Evening star., 1896-12-15
TWINS FROM THE YUKON.
The Remarkable Journey of Miner
Days Motherless Infants.

Days MOtherleSS 1n1ants.
From the San Francisco Call.
Born within the borders OF land owned
by the United States, and yet further away
from the center of their own country civil
ization than any other child or children.
is the distinction which will follow Joseph
ard Bernard Day through life. They are
| two-year-old twins and arrived in Seattle
on the steamer Willapa direct from Alaska.
| and 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 con-
| nections with the Willapa, trip of many
days coming from the Yukon mining dis
trict and crossing the grand but dangerous
summit by the Chilcat pass. Others many
years their senior 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. they hope to
some day be able to discuss the trip as *
comes to them from the lips of their father,
L. 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. L. Day is miner. He
is a big. fne-looking man. and for years
before he decided to go to Alaska he work
ed in the silver mines of the east. He
y as experienced in his business, and when
he made a trip to Alaska four years ago
and took a look at the country he made
up his mind that he would come back to
the United States and get a wife, bride OF
few months, and return TO the land of
gold. He came back, and his wife. who
was at that time living with some well-to-
do relatives in 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 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 October 13. 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
furore in the Yukon district. Miners who
came down recently say that for three
months after the birth Of the twins Mr..
and Mrs. Day received presents from
miners farsnway who heard of the new ar
rivals.
They were the first children ever born in
the Yukon district. and they were retted
and caressed and humored as though they
were the children of some great king.
On June this year Mrs. Day, who had
not been well since the birth of the chill
dren, died, and there was general mourning
in the camp.
Everybody wondered what would become
of the twins. Day told mis- friends tLat In
the fall he would take them 20 the United
States and place them with their mothers
relatives at Minneapolis. The miners
laughed at him. and said that 1t would be
impossible for him to make the "Trip until
the babies were old enough 20 walk.
Two months ago Day decided to leave the
Yukon with his little onas. 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 10 keep
the children at Sixty Mile would mean d
life Of Ignorance and suffering So early In