THE SMUGGLER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 28, 9 November 1894, Page 23

THE SMUGGLER.

(By Carl Lkstrom, in an exchange.)

A short diy-tance from the frontier between Norway and Sweden is the Malmagen post-station— the last one on the Swedish side. Far from presenting an attractive appearance, tbe establishment might almost be called squalid, yet seldom does traveller or wanderer meet a warmer and friendlier welcome than here. If he cjme in summertime, be finds fresh-caught salmon-trout and other finny dainliei ga'o-e, aod as f>t the milk it is simply cream ' If he come in winter tima, he is regaled with venison tteak and ptarmigan, roast leg of mutton, and Norwegian potatoes ; so he has no cause to complain of the cheer, nor haß he any cause to grumble at the reckoning, which is of the lowest.

The inn is situated near the broad and deep inlet of Malmagen On the other side of the water Rutefell towers into tha sky, while at its foot some mountain Laps hive pitched their kator (circular huts of the Lips, with a cen'ral hole for the chimney, are so called) in summer, to tend their herds on tha hillside. Westwards, the peaka of Norway raise their soow-capped heads among the clouds, and wherever the eye turns to the dales it is greeted with the lovelieit leafage. Thus the landscape has something at once grandiose and pastoral, which dteply impresses the beholder.

The road leading from this spot into Norway has baen bat recently made. Formerly there was only a bridle-path ov«r the fell, and on to Roras ; but it was much used at the market season by dealers from Norway gnng with their wares to Vemdale, by Laps horse-dealers, Tatars, and others who had anything to buy or to sell' to win or to los\ at the market.

At such times the mountain-way was full enough of stirriog bustling, and noisy life, and all the more so that spirit-flasks, so indis pensable for market-goer?, were numerous, capaciocs, and well filled'

But when the market w^s over, and every one had returned home, the way was dreary and lonssome, and months might pass without a single p.saenger using this d.fficalt, and even, in places, dangerous path. Toe posting-station was not then yet established, and the traveller had to make his way as best he could, which, in these thinly peopled districts, is no j )kmg matter.

At that time— we commit ourselves to no particular year— there stood on the very ria ng ground, which is now ihe site of the present posting-inn, a large dwelling-house of two stories Above was a roomy apartment with bsncbes along the wa'ls, a cupboard, a painted beds'ead, a corner-tab'e, and a Dalecarlian clock, all of which were intended to bear witness to their owner's taste and affluence. Beyond, and opening into thin chamber, was a little room so neat and tidy in every nook and corner that it was easy to see that a woman had her retreat here after the cares of the day were done. Norwegian pictures of the gaudiest sart were pasted on the walls, and the only window in the little room was draped with curtains, a thing rarely Been in thiß region. The beds cad aod clothes chest were both painted with roses and a name and date appeared in the ornamentatation of each, wbile the mirror suspended against the wall had evident'y been purchased with a view to its present owner.

In a word, this maiden's bower— for that such it was one easily saw from a certain coquetry in its arrangement— bore the stamp of caiVe homeliness", and one detail after another caught the eye and bespoke a w«nt of taste.

If yon opened the left-hand door of the first room, you found yourself in another still larger apartment. Here wooden beds ran round the walls, cushioned with reindeer moss, and in one corner there was a colossal fireplace, built round with graystone, and unwhitewaßhed. This room was evidently set apart for the use of travellers to and from Bora°, whether during the market season cr a f other times.

None of the rooms in this bouse had floors of polished planks, as is still often tbe case in othar parts of Herjeadle. Instead of

planks, Urge flig-etones had been used, which were so closely pined that there were but few conspicuous crevices. This kin! of floor, tbr ugh use and fr< qm Dt washing, fooa becomes smooth and polithed, and has at least the advantage of lasting, if no: for ever, at any rate for centuries.

The windows in both ihese rooms bad been constructed so high from ihe ground, that no one could ccc what was passing in either apartment from the outside. We 6hall discover the reason of this unusual precaution later on

Malmagen n ,w connts many bouses ; but at the time of which we are speaking there was only this one on the site of the present village. Its nearest neighbours were at Barcke, on tbe Norwegi-n side four or five miles off, and Funasdale, on the Swedisn side about seven miles distant ; so that there was no possibility of stepping over to neighbours to chat away a spare hour.

The landlord of this loneiy hostelry was named Ercn Olseo. He was by birth Norwegian, but had lived at Malmagen for twenty jears as a Swedish subj ct. He was very close fisted it was sail, in fact a regular old screw, allhoagi it wa^ whispered on both sides of tbe frontier th it he must be richer than many a dealer in Horas How he had earned this wealth no one knew, but every one would have taken an oath that it had not been honestly come by.

Kvtn OUen had long been a widower, His daughter Martha managed the house-keeping, whici was simple enough, except during the market, and then stewpaD and coffee-pot were idle neither day nor eight. But Martha willingly fulfilled this arduous duty, paitly to please her severe father, partly also with an eye to the presen's of beau iful stuffs and other matters, which she received trom the dealers who put up at their I ouse.

At the date of our story Martha was twenty-two years old. She was no beauty, bat ihe roses of health bloomad on her cheek , and ber dark blue eyes beamed captivatiogly. A closer look soon snowed a trace of melancholy, not to say sorrow, beneath this otherwise fresh and joyous face ; and there was evidently something which weighed upon ber 8 ul. Perhaps the rea9on for this was to be cough'

in the circumstance that Martha seldom or never saw and conversed with any one of her own sex, if we except the blear-eyed Lap women, who now and then came running to tha house to bny coffee, and for whom Martha bad an invincible repugcance. The relations between father and daughter were certainly none of the best. The father was by do means wanting in affection for his cnild, and would not have lost her for all io the world ; but hia nature was rough, and unhappily often led him to nse harsh words towards ber. This rough treaoaeut had at last tired out Martha, who had become quite indifferent to these ehidinss, and had reached such a stazethat she now scarcely ever heard what her father said, were it harsh or kind. Sac discharged her duties, and let her father grumble as he liked.

As yet this young damsel had not had any love affair. >Trae it was that a young horse dealer, the sou of a well-to do tradesman ia Boras, who very often visited hai father, and held long and secret consultations with him, hal seized on every occasion of assuring her how dear she was to him. Bit every time h? renewed his declaration Martha only laughel, and persisted that the very last thing she would do would be to mirry. Besides ffalvor-juch was the name of tha bumptious young horse-dealer— Martha had seen but one young man whom she could at all like, but towards whom, on the other hand her father felt the deadliest hatred. This young man was an excise officer and had already gained some prominence, by the courage and address' he had often displayed in the pursuit and capture of smugglers, which att he time were both and numerous. He was named Sievert. He had often been to the house at Malmagei, as the duties of his post freqaently took him to the neighboa-hooi. He was open-hearted and out spoken, joyous and talkative ; so it was not surprising that Martha found great enjoyment in his company, though she entertained no warmer feeling for the handsDme young exciseman.

It was a Sunday afternoon in the latter part of summer. The air, as usual in the mountain tracts, was so bright and transparent that hillp, which were reilly miles away, seemed close at hand, »ni

possible to reach in a few minute *. The broad wa'er Uy like a mirror ; only a few light ripples appeared here and there, where the fish leaped to tha su-face after iasec 8. At the bi3e of Ratefell the smoke could be seen amending from the hats of the Laps ; bul with this single exception such an oppreesive stilloess reigned as often betokens a brooding storm. Not a bird was to be seen, or the song of a bird to be heard froai the birch copses ; the large watch-dog himself had waited so long in rain for some comer to bark at, that he seemed to have given up the hope, aod was lying dawn sleepily ia front of the house.

Even the usually active Martha felt, that afternoon, extremely oppressed, without knowing why. Bhe and her father sat on the doorstep, gaping and yawning, for all attempts at conversation failed. From time to time Olsen cracked a long Norwegian whip, which he held, and murmured something half aloud to himself, as indeed was bis constant habit whenever he begaa to meditate perilous projects.

Suddenly he gave such a crack with his whip as made the already sultry air Beem hotter still. He had clearly c >tne to soma important conclusion, to which the crack of bis whip took the place of a full etop.

- " Well, Martha 1 " then said he, with his nsusl abruptness, " wha do you think of Bievert ? "'

"He's a fiae fellow, father," raplied Martha, amazad at the sudden question, but firmly resolved now, as always, to speak the truth.

" Good 1 " added Oison, with a peculiar smile upon his thin lipa ; " take him, then."

' Are you out of your senses, father f "

"By no means, Martha. Sievert had long been, and still is, an obs acle in my way, for reasons which yon cannot understand ; and the only way to tame the young cab is to make him my son*in-law, and I have remarked that he has set his eye npon you. Come Martha, what do you say ? "

11 Why, father, I say that you are speaking in a way that i> unworthy of you, and that makes me blush to hear it.

The father merely laughed and cracked the whip again.

" Don't mistake me," said he ; " you know bow I hate that excise sneak, and how many losses he has already caused me. He has a sharper scent than a hungry wolf, and is always j 'St where be is not wanted. I can manage the otherp, for ibey all together have less wit that Sievert alone. But Bievert I must render harmless, cost what it may. If 700 marry him, he then ein hardly have the face to denounce hia own f *ther-in-law. He would then take himeelf ofL and might subsequently be of great use to me in my affairs."

"That 'b to say," said Martha, in a tone of tbe strongest repugnance, "both Sievert and I are to sell our honour simply tbat you may amass a little more money by this wretched smuggling 1 "

"Sell — honour! what ia all this nonsense ? Wbe r e the duties are exorbitant, one is obliged to smuggle a little, merely to inbsist Surely yon would not wish to see your old father suffer hunger ? "

Martha's feelings of annoyance had by degrees risen to anger. Her eyes sparkled and her lips trembled.

" Father, I never could have believed yon so bad. She could Bay no more, so overpowering was her emotion.

" Martha 1 " cried her father, with a threatening voice. " What I do you say that to your own father f "

"Not one word do I recall." answered Martha, her agitation remaining, " for it must always be bad to wrong an innocent man for tbe sake of dirty gains. And as for your suffering hunger in your old age, you ought to be ashamed of saying tbat ; as if I did not know that you were a rich man ! "

•' Hush, Martha ! You screech load enough to be heard at the fells," cautioned her father, looking warily around. Martha made no answer, but rose and went to her own room. (_To be continued.')