COLUMN FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7467, 24 October 1885, Page 4 (Supplement)

COLUMN FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

[EDITED BY MARY RTEADMAN ALDIS.] ODDO'S WALK. [Conttnuod.] The place where Nipen liked to find his offerings was at the end of the barn, below the gallery which ran round the outside of the building. There, in the summer, lay a plot of green grass, and in the winter a sheet of pure frozen snow. Thither Oddo shuffled on, ovor the slippery surface of the yard, and across the paddock, along the lane made by the snow-plough between high banks of snow ; and be took prodigious pains between one Blip and another, not to spill the ale. He looked more like a prowling cub than a boy, wrapped as he was ij\ his wolfskin coat and his foxskin oap doubled down over his ears. As may be supposed from Oddo's declaring that he was sometimes frightened, he was a brave boy. A cowardly boy would not have said it; a cowardly boy would not have offered to go at all; a cowardly boy would, if he had boen sent, have wished that the house-door might be left open, that ho might see the oheerful yellow light from within ; whereas Oddo begged hie mistress to shut the door, that his grandfather might not be made to feel his rheumatism by any draught, as ho sat at table; a cowardly boy would have run as fast as he oould, perhaps slipping or falling, and spilling the alo ; and when his errand was done he would have fled home, without looking behind him, fancying everything he saw aud heard a spirit or a wild beast. Oddo did very difTeroutly from this. As usual, he was too busy finding out how everything happened to ft>el afraid, as a loss lnquisitivo boy would. The oake steamed up in the frosty air under his nose, so warm, and spicy, aud rich, that Oddo began to wonder what so very superior a cake oould bo like. He had never taated any cake so rich aa this, nor had any one iu the house tasted such, for Nipen would bo offended if his cake was not richer than anybody else's. Oddo wondored more and more how this would taste, till, before he had mossed tho yard, he wondered no longer. Lie broke a piece off, and ate it; and then wondered whether Nipen would mind his cako being just a little smaller than usual. After a few steps more, tho wonder was bow far Nipon's charity would go, for the cake was now a rca t, deal smaller, and Oddo next wondered whether anybody could stop eating such a cake when it was once tasted. Ho was surprised to soe, when he came out into the starlight, at the end of the barn, how small a piece was left. He stood listening whether Nipen was coining in a gust of wind, and wheu he heard no breeze stirring, he looked about for a cloud where Nipen might bo, There was no cloud as far as he could see. The moon had set, but the stars wore so bright as to throw a faint shadow from Oddo's form upon tho snow. There was no iiign of any spirit being angry at present; but Oddo thought Nipen would certainly be angry at finding so very small a piece of cake. It might be better to let the alo stand by itself, and Nipen would perhaps suppose that Madame Erliugaen's stock of groceries had fallen short ; at least, that it was in some way inconvenient to make the cake on the present oceasiou. So, putting down his can upon the snow, and holding the last fragment ot tho cako between his teeth, he seized a birch polo which hung down from the gallery, and by its help climbed one of the posts, aud got over the rails into the gallery, whence he could watch what would happen. To remain on the spot where Nipen was expocted was a little more than he was equal to ; but he thought he could stand in the gallery, in the shadow of the broad eaves ot the barn, aud wait for a little while. He was so very curious to see Nipen, and to learn how it liked its alo! There he stood in the shadow, hearing nothing but his own munching; though there was not much of that: for as he came near the end, he took only a little crumb at a time, to spin out the treat ; for never was anything so good ! Then he had nothing to do but listen : but the waterfall was frozen up, and the mill stood as still as if it was not made to move. If the wheel should creak, it would be a sign that Nipen was passing. Presently he heard something. "Musio!" thought he. "1 never heard that it liked music ; and I don't think it can know much about musio, for this is not at all sweet. There again ! That was a sort of screech. O, how stupid lam !" thought he again. "So much for my head being full of Mipen! It is only Hund tuning his violin, because they have all done supper. They : will bo waiting for me. I wish this Nipen would make haste. It can't be very hungry, —that is clear." He grow more and more impatient as the minutes passed on, and he was awaro that he was wanted in tho house. Once or twice ho walked slowly away, looking behind him, and then turned again, unwilling to miss this opportunity of seeing Nipen. Then he called the spirit,—actually begged it to appear. His first call was almost a whisper ; but he called louder and louder by degrees, till lie was suddenly stopped by hearing an answer. '.I ho call he hoard wbb soft and sweet. There was nothing terrible in the sound itself ; yet Oddo graspad the rail of the gallery with all his strength as he heard it, 'J'ho strangest thing was, it was not a single cry; others followed,—all soft and sweet ; but Oddo thought that Nipen mint have many companions, and he had not prepared himself to seo moro spirits than one. As usual, however, his curiosity grew more intense from tho little ho hud heard ; and he presently called again. Again lie was answered by four or five voices in succession. " Was ever anybody so stupid !" cried th-3 boy, now stamping with vexation. "It is the echo, after all ! As if there was not always an echo here, opposite the rock ! It ia not Nipen at all. I will just wait another minute, however." Ho leaned in silence on his folded arms, and had not so waited for many seconds before he saw something moving on the snow at a little distance. It camo nearer and nearer, and at last quite up to tho can of ale. " I am glad I stayed," thought Oddo. "Now 1 can say I have seen Nipen. It is much less terrible than I expected. Grandfather told mo that it sometimes came like an enormous elephant or hippopotamus, and nevor smaller than a largo bear. But this is no bigger than—let iiib see—l think it is most like a fox. I should like to make it speak to me. They would think so much of mo at home If I had talked with NipoD." So he began gently : " Is that Nipen?" Tho thing moved its bushy tail, but did not anfcwcr. " There is no cako for yon to-night, Nipcu. I hope tho ale will do. Is the ale good, Nipen ?' Off went the dark creature, without a word, as quick as it oould go. "Is it offended ?" thought Otto, " or is it really what it lo.iks like—a fox ? If it does not come back, I will go down presently and see whether it has drunk tho ale. if not, I shall think it is only a fox." Ho preaontly let himself down to the ground by the way he had come up, and eagerly laid hold of the ale can. It would not stir. It was as fast on tho ground as if it was enchanted, which Oddo did not doubt was the case ; and he started back, with morn fear than he bad yet had. The cold he felt on this exposed spot soon reminded him, however, that the can was probably frozen to tho snow, which it might well be, after boing brought warm from the fireside. It was so. Tho vessel had sunk an inch into the snow, aud was there fixed by the frost. None of tho alo seemed to have been drunk ; and eo cold was Oddo by this time, that he longed for a sup of it. He took first a sup, and then a draught; and then he remembered that tho rest would be entirely spoiled by the frost, if it stood another hour. This would be a pity he thought, so he finished it, saying to himself that he did not believe Nipen would come that night. At that moment he heard a cry so dreadful that it shot, like sudden pain, through every nerve of his body. It was not a shout of anger : it was something between a shriek and a wail—like what ho fancied would be the cry of a person in the act of being murdered. That Nipen was hero now. he could not doubt, and at length Oddo fled. He fled the faster at first, for hearing the rustle of wings ; but the curiosity of the hoy even now got the better of his terror, and he looked up at the barn where the wings were rustling. There he saw, in the starlight, the glitter of two enormous round eyes, shining down upon him from tho ridge of the roof. But it struok him at once that he had seen those eyes before. ' ITo be continued,]