Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1896-11-04
4 FATHERS BURDEN.
story OF STRANGE Journey with
Mothcricss Twins.


Mothcricss Twins.
Born within the borders Of land owned
by the United States and yet further away
from the center Of their own country civil
cation than any other child or children, Is
the distinction which will follow Joseph aud
Bernard Day through life. They are 2-ycar-
old twins, and arrived in Seattle recently on
the steamer willpa direct from Alaska, ana
the place Of their birth is not the only thing
remarkable thus far in their lives, for with
the aid Of their father they made, In order
to reach Juneau and make connections with
the Wilapa, a trip Of many days, coming
from the Yukon mining district and crossing
the grand but dangerous summit by the
ChilCjt pass. Others many years their
seniors have attempted to make that same
trip and were never heard OF again, but the
babes are alive and well, and, while they
cannot talk yet they hope TO some day be
able to discuss the trip as It comes to them
from the lips OF their father, U. Day.
Tho story OF their birth. of their remark
ablc trip and other facts connected with
them is one that does not find its way into
print very often. U. Day is a miner. He Is
a big fine looking man. and for years before
no decided to 90 to Alaska he worked in the
silver mines OF the east. lie was experienced
in his business, and when he made a trip
to Alaska four years ago and took look at
the country he made up his mind that he
would come back TO the lnlteu states anu
get his WIFE bride of a few months and
return to the land OF gold. He came back,
and his wife, who was at that time living
with some wel-to-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 endeavored to
| bring happiness to their lives.
Just two years ago she gave birth to twin
| boys They were big ard healthy and had
eyes that were black as coal and cheeks az
| red as apples. The exact date of their birth
was October 10, 1894 and the place Sixty
Mile Creek. Never did the coming of any
| one, not even Of the hardy men who carry
| the mail create such a fervor in the Yukon
| district Miners who came down today say
| that for three months after the birth OF the
| twins Mr.. and Mrs. Day received presents
| from miners far away who heard OF the new
| arrivals They were the first children ever
born in the Yukon district, and they were
| pcttcd and caressed and humored as though
they were the children of some great king.
On June 3, this year, Mrs. Day, who had
rot been well since the birth of the chill
dren. died, and there was general mourning
|
Everybody wondered what would become
| of the twins Day told his friends that in
| the fall he would take them to the United
| States and place them with their mother 5
relatives at Minneapolis. The miners laughed
| at him, and said that II 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 miners
| generally were of the opinion that 1t would
mean death for the children and probably
| for the father II he undertook the trip. Day
| was determined. He said that to keep the
| children at Sixty-Mile would mean a life
of ignorance and suffering. SO early in July
Day started for Juneau with the prdes OF
| the Yukon Before his departure old and
hardened miners shed tears and prayed for
| the safety of the children. Day said that
| IL they died he would die with them.
| They we're dressed in clothes of heavy
| wooden cloth, and, strange as 1t may seem,
| made the trip the greater part of the way
| strapped on the shoulders of their father.
| He carried them similar to the way Indian
women pack their papooset, about. They
| were a great burden, when the length OF
| the trip is taken into consideration and the
| further fact that Day had a pack of provi-
| sions 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 were
| benumbed by the cold. Then he would take
a peep at them, and they would either be
laughing or sleeping. Once he says they