Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-08-26
How Women Fare in Alaska.
THE WIFE OF WILLIAM L. FROST
WRITES OF DOMESTIC LIFE
IN TIE GOLD REGION.
Two of the Frost Boys, of this City,
Now in Alaska-Sons of Capt.
VIM. P. Frost-W Will Re-
main Through the
Long Winter.
From the St. Louis Globe Democrat.

From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
VANDALIA, Mo-, August Civ. L.
and A. III. Frost, two Audrain county
boys, are now in Alaska, at Cook'sIn-
let. 1t ia the second season for W. l..
who returned last spring with
his wife and a party from California.
The following is an excerpt from Mrs.
Frost's letter, received here. Itgives
some idea as to how women fare in
Alaska, who r dealing simply with
the domestic side. The letter left
Homer, Alaska, July 25. Mrs. Frost's
husbands claim is OF Canyon Greek,
two days journey from Sunrise City:
"We left Sunrise City on the morn
ing of May 81, and reached our desti-
nation the evening of the second day.
1t was a very hard trip. We had to
wade through snow mp to our waists
in some places. The boys all had
heavy packs, and we ladies had to
help ourselves and n another, but
we made it all right, and felt no ill
effect, only with very sore limbs. The
first morning out 1 was SO stiff felt as
if l couldn't move another step, but
after a few miles I got limbered up,
and the boys said / came in all right
on the home stretch. There are two
ladies besides myself-Mrs. Smith Jour
partners wife, lives across the creek,
and Mrs. Pierce about so feet away
so you see l have very near neighbors,
The boys are very busy, shoveling
| dirt into the boxes. We have not yet
| finished the bitches to carry water to
our claim, and so we can't say how
| successful we will be. They work
after supper, too, as it doesn't get
| dark here at present until after mid
night, and then it js only twilight. My
husband and I live in a log cabin, about
12x12. The men sleep In tents. I have
six in my efamily," as I call them land
have so much cooking to do that ]
have no time to grow lonesome. The
scenery has been a great surprise, and
a perpetual delight to me. The eli
mate, too, ia something to marvel at
At present it is 100 in the sun and 81
in the shade, but the old inhabitants
say this is an exception. But it hal
been showery for two or three days
soon the rainy season will set in, ant
then-winter! We have determined
to brave it, as the expense is st
great going to and fro, and then ont
gains time by doing so, as the groun'
can be gotten ready for the following
years work.
"We live in a fat between the noun
tains. 1t ia a beautifully picturesque
place. In June the mountains were
lovely green, but q devastating fir
has turned them to an ugly brown
!, There were flats where the fir
Jumped, and in them we find a per
feet riot of the most beautifully col
iored wild flowers. / have never seq
such variety, eoloring or pientitude !
any place, California included; but, {
, course, their seaso of blossoming
very short, not perpetual like tn
/. flowers of the Golden State. Purpl
:, flowers seem to predominate, sue 6
:. violets, Canterbury bells, sweet pea
: flags and so many that are not like an
: l have ever g Then there al
!. wild roses, bluebelles, ho~neysuckle
: daisys and ferns. / look at these va
. beds of fragrant beauty and then rail-
my eyes to snow-capped mountain
1t is a scene to make n pause an
x look, and look again. / must tell yc
of the great sport we had fishing G
N the ice when we first came. / kno
NJ it will seem to have the flavor of Mi
souri, fish stories, but remember this
Alaska. There are two large lax
a about a mile up the creek from O
M camp with plenty Of trout in them,b
the fish are not as good as brook troy
and are a little strong at this seast
- of the year, but they are better th'
As so much bacon. There were abo
b two dozen people fishing, and the
no were nearly 5000 fish caught. v
caught 500 in our party, that is, ALL
Brother John, my husband and m
So self. We enjoyed the sport We
90 much. Another day we went, but q
30 luck was either gone or the fish We
20 not biting that day, and the mosq'
II toes we're so bad that we gave it up
20 "Radishes and green onions for d
so nerl How does that sound for Alasf
60 We have had two messes out of {
80 garden, which we planted the last
90 May, and had full-grown radisl
so July 5. The lettuce and onions do
90 do as we'll as the radishes but I'll pl'
IS them early next spring, and not
90 them out until after frost. Thus
% we have had plenty of fresh me
90 There are several Indian hunters v
keep ussupplied with mountain she
"" "The pack train has just arrived {
leaves again in an hour. Do not
alarmed if you do not hear from
,,o The parties who run the boat say t
they will not bring our mail or ca
it out for less than $3.50 per NOR
Our nearest government post-ofiic
seventy five miles away, so you
we will be in hard luck as to mail 8
vice. 1t will not be long, though,