The Brand (Hereford, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 44, Ed. 2 Friday, December 19, 1902 Page: 3 of 16
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HOLIDAY SUPPLEMENT
HA! KARA
barn, the smell
of thy coffee Is
like the taste
of wine to the
thirsty after
my long tramp
in the crusty
s n o w," and
Karl the iron-
founder threw
off hisv huge
■kin coat and
emptied at a
gulp the brimming cup of coffee
banded him by his sister Olga. Then
placing a Anger on his lip:
"Var stills, my Olga, I have some-
what to tall thee, but yonder little
pitcher has long ears. So," he con-
tinuad, turning to a mite of a girl
kitting sedately near the blazing fire-
place, intently engaged in thumbing
a well-worn primer book, "thou art
studious, min lilla flicka, as I told
thee to be. Come hither, my little
maid, and show me thy book."
He took the book quickly offered
him, and deftly placing in it something
he secretly drew from his pocket,
thrust it out of sight behind him.
"Dost remember, sweetheart, that
I told thee the rooster pictured on
the front pfcge of thy book would
bring thee something if thou wert
good?"
"Ja, brother Karl, and so I have
been good; ask sister Olga," said the
child, smiling up into his face.
"Indeed, yes," answered Olga, draw-
ing the little sister close into her
arms, and giving her a hug and a
kiss. "Thilda is always sweet and
good."
"Well, then, let us see what the
3P
CHA>/!
I
—
1*qj uedduq jou p!p ,nq «xjOJ8 atn
dojB oj a3b[d pooa b aq pmo. . Bjqj,
'¿tons c'qj pun
aououa aqi omj mo jua* Xaqj <uajs
v jo pjojft inniiii -—
"I am ready to face death himself,"
s'iid Olga, "only tell me what to do."
"Listen, then. I would do it for thee
myself, but thou alone canst lace the
ordeal. I believe toe Skogfrar. "
"Oh, my God, the Skogfrau, the ter-
rible forest witch," cried the terror-
stricken maiden, falling on her knees
and holding up her hands to heaven.
"Spare my Johan, oh, heaven!"
"So this is thy bravery," said Karl
sternly. "Rise from thy knees and
cerve thyself for an ordeal that is
not difficult, but requires bravery to
tell thee. Wouldst lose thy Johan for-
ever? The Jul Tieden begins at mid-
night, and at that hour thou must
stand alone upon the spot .where Jo-
han's wallet still lies, and demand a
gift from the Skogfrau. She cannot
refuse thee if thou are the first mortal
to demand It at that hour. 'Tis thy
only hope, for she has lured Johan
night must not pass ere thou ár€
there."
"But Thilda? We cannot leave the
dear child here alone."
" 'Tis all arranged with Dame Thek-
la," explained Karl. "We shall take
the child thither and she will sleep
well. Thilda. min lilla flicka!" called
Karl to the child, "come hither. Hast
prayed for Olga's Johan, child?"
"Ja, my brother, and the good God
tells me he shall come home again."
"Then so shall it be, my sweet child,
but come, wouldst like to taste Frau
Thekla's seed cakes, eh? I thought
as much. Well, thou shalt as soon as
I can carry- thee thither. Come, sweet-
heart; come, Olga."
Though wrapped in the warmest of
furs, Olga shivered as she stood alone
"In the name of the Christ Child, 1
demand a gift of thee." was all that
Olga could utter in her terror. It was
a terrible old hag who stood before
her and her aspect was threatening.
"Some paltry thing, I wis, a ribbon,
a jewel. Speak, mortal, whatever it
may be, 'tis thine."
Growing bolder, Olga spoke more
firmly: "Thou hast promised, and in
the name of the Christ Child thou
must keep thy promise. 'Tis not a rib-
bon, or a jewel, but my Johan, my be-
trothed, I demand of thee as thy gift."
"Johan, thy betrothed!" shrieked
the hag. "Girl, thou art mad. Get
thee gone, and at midnight on the Jul
Afton I will bring thee a jewel such
as none can boast, but not Johan. He
is mine, I tell thee, mine forever. I
Olga fell fainting in the snow, but the
faithful Karl revived her and brought
her safely home.
"Now, my sister, thou must prepare
for the Jul Afton, the eve of the great
day when the Christ Child was born.
Do not fear, thy Johan will come at
midnight, as the terrible old hag of
the forest said. I will help thee pre-
pare trenches of snow-white lutfisk,
and heaps of kott bolar. We must
have a mountain of seed cakes and
keep filled with smoking punch the
huge bowl thy father left thee. We
must not forget the coffee, kara sos-
ter, oceans of it, nor the salt pig and
the baskets of spice bread. We shall
have the village there, and all be
ready to greet Johan with a loud
"skald," for he will be sadly in need
of it. And the pastor, Olga, he must
be there and he must remain there,
and thou must be ready and willing to
The board groaned beneath the
weight of good cheer, and the huge
lowl was kept constantly brimming
punch. There was no
baking point and laden vIUi savory
toothsome viands. Presents were drag*
ged out from their hiding places and
marked with loving mottoes, and the
names of the favored recipients. There
vas a general scrubbing, cleaning and
dusting, anr] a furbishing up of holi*
day garnieles and finery.
The men drowned themselves in
coffee, punch and branvin and shouted
themselves hoarse with oft-repeated
"skald." The women gossiped and
cooked and cooked and gossiped, while
the chubby children crammed their
etomaehs with unwonted cakes and
sweetmeats unmolested. Everything
was free for the taking and the priv-
ilege of freedom was accorded every-
body.
Olga threw her doors wide open to
the whole village, promising a won-
derful surprise. Many thought she
was not very considerate on Johan'a
account, thinking she would better be
going around with tearful eyes and
ioud lamentations, but they ate freely
of her good things none the lesa.
Simple souls, they were not aware
that the lost Johan was to be the
great surprise. Of course, everybody
had given him up for lost, and they
were amazed that Olga should be the
merriest maiden in the village, and
that her home was to be the very
center of the merrymaking on the Jul
Afton. The pastor had been fore-
warned by Karl, and the good soul
came prepared to fight the wicked
troll for the salvation of Johan and
Olga.
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H 'JaiiBUi pejuud ¿ub )noq)}.« aniBU
oiR II®} Pino.u Jnqi auo puu ¿WBuiSpo
jpaj9 b jo auuSy b pajubai aq xaiq pjoj
qofl PIO "pdjubm sba U3is b jo puij{
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Vanderburgh, F. L. The Brand (Hereford, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 44, Ed. 2 Friday, December 19, 1902, newspaper, December 19, 1902; Hereford, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth142329/m1/3/?q=hamilton+county: accessed July 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Deaf Smith County Library.