The Father

From the Aklino, for September. fllOM THE NOUWEGIAN. Thord Was the illightiest inan in tho mrish. He stood one day in the parson's tudy, tall and grave. " I have a son," he aid, "and wisli iiiin christeuod." " Wliat shall be lus name ? " " Finn, after niy father." " And the godfathers ' " Thord told their nanies, and they wore he best men of the parish, nnd wonien f 11 is oa kin. " Is there anything more ? " asked tlie arson ; he looked np Thord stood a moment. " I would like x havu him baptized alono," he said. " That is to say, on a week dny 't ' " Saturday next ; at 12 o'clock." " Is there anything more ?" " No, that is all." Thord fümbled with his cap lie Was bout to leavo. Then the parson wen t traight to him, and grasped his hand. God give," said he, looking into his yes, " that this child bo a Messing unto beo." Sixteen years after that dy Thord tood once more in the parson's study. Thou keepe8t on quito Well," said the arson ; he could sei; no chango in him. " For I havo no grief," answored Thord. To this the pwsou said nothing, but afr a while hc asked, " What is thy erand to-night ? " "This niglit I havo como for my son, Ie is to be confirmed to-morrow." " He is a gooa boy." " I would not pay the parson until I cnew what place he was to have among ;he oth :r boys." ' He ír number one." " I hitar so, and these ten dollars are f r yo .' " th re anything mora ? " " No, that is all." And Thord left. Eigh' years passer' aw y, and then, onc lay, a giuat noise was ueard Ixfore thj ).irsun's study, tor maar men wen; coiung and Thord at their liead. The Prlon lookod up and know him. " ïhou omest in groat nuinbor, to-day," he said. " I huve come to Live rcad the hans of ny son. lie is goinií to niarry Karen Storliden, daughtcr of Gudiuund, who tonda Imre." " tëhe is the riehest girl in the parish." " Poople say so," answered Thord ; he moothed away the hair froni the forelead. The parson gat a minute in deep thought Ie said nothing, but put down the nuincs u bis book and the men signed. Thord lid three dollars on the tftbte, " I shall have only one," said the paron. " I know it, but he is my only ehild, nd Iwish todo all this wull." The parou took th money. " This is the third time, Thord, thou tandetft here tbr thy son." " But this time is also the last," said 'hord, " for I ain now done." He foldd liis poclet-book, bade farewell, and urent away, the other men following slowy- Ti n years after that (lay, the fatlier md son were rowing in oalm weithor, 5ver the water to Storliden, lo speak ibout the wedding feast. " This seat is not firm under me," said he son ; he rose to niake it right. But ,he board he stoofl upon slipped. He hrew up bis apis, shrieked, and feil in o the water. " Tuke hold of this o:ir," said tlio fathcr ; he stood up and held it out. But when the son had made a few strokes ho crew stiff. " Wait a minute," cried the fatber ; he rowed toward him. But the son feil back, ooked longingly at tho fathor, and sank. Thord oould not believe it. He kept ibiB boat still and stared at the spot whore :he son had gone down, as it' he raust come up once more, tëomo bubbles rose, soiuc few more, then one big one that aurst, and smooth lay the water like lass. For tbree days and threc nights the people saw the father rowing about this Mie spot, taking neither food nor sleep ; lie sought for bis son. On the third day, toward inorning, he found him and bore him home, up over the bilis. About a yoar passod away. Thon, one iatc evening in the fall, thc parson heard somebody groping in the entry and totiling for the lock. He opened the door and a tall butstooping man carne in; he was thin and had gray hairs. Tho parson looked at hun for a long while before he knew him ; it was Thord. " Thou comest late," said the parson, and he Rtood still before him. " Yes. I come late," said Thord ; ho sat down. The parson sat down, too, as if he waited. There was silence for a long time. Then said Thord : " I have soinothing with me I wish to givn to the poor." He stood up, laid money on the table, and sat down again. Thc parRon counted it. " It is a great sum," said he. " Half of what I have ; I sold my farm to-day." The parson sat in long silence. At last he asked mildly, " What will you do now." " Something better." They sat awhilo ; Thord with his eyes on the floor, the parson with his eyes on Thord. Then said the parson, slowly and vciy mildly : " Now I think thy son has ,tt lust beoome a blessing to thee." " I think so, too," said Thord ; he lookcd iip, and two tears dropped heavily down his cheeks. " I wisli I had your head," said a lady to her lawytir who liad just solved aknotty point for her. " And I wish I had your heart," responded the lawyer. It was not long beforo the lawyer s head and the lady's heart went into partnership for life. I