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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (March 12, 1897)
n THE LJESPE1UAN i t t i, Ki , i ( f I ei : !" IV F" ht V'i sight of one I wont cold up and down my back for fear. He had a great yellow tooth that came out of a ragged face of hair and seemed to come out of his whole great body. I needed not to be told that it was the Wulf. Too many awful tales had been told by the old women around the fire for me not to know him. The third man said nothing and stood back a little, but my master and the Wulf talked at each other and though both seemed angry, they did not talk loud enough for me to understand what they said. My master's face was white as it always gots when he is stirred by anger, but of the other's I could see nothing for the hair which stood bristling. Now and then at something which my master said, I would hear him laugh and his yellow tooth shone horribly. I had listened but a short time, although it seemed long to me, when suddenly mas ter said something which appeared to madden the Wulf, for the latter dashed his hand upon his sword and I heard the blade rasp as it came out of its scabbard. ,The other drew his also. My master had no other weapon than his short dagger, and yet he did not run from the spot, but drew it and stood his ground bravely. The two attack him and though he struck off their sword points for awhile, they dashed him across the cheek and I saw his was a fool hardy game. I saw too, that ho was merely the mouse awaiting the death stroke of the paw. Something in the sight made me grip my wood ax tighter and creep silently around the bush up behind my master's enemies. The interchanged looks, the bracing of their bodies, the stiffening grip around the sword hilts all told me that if I were to act I must act quickly. The third man must have seen some thing of the surprise in my master's eyes for he swerved about with a cry of warn ing to his comrade. But no warning of the Wulf 's compan ion could save him. I can not tell what mixture of fury, rage, horror, thirst for blood filled my veins, but I knew that the hot breath rushing through my throat seemed to scorch my tongue and mouth, and when the ax circled over ray head, no tree had ever felt the mad strength which threw into that blow. So swift, so hard, so deep, I struck that the broad blade cracked wide the iron of his armor and sunk down into his shoulder. I could hear the bones crunch beneath the steel. And then I felt a red hot iron soar through my arm and tingle the flesh of my side; and everything grew dark in the wood. They told me afterward that the third man had ran his sword through my arm, but upon seeing my father who had but that moment run up and joined my mas ter, the fellow had turned his back and fled. Regarding all that which had taken place, I was surprised; fori seemed to have been in a tiream in which I had been rather more of a man than a boy, but I was pleased nevertheless with the part which I had acted. But the thing which pleased me most was when my master in the great hall where all his people were gathered, said to the smith, "strike off the collars of Uhard and his father Lorie." The words made the tears start to my -eyes for joy and I sprang to my feet and shouted "Free, free!" then I bowed my head and wept. Perhaps this was wrong. I was young, only fourteen. George C. Shedd. The Tri Deltas initiated Misses Ada Butler and Mabel Huzlett into their fra ternity last Saturday evening.