The Portland daily press., 1897-10-23
New York Sum-

New York Sum-
There are six persons in this city who
would welcome cold snap, real cold
snap, spell of regular hog KILN wealth
or, as the people down South say when
'ney want to express the superlative de-
gree of cold. They are the Eskimos
brought down from Greenland by Lieut..
feary. These denizens of the frozen
north couldn't have cooler quarters In
these parts, for they are now housed in
the basement OF the Museum of Natural
History at Eighieth street ana Central
Fark West; but all the same they say that
New York has beastly climate and that
tney wouldn't live here if they could
nave the bloomin' old town; or at least
that's what Matthew Henson, Lieut..
Peary's all-around man, says they say.
Mat, as Mr. Henson Is known, has been
appointed guardian of these guests, and
when he says they say, we'll, just any
old thing, few dare dispute him, since
not one man out Of million understands
their language.
The Eskimos are NOT on exhibition at
present. They are at the museum for
strictly business purposes. The scientists
up there propose to learn their language,
to take plaster casts of them, to make
pictures of them, to get all the informa-
tion out OF them that they can, and in
turn to teach them something of our civ
ilization and language.
They heUan,t rot xxy1~Ir --o4 A.
Eskimos don't mind. In fact they don't
seem to mind anything but the heat, and
an occasional sight of pretty American
woman consoles the three men of the par
ty for their sufferings in this direction.
But the women--well, a woman is a
woman, no matter where on the face of
the earth she comes from, and this one
appears to say the equivalent of ''Oh, l
don't know; these American women
hain't SC warm.'' AS for the two little
children, Ahweah, a ten-year-old girl, and
Meseney, an eight-year-old boy they are
happy in spite of the rivers of perspira-
tion that roll from their big, fat faces.
When Sun reporter went up to visit
them the other morning two tiny girls
were lying fiat on the ground outsidegthe
museum, peering down through the iron
grating over basement window of the
building.
''Eat it, eat it. =" urged one eagerly.
eyes, eat it, eat 1t, put in the other
''It's candy. It's good. Eat 1t. It's
SWEET
Eat this" resumed the first speaker,
running hei hand into paper bag and
throwing something down. "It's choc'-
late, an chocolates is splendid. Eat it.
Eat it.''
Then each took chocolate cream fro.n
the bag and said in chorus:
See, this way. Eat it, and proceeded
to give the finest possible illustration of
how chocolate cream can be eaten with
a relish.
The reporter peered over the heads be-
low, and there, stretched out on the base
ment window, was one of the Eskimo
men. His face was upturned to his
little friends above, and, talk about broad
grins, he wore one that would have to
be measured by feet almost, not inches.
"Ain't he loyely2" said the elder child,
as the fellow below caught on and began
to devour her gift of sweetmeats "Ain't
it a shame they won't let folks see eins''
They" presumably meant Mr.. Wal
lace, superintendent of the institution,
for he says who shall and who shall not
visit his charges.
The Eskimos are not on exhibition
just now," he said to the reporter. "For
! people would flock here to see them in
such numbers that our plans concerning
them would be completely broken VI.
Come this way. They will be very glad
to see you, and indeed, they do not get
lonely, for many people are allowed the
privilege of visiting Them"
He led the way through the main floor
and down flight of stairs to the base
ment, then down long, narrow flight
| to room on the Seventy eighth street