tall birch tree which |
stood there and trembed over the abyss. She
looked downward, but she saw nothing. The
Fjord lay quietly asleep; not bird was STIR |
ing. She sat down again and took up her |
song. But this time somebody answered |
with the same tune and much nearer. Aslang
sprang up and leaned once more over the |
ledge. Then she saw boat moored at the /
foot of the cliff, but so far below that it looked
like nut shell. She drew the eyes upward |
aud caught sight Of red cap climbing the |
naked wall. "Wbo can that beP she asked, |
and made long leap backward. She dared
not answer, for she knew full well who it |
was. She threw herself down on the green |
sward and took hold of the grass with both |
her hands, as ii it we're she who must not |
miss the grasp. The roots loosened; she |
shreked, thrust her hands deeper into the 1
him. Then she felt that this was truly to try |
God. and could not be expected to be granted. |
"But only this one time" she burst out,
''help him, oh! only this one timew She |
clasped the dog as if it were Tore she would |
hold fast, rolled with 1t over the green sward,
and thought that these minutes would never