Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-06-14
ARCTIC BOYS AND GIRLS.


ARCTIC BOYS AND GIRLS.
| Their Merry Times, and How They Amuse
ThemseIves-Limited Games and Sports.
Il wonder what the arctic boys and
girls do when the nights are so long
and so cold? They don't sleep all the
time-do they, Aunt Martha?"
Inquisitive little Benny looked up
from the arctic picture in the book
open in Aunt Martha's lap, and there
was irresistible force in his appeal.
mo. 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.
1.-The arctic boys and girls see some
merry times if they do live in a 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.
very we'll. 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 good deal about
the boys and girls of the snow. The
igloo 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.
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
go visiting Just like the little misses of
our country do; and when they go,
they always take the doll along. Dolly
rides in 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 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
her breath if she could be transported
to 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
a sharp piece of ivory for needle,
and a sincw for thread It is slow
work over the poor fire. which is never
allowed to go out, on the hearth of the
igloo, and the stitches are not very
even; but the little seamstress works
patiently, and the hours pass away.
When she has dismissed her callers.
she may think she can improve the
looks of her doll. One of her visitors
may have shown an Improvement in
doll fashions, and forthwith the arctic
girl adds something to the costume of
her own pet And thus it goes. The
Eskimo girls do not know the wilder
sports INDUCED in by the boys; but for
all this. they have very merry times
for God has designed that children
shall be happy wherever he has placed
them.
1.-The minds Of the boys of the polar
| world run to sports that suits their ma
lures They are generally found in
the open air. no matter how cold it is
| At night. when the moon is full, and
when The snow resembles a vast field
of Furnished silver, company OF Eski-
mo boys will engaged in game OF
ball. The ball sometimes is as large
as boys head. and is covered with a
piece of hide sewed with sinews. Each
boy carries crooked stick, which is
the rib-bone of some arctic animal;
and thus aceoutred, the whole COM
pany will play ball among the drifts
till tired
Don't they ever lose the ballP' ask
ed Benny.
Very seldom. Now and then it is
knocked into an opening in the ice
and, if 1t be deep one, the little fell
lows go home sorrowful without theil
plaything. Then they get together in
an ice-hut and make another ball.
While it is being made they will tel
wonderful stories, most of which ar,
Eskimo legends learned from their pa
rerts Now and then the most adven
turesome boys will crawl along tn,
high cliffs with little net fastened t,
q pole made of spliced whalebones, ant
with it will catch the cliff swallows a
they whirl about their heads.
They learn early to drive dog-team
over the snow. and often under tn
moon they will race back and forth il
! this manner. The Eskimo boy is al
ways good driver. and he is not yer,
old when he watches near the seal