St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-06-16
ESKIMO CHILDREN.
Their Merry Times. and How They Anus
Observation-Disclosures Games and SPORT

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Their Merry Times. and How They Anus.
Themselves-Limited Games and Sports
81 wonder what the arctic BOYS ant
girls do when the nights are so Ions
and so, cold? They don't sleep all thu
time-do they, Aunt Martha?'
Inquisitive little Benny looked ~
| from the arctic picture in the boob
open in Aunt Martha's lap, and there
was irresistible force in his appeal.
No. indeed, Benny answered
Aunt Martha. "You must know that
some of the nights in the far North are
nearly six months long. and the little
children of the snow could not sleep
all that time
But what have they to play with?
Uncle Toby told me. once that they
have no skates, but he did not tell me
much more. 1t would not be very fine
to live where there is ice and snow all
the time, and to have no fun
Aunt Martha smiled
The arctic boys and girls see some
merry times if they do live in bleak,
cold country" she replied. While
they have no books with which to pass
away the hours of the long nights, as
other and more favorable children do,
they have toys and games
Tell me about them, cried Benny.
Every well. Some years ago Elisha
Kent Kane, the arctic traveller, wrote
much about the children of the regions
which he visited. Since then other ex-
plorers have added to Dr. Kane's ac-
count until we know a good deal about
the boys and girls of the snow. The
igtoo which is the funny name of the
ice-house of the Eskimo, is the narrow
playground of the children when the
snow is deep and the weather is bitter
cold.
1.-The girls amuse themselves with
queer-looking dolls whose heads may
have been carved out of walrus ivory:
for there is no wood where the long
cold nights are. They dress these dolls
in soft deer-skins, and take the ears of
the arctic fox for doll-hoods. Some
times these little ladies of the cold will
60 visiting just like the little misses of
our country do; and when they go,
they always take the doll along. Dolly
rides in a sled which the girls, wrapped
in their garments of bear-skin, pull |
over the snow in high glee. These
visits are often made at night, and for
hours a group of Eskimo girls will |
make an igloo resound with childish |
talk and laughter. They don't know
any thing about the great world that
lies warm and pleasant beyond the
boundaries of their ice-lock d home
nothing about the May parties, the
forest festivals and the merry nuttings
They have no knowledge of the hand
some dolls that fill the windows of our
stores. An Eskimo girl would hold
Ter breath if she could be transported
o one of our toy-stores stocked with
grand things for the holidays. They
know nothing about these.
when they learn to sew, it is with
| sharp piece of ivory for needle,
md a sinew for thread. 1t is slow
work over the poor fire. which is never
Flowed to 60 out, on the hearth of the
gloo, and the stitches are not very
ven; but the little seamstress works
and the hours pass away.
When she has dismissed her callers,
he may think she can improve the
ooks of her doll. On of her visitors
nay have shown an Improvement in
oil fashions, and forthwith the arctic
irl adds something to The costume of
er own pet. And thus it goes. The
.skimo girls do not know the wilder
ports INDUCED in by the boys; but for
IL this, they have very merry times
or God has designed that children
hall be happy wherever he has placed
hem.
The minds of the boys Of the polar
7orld run to sports that suits their ma
1res. They are generally found in
40 open air, nc. patter how cold it is.
t night, whe theo moon is full, and
hen the snoA resembles vast fell,
FURNISHED sisasr, con,pann ofssskf-
10 boys will ENGAGED in RDame of
all. The ball sol letimersgAs large
) boys head, ant.---e5ve,M with a
iece of hide sewed with flows. Each /
oy carries a crooked flick, which is
lie rib-bone of some sfctc animal; ,
nd thus accoutred, the whole COM
any will play ball among the drifts !
IL tired
Don't they ever lose the ball?' ask
Benny.
Very seldom. Now and then it IS t
aocked into an opening in the ice, |
nd, if il be a deep one, the little fell
Tvs 90 home sorroWful without their
anything. Then they get together in