The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-04-21
KIDNAPPING AN ARCTIC MOTH
 ER-IN-LAW.
BY ALKx. SWEET.

BY ALKx, SWEET.
 We read every day in the papers narrowing tales about the outrages to which the American son-in-law is subjected, but these are simply moth ing at all" compared with what befell young son-in-law in Greenland. He was a young dude, and fell vio- lently in love with a pretty young lass, who had the additional attraction of being the daughter of wealthy par ents. This Arctic "Barkis was will in'," and her mother had no objection to the enamored youth, but her papa was very much opposed to the match. In Greenland when father parts with his daughter the prospective husband fills the aching void in the parental heart with certain quantity of whales blubber, fish oil and bear skins. The young man was poor. He could furnish the blubber, but 1t was not of the right kind, and he had no bear skin except his own bare skin, which, of course, he needed for him. self. For this reason the papa vetoed the bill by kicking the young man out into the cold.
 The young lady soon began to pine away. Instead of taking her usual ten or twelve gallons of whales blubber daily she merely slipped few quarts at each meal. Her cheeks grew pale. This having been kept up for some time, her cruel papa partially re- tented. He agreed to allow the mar riage to be performed on condition that the young husband execute a ninety day note for the blubber, fish oil and bear skins, he, however, re- taining builders lien, 80 to speak, OH his daughter.
 And so they were married, and the young couple moved into new hut on the opposite side of deep ravine, which was spanned by natural bridge of ice, which was the sole means of communication between the home of the young bride and that of her parents. The young husband did not immediately proceed to harvest the blubber, fish oil and bear skins requisite to meet the note when it matured. On the contrary he pre- 1 ferred to remain in the hut by the fire and his new wife and assist her to cul l tivate the domestic virtues. He was buoyed up by the hope that his father-in law would not have the gall to foreclose the builders lien on the young wife.
 However, after month or so, the young husband did start out on a hunting expedition. When he re- turned he was somewhat broken up at finding his hut empty and legal mo- tice tackled on to the door to the ef- feet that his cruel father-in- law had foreclosed the builders lien and taken back the collateral. The young man was in despair. The long Arctic night had just set in. It lasts three months. However, he made desperate resolve. He sneaked across the bridge of ice in sleigh, went stealthily into his father in- laws hut, and saw by the dim light of an oil lamp the sleeping form of his de j're wife. Stcalthily he entered the hut and, seizing his property, placed it in his sleigh. In a short time the young man with his l slAlI siCCPlnB WhC WCiO Oi thS OPPO- site side of the inaccessible ravine. Borrowing an axe from neighboring woodpile, he destroyed the natural bridge of ice. Communication with the opposite side was now entirely cut of. Before another bridge of ice could form months and perhaps years might elapse.
 With a smile of triumph on his face the young man carried the sleeping form of his recaptured wife into his cozy hut and laid her on the couch. Striking match on his pants he bent over to imprint kiss upon her lips, but started back in horror and emitted a wall 30 full of despair and misery that the hides of the white bears around the North Pole were blanched, and they howled in unison with the l wretched man.
 Having been deceived by the simi- larity of dress, instead of his wife the young man had kidnapped his own mother in- law !-Netr YOrk Mercury.