The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-01
TWINS FROM THE YUKON.
The Remarkable Journey of Miner,
Days MOtherIess Infants.
From the San Francisco Can

Days MOtherless Infants
From the San Francisco Call
Born within the borders of a land ov,ro.
by the United States, and vet further o,,-o,'
from Inc center OF their own country CIV
ilization than any other child or children
is the distinction which will follow Josenb
and Bernard Day through life. They ara
two-year-old twins and arrived in Seattle
on the steamer Willapa direct from Alas-
ka, and the place of their birth is NOT tba
only thing remarkable thus far in tbei-
lives, for. with the aid of their father. +ba,
made, in order to reach Juneau and mako
connections with the Willapa, a trip of
many days, coming from the Yukon rninfno.
district and crossing the grand but dan.
gerous summit by the Chilcat pass. Others
many years their senior have attempte5
to make that same trip and were newer
heard of again, but the babes are aliva
and well, and, while they cannot tax
they hope to some day be able to discuss
the trip as it comes to them from the Inns
of their father, U. Day.
The story of their birth, of their remark
able trip, and other facts connected with
them is one that does not find its way into
print very often. u. Day is miner. He is
big, tine-looking man, and for years be-
fore ne decided to go to Alaska he worked
in the silver mines of the east. He was ex-
perienced in his business, and when he
made trip to Alaska four years ago and
took look at the country he made up his
mind that he would come back to the
United States and get his wife, bride of
few months, and return to the land Of
gold. He came back, and his wife who
n Twin will
do relatives in a suburb of Minneapolis,
Mimi, consented to return with him to
Alaska. She was not very strong, but had
plenty of nerve, and in the spring with
the aid of her husband, she reached the
Yukon mining district in safety.
Her coming was a great event among
the miners. But one or two women had
ever been among them, and those had
held aloof from the common miners. Mrs.
Day took an interest in them and endeav-
ored to bring happiness to their lives.
Just two years ago she gave birth to
twin boys They were big and healthy.
and had eyes that were black as coal and
cheeks as red as apples. The exact date
of their birth was Oct 10, 1894, and the
place Sixty Mile Greek. Never did the
coming of any one, not even of the hardy
men VINO carry the mall create such
furore in the Yukon district. Miners who
came down recently say that for three
months dlleF the DIIH Oh INC IWIuS NlTs
and Mrs. Day received presents from min
ers far away who heard of the new ar
rivals.
They were the first children eyer born
in the Yukon district, and they were pei
ted and caressed and humored as though
they were the children of some great king.
On June 3, this year, Mrs. Day, who had
not been we'll since the birth Of the chill
dren died and there was general MOURN
ing in the camp.
Everybody wondered what would be-
come of the twins. Day told his friends
that in the fall he would take them to the
United States and place them with their
mothers relatives at Minneapolis The
miners laughed at him, and said that it
would be impossible for him to make the
trip until the babies were old enough to
walk.
Two months ago Day decided to leave
the Yukon with his little ones. The min
ers generally were of the opinion that it
would mean death for the children and
probably for the father if he undertook
the trip. Day was determined. He said
that to keep his children at Sixty Mile
would mean a life of ignorance and suf-
fering. So early in July Day started for
Juneau with the prides of the Yukon. Be-
fore his departure old and hardened min
ers shed tears and prayed for the safety
of the children. Day said that II they
died he would die with them.
They were dressed in clothes of heavy
Woollen cloth, and, strange as II may
seem, made the trip the greater part OF
the way strapped on the shoulders of their
father. He carried them similarly to the
way Indian women pack their papooseS
about They were a great burden, when
the length of the trip is taken into con-
sideration, and the further fact that Day
had pack Of provisions and blankets to
carry with him. Day says that at times
the weather was very cold, and when his
babies would not even cry he would think
that probably they we're benumbed by tho
cold Then he would take peep az
them and they would either be Laughing
or sleeping. Once he says they amused
themselves all day long playing with MS
long hair.
When night came on and he was ready
to rest Day would remove the children
from his back and they would sleep in his
arms.
mot once did they ever so much as
cry" says Day
The trip across the summit OF the Chit
cat pass was the most severe OF all, but
the little ones stood 1t all right, though
Day says they must have suffered some
because he did himself Several times IN
crossing the summit, Day, weak with tho
long trip and the Heavy burden, slipped,
and but for the precious ones on his BACK
he says, he believes he would have given
Up ohhh QOWu anu pei 1hSAA ~
ing, he says, aroused him and he would
struggle on.
Juneau was finally reached and safely;
there the babes were weighed and 1t was
found that they had grown fat during.
their remarkable journey. They remained
there little while, and when the VIZ
lipa arrived took passage on 1t for the
sound.
In a day or two Day will leave with
his sons for Minneapolis, where they WIZ
be placed with relatives and educated.
Old miners say the trip will go down as
the most remarkable ever made from the
Yukon district to Juneau.
The Deaf Mute Journal denounces as
obviously absurd many Of the stories that
are told about Helen Keller. Assertions
that she ''can speak huently French, Ger
man and English" that she learned 70
articuate with a rapidity hitherto an
dreamed off, or that she can read inc
- 80 nv n1apinQ her nm