The Bride Of Arne Sandstrom

Kroni ILirper's BaKAr. "Big Swede wedding over there this evening," t-aid ono American to anotber by his sido. "Peter Lund's daughter." 'is tihe marrying a Swede?" inquired the second American. "Yes; fellow by the name of Arno Sandstrom." "I should think old Peter, well off as he is, would have siood up for an Au rican son-in-law - you or me, for instance," observed the secondyouth, with a laugh. "The giil's pretty asa pink, and has had every ad van t age. It is a pil v co see her thrown away; but old Peter has a loc of younger ones coming on." "Thai makes it lesa an object. I thought she was hisonly. TheBwedes are clannish - ain't they?" "Peter Lund's is headquarters for them, too. Here's one now, hunting ii[) the wedding. I' 11 bet she's just arrived f rom thedd country." So near the truth was this surmise that Elsa had been of? the train only t went y minutes, and in that time had atedthe name of Arne Sandstrom interrogatively to every person she niet. She was dased by long riding and partial faating, and the dumb tenor of Bnding 110 one to receive her ai the end of lier reat journey. The letter created with mucn brain work to announeeher coming OUght to have been in his hands weeks ago. The innocent and Iriendless soul did not know she had omitled all dates and exaei ness iu lier genral caro for spelling and inky loops. So, stepping off the train inl o the American small town at dusk, she sawstreches of suinmer prairie to the westward, perky architecture, erossina railroad tracks, hurrying bitizeria and la.y loungers - even the now electric light on it s spiderwork iron tower beginning to make a ghastly ])owerfnl star far above her head. Slie saw baggaee and piles of expresa matter, hotel runners and ot'uer women startins toward their assured homes tueked laughing and chai ring under their husbands' arms; but she saw not one face or one kind liand ready to bid her welcome, who had ventui'ed thou'sandsof miles alome - acrosa ocean, ao.ross continent - to marry her bethrothed lover, Arne Sandstronl. Hearing his name spoken, shestood .tili iiiioii the Bidewalk, shiinking and timid, but directly in front of the yoüng men, and inquired, using hands and eyes as well as ánxious inflection of voice, "Ariie Handstroni?" "She wants to know where he is," ezplained one American to the other. 'Right over there; that big house," he ned, talking also with gestures, where you see it lighted up. She doesn't understand. ArneSandstrom óverthwe. Gettingmarriedl Yes, yes. Arne Sandstrom. Here, Billy, you tiot out a little Swede gibberish, can't you? You'vfl been among them more iban I have." "Arne Sandstrom derover," exclainied the other, pointing to Peter Lund's houfle, with a line assumption of handhng the language well. "Arne Sandstrom jifta to-iit;ht. you know." "Yifta!" said Elsa, ehrinking down in stature. "She's t;ot hold of it. .-at'a all rHit. You'll be in time for the wedding." "She didn't under3tand; and she thought we were making fun of her," said one of the lads as they sauntered on. ''She did understand, and there she goos straight across the street. Brush up in theláneuageg;yri1ngman, and make yourseli as useful to the public as I ani. ' When Elsa had entered the Lund premises, however, she did not ling i he bell, hut wavered around the house, lookmg up at the lighted windows, and shifl ing her little bundie from one arm to the other. She had other baggage at the station, but it seemed no lonter worth while. There was a western veranda, on the lowest step of which she sat down in a, quiet stupor to collect herself for some determined mo vemen t. Anguish and disappointment must be (lie natural lot in this world, only sha had not lived enough years to iind it out before. Though summer darkness had come, the after glow was still so bngbt in the west that it half quarreled with the abundant lamp lijht. Elsa could hear the front gate, the crunch of coming footsteps and frequent peals of the door bell, as she sat drawn together, and the eternal minutes travded on. Peter Lund's house was full of joyful stir. China and silver tinkled in the open dining room, where several women were putting last touches to t he tables. Girls flow up and down the back stairway, calling to one another in Swedish. "One tbing is sure, Yennie Yonsen," called a voice in the home tonuue, "Lhere willnot beenough mar ried omen to take tha bride froin us rirla in the wedding dance; so now what will Arne Sandstrom do?" Three of tliem conspira! together by the western room door, bobbing their flaxen heads, all laugbing and talking at oncein tiieirlight happiness, far above the unseen 6tranger on the step. "Who told me Arne Sandstrom left a betrolhed girl in Svadia?" said one, löwering her voice to grave colloquy. "Oh, well, she married herself, of course," replied a nother; "and any man who could get Lena Lund would take her." "Lena's so pretty." "Lenas rich." "Lena can siim and play betterthan some Amerikanns." "Lena has ten new dreases. Arne will not have to put his hand in his pocket for many a day." "She is not spoiled therewith. I always liked her." "Ah, my motlier said if this wedding was coing to be in Svadia this St. John's Eve, what a night we would make of it!" They ran away, while Elsa repeated to herself that this was the Eve St. John - niyht of arbors and rcjoicing at hóme.night when thesun scarcely went down, and everybody feastedand visiti under green-leaf tents. Of what use was St. John's Eve, or any other portion of time.to a girl put to shame and despair as she was? Why had Arne Sandstrom sent her money to come over with it' hemeant to jilt her on her ai rival? ür had he pickedanother betrothed for her as wellashimself? She would not believe her Arne could be so e vil: she would knock and ask for him. He was so kind! he loved her. Yet not only the Amerikanns, but those laughing girls, had said plainly this was Arne Sandstrom's wedding; any man would take Lena Lund who could uet her; Lena was so pretty; Lena was rich; Lena could sing and phty better than some Amerikanns: Lena had ten new dresses, and she as not spoiled. Elsa bruised her cheek against the sdge of the second step above her. 3he did not knaw where to (o, and ner money waa all spent except the little she saved by Roins; without food iurinu part of her railway journey, 'ind she had saved that to buy some little ornament for het new home iv i t II Arne. She might try to hire herself out, but how could she ever write back home where such happy news was ezpected from her, or liow could she put unendurable anxiety upon those best friends by not writing at all? Svadia was sopleasant, especially in the long iiightless summers. (iood and kind they were to strangers there; her mother alwaya baked waflles and carried tliem with coffee to the morning bedside of a guest. She could seo her native meadows stretching away in the blue Northern air, and the iron whip, as her mother called the scythe, beating up an appetite in those who wieldedit, while she herself, a careless little maid, came bearing the second breakfast to the niowsrs. A quavering but hearty voice, which might have come from the mouth of her Bivn randmot her if it had not belonged to Peter Lund's mother, sung out Lapp-b'inn niirse song by an upper witidow, and Elsa knew jnst what fyllables the dancing baby was made to emphasize. "Donsa lupon, Hopsom tup an, Laiiti lira, Hopsom stira: Sprovti lupon, lupon, Hopsom tup an, tup in, Lantl lira, lira, Hopsom etlra, stira." I i.ini i' and jump, Hop like a rooster. Hop likc the ekatan. Perhaps this very instant- for Elsa made no calculation in longitudeand time - Vader'a mutterdanced the baby under her home roof; and none of her people knew how faint, how outcast, how bewiklered the elde3t child feit sittin:; on steps in a strange Amerikansk town. In Elsa's box of clothing was the finest sheepskin blanket her mother ever made, so white in fleece, and cnred by buttering and scraping until the skiu yielded soft like chamois leather. It was lined with scarlet tlunnul. She could see the store-room of her father's farm-house buog thickly with such fleeces, and hear her mother say she wished Elsa could take more, since they had so little money to send her. But Arne Sandstrom had sent the money to pay her way, bec.ause he loved her so. They were child ren together, and he was held as dear as a son in her own family. Elsa's mother never distrusted nina. How could it therefore be possiblo that Arne Sandstrom, after Bendinp for bis betrothed, could be marrying a Swede Amerikann the very e vening of her arrival? In her intensely quiet fashion the poor girl was wiping away tears as fast as they droppeddown her cheeks, and now she lifted her head from the step, coming to a decinion. She walked up on the veranda, her feet sound ing heavy and uncertain, and stood at the door ready to knock. Ker piteousgreat eyes moved from wall to wall of the ampie diningroom, reeognizing Svensk woodon spoons and beautifully painted and poüshed Kussian bowls in various sizes on the sideboard. Hard-baked Svensk bread, so loved by the white and firni Scandinavian teeth, and all known luxuries, with unheardof Amerikann things, smiled at her from the glittering tables. This Lena Lund would be called a mamzelle in Svadia; she was very much above a pooryungfrau like Elsa. Any man miqbt beglad to marry her. Still Elsa would not believe Arne Sandstrom had forgotten his betrothed. She could see him from where she stood, in an inner room with a background of fine furnituie. How beautiful he looktíd, all in Amerikann clothes, and with soft dark gloves on his hands, like a very rich man! His cheek was ruddy, his fornhead white, and the very round of his ear- how well Elsa remembered it! Arne Sandstrom was happy, and laughing aloud with other people. She heard his voice while she stood just without, so wretched her whole soul seemed nnrab. In perfect silence she waited. and still saw him lauLh and extend his hand to have it shaken by one another, until a figure came out of the room where he was, to pass trhough the dining-room, and she knew in an instant Otto Jutberg, who came to America with Arne. Elsa put her foot across the threshold and said, to cali his attention, "Otto." Otto approached the door and looked cunously at her. One rope of her flaxen hair hung down on her breasfc, and she looked travel worn. "Otto Jutberg, I want to see Arne Sandstrom." "Arne is going to be married in a few minutes," said Otto. "I know he is. But I want to see Arne Sandstrom. Teil him to come here." "Who is it?" pressed Otto, coming nearer to her, and knitting his brows inquiringly. "Don't you know me, Otto, when you have been to my father's nearly every St. John's Eve of our lives?" Elsa feit that she needed only one more drop to her cup. and that was lor some voice to raise the derisive song with which her countrymen mocked Scowney's, or inhabitants of a región the butt of all Svadia. "A Scowen, a Seo wen" - one bar was enough to rouse sudden rage in any Svensk. But instead of "A Scowen, a Scowen" rising around Elsa's ears this enchanted nicht such a din of outcries was made by Otto Jutberg that people ran to look in the dining-room, and fchen to swarm around her. Arne Sandstrom leaped two chairs and seriously jarred one table, to receive Elsa in his arma, when he kissed her operily. "Bnng me one of the chairs I kicked over," he exclaimed, "and let me set the tired darling in it. I have been looking for the letter which would teil me the time you intended to start. Yes, this is my Elsa," he said, displaying her; "and how did she find her way in here alone? Mrs. Lund, Elsa has come!" "Yes, and she has been crying," said the plump wife of Peter Lund, pressing her hand. "It was enough to break any child's heart to reach such a journey'a end homesick and unwelt'omed." At this Elsa leaned against the matron's side and shook with sudden sobs, feeling her forehead and hair petted by a good mother's palms, Elsa was taken up the back stairway by both Mrs. Lund and Arne, who talked rapidly across her. She was put in a beautiful room, and young girls came in to get acquainted with her and giggle. Arne asked her for that piece of metal whicli would redeetn her baggage, and he handed it over to Olto at the door. Btlore she understood her position, or was quite able to lift her eyes and look at all who wanted to talk to her, the box which had borne her company from Svadia was brÓXight in, and Arne told her the other wedding would be put off half an hour while ühe got ready. Then he drove the nierry company out of the room, and stood with his back to the door to keep at bay that moment all volunteering bride attendants. "Can you be ready in half an hour, after your long journey, my darling?" said he. "I can soon wash ofï the dust and change my dress," said Eisa. "But, Arne, I do not know anythinu. Who ia going to marry Lena Lund?" "Arne Sandstrom. And you wil! be married at the same time." "I thought that was what you and L é M8. Lund said. Dut who is going to innrry me?" "Vbo! I am; Arne Sandstrom." "I will not do it," said Elsa. "They never have two wives in Ssadia." Arne Sandstrom pazed silently at her, pufïed and exploded his iheeks and bent over, striking his kneea with those delicately-gloved hunda Elsa had first notcd with sucli awe. lie roaredjin the fervor of his laughter. This American country had in noway abated Arne Sandstrom as a Norseman. "Oh, Elsa, my snowbird, if I should teil this on thee they would laugh at thee from one end of town to tho other. Lena Lund's bridegroom is my cpusin Arne, that carne over with Otto Jutüerg and me." "That was Arne Peterssen," affirmed Elsa. "But there are bo many Peterssens and Yonsen.s who take their namee from their fathers' Christian names that Arne changed his to Sandstrom. It is a very coramon thing to do here." Elsa laughed also. It wasso simplo and clear and Swedish she wondert! that the news of Arne Sandstrom's weding had caused her even a misgivinc. She left her chair to Bwins Arne's hands while they both Qnisbed laughing. "But you ought to be ready," w cried, "and not keep the others waiting. I got the papers for the wed'lina when Arne got his papers, so there would be no mistake of names on the record, and so I could marry you as soon as you carne." Within the hour, therefore, Elsa was the bride of Arne Sandstrom, arrayed in lier dark blue wedding dress of wool, and not Bhaming by her statue-like proportions and fairness the lighter pret tiness and silken rain ment of Arne Sandstrom's American-Sweedish bride Happiness and love were, after all, the natural lot in this world, thought Elsa, sitting by her husband in tho place ol hor.or at the wedding supper, and tasüng the first courso of such a feast - theSwedishsoupof rice, yxunes, ra isins, and molasses.