The Portland daily press., 1896-10-30

y. Lay is miner. lie is a big, dne-
looking man, and for years before he
decided to 60 to Alaska he worked in
the silver mines of the East. He was
experienced 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. a bride
of few months, and return to the land
of gold. He came back and his wife,
who was at that time living in suburb
of Minneapolis, Mimi, consented to re-
turn with him to Alaska, says cores
pendent of the San Fr ancisoo Call. 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 great event among
the miners. But one or two women hal
ever been among them, and those had
held aloof from the common min ers
Mrs. Day took an interest, in them and
endeayored to bring happiness into their
lives. just two years ago she gave birth
to twin boys. Never did the coming of
any ons not even of the hardy men who
carry the mail, create such 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
petted . and caressed and humored as
though they were. the children Of some
great king.
On June g. this year, Mrs. Day who
had not been well since the birth of the
children, died, and there was general
mourning in camp. Every body 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 mothers relatives
at Minneapolis. The miners laughed at
him and said that il. would be impossible
for him to maks the trip until tho babies
were old enough to walk.
Two monthssago Day decided to leave
the Yukon with his little ones. The
miners generally were of the opinion that
it would mean death for the children
and probably for the father If he under
| took the trip. Day was determined. He
said that to keep the children at Sixty
Mile would mean life of ignorance and
suffering. So early i'll July Day started
for Juneau with the pridas OF the. Yukon.
Before his departure old and hardened
miners shed tears and prayed for the
safety OF the children. Day said that If
| they died ne would die with them.
They were dressed In clothes of heavy
wooden cloth, and, strange rs it may
seem, made the trip the greater part of
the way strapped on tho shoulders of
their father. He carried them sim lar to
| the way Indian women pack their
papooses about. They we're great bur
den, when the length Of the trip is taken
into consideration, 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
| ne would think that probably they were
| benumbed by the cold. Then he would
take peep at them, and they would
either be laughing or sleeping. Once.
he says, they amused thsmselves all day
long playing with his Lung 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. "Not once did they even SO much
as cry" says Day. The trip across the
summit of the Chilcat Pass was the most
sewers of all. but the little oues stood 1T
all right, though Day says they must have
suff cred some, because he did himself.
Several times in crossing the summit,
Day weak with the long "Trip and the
Ii eavy burdens slipped. and but for the
precious ones on his back, he says, he
believes he would have given up, sunk
down and persisted. Their cooling, he
saws. aroused him, and he would str ug-
gle on. juneau was finally reached,
and safely; there the babies were
weighed. and 1t was found that they had
grown fat during their remarkable
journey. They remained there little
while. and when the Willapa arrived
took passage on it for the Sound.