The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-18
HANSEN AT THE POLE.
What Happened When the Fran SOLVED
the Frozen North's Mystery

hat Happened w hen the FRAN seAs10
the Frozen North's Mystery
"HslIol' said Dr. Nansen, getting out
Of his sealskin sleeping bag. is it sun
up9''
mot for month yet, - replied the
trusty Olaf FriJof, passing his chief q
chunk Of frozen coffee And the alcohol
is all out"
Great Thorl'' cried the explorer, pound
ing his knuckIes on the cabin table to start
the circulation. Haven't expressly stat
ed that the first man I caught using ar
dent spirits would be sent homer"
II suspect, = returned Olaf musingly,
sfthat there are some men in this expedi-
ton that want to be sent home When I
think of the roast pork and Hverwurs6 Of
Christiania, the steaming cabbage, the hot
punch
''SileneeP' roared the maddened ex-
plorer. s. Are you human? To change the
subject, do you realize that with alcohol
exhausted it viii become colder than ever?''
''Can f, - said Olaf gloomily. The
mercury has gone through the bottom Of
every bulb in the ship
"Then . said DR.. hansen determinedly,
sfthe pole must be discovered without fur
thor delay"
aye, aye, STRIP replied Olaf like a
trained sailor, and, going on deck, be gave
the command to the men.
Accordingly, at ten bells, Peter Peter
son, who was frozen to the crosstree, sang
out, Pole ahoyi
''Where away9'' cried the doctor.
''North- north by north, sirl''
keep her sol All hands to exp1orer'
In a few minutes the heroic little band
reached the pole, which was found firmly
fixed in the ground Erik Erikson, the
entomologist, suggested that it was frozen
in, and Dr.. Manson made a note of that
fact.
Careful measurement disclosed that the
pole was of the circumference of the doc
tor, entomOlOgist, photographer and cook,
and its height was long looks The ma
teria1 appeared to be a cross between pine,
poplar and persimmon.
This, . said the doctor, blowing on his
fingers, is the eoldest-I mean the hap
piest-day Of my life If ever I get out of
this climate and thaw out my dippers, III
write a book and make a fortune, and
promise every mothers son of you 500
week in a dime museum. We viii omit
raising a flag because forgot to bring it
from the ship, and then no one could shin
up this pole anyhow
''Thero is nothing, =" suggested Rurik
Rurikson, the historiographer to prevent
US saying that we raised flag"
True, assentod the doctor cheeTfully
s'Put her down, then. Come to think OF
it, there wasn't anything to prevent us
saying we found the pole, without finding
it. Dash it all, why didn't I think Of
that boforeS'
.1ice time to talk about that now, !"
growled Bully Bullyson, the mate
There hahn t a man as hasn't lost half
his fingers an toes. There's only three
sets of ears in the party, an I want to ak
who's to give me new nosef'
But think of the glory and famei"
said the doctor enthusiastically. Car
penter, bring chisel and cut our initials
ON this monument to the energy ard de-
votion, the rireless toll the courage and
perseverance. oho elimination of centuries
of dauntless devotion, the most superhu-
man concentration -
At this point his jaws caught in the fro
zen syllables and while the surgeon was
removing the deadlock the historiographer
moved to amend that the carpenter cut
down the pole so that it could be carried
to the ship and there carved at leisure
Carried
@Now, then, cried DR.. Manson "hol
for homer
But the ship wouldn't no The head
fireman reported that ice had formed in
the furnace and the chief mathematician
found it was impossible to calculate the
temperature, as the multiplication table
had frozen.
"Much as regret the step" said DR..
Manson to the crew, ' I shall be compelled
to chop UP the pole for frewood. Fame is
we'll enough. but what is it to man fro
zen in lati6ude gO9 What say yO, ladss'
A thunderous Aye, ayei" made the
icicles rattle ia the forccustle and in a
few minutes the merry sound of axe and
saw was heard plying ON the pole.
From that moment gloom was dispelled.
All was life and gayety and the tempera-
ture rose to minus 60. Three days later
the cook stove thawed out and the coffee
became so soft that it could be broken
with the fingers.
But little now remains to be told. How
the Fran arrived in port and the crew
were carried to the nearest hospital; how
DR.. hansen sent frozen portions OF himself
to the various learned societies; how he
wrote a book and signed a contract for
10, 600 lectures at $4,000 each; how two
feet six inches of the pole was solemnly
deposited in the Royal museum at Stock
holm-are not these matters of history
Chicago Times Herald.
ETfn Grruarfor Tn TrI0uuenoa