Douglas Island news., 1903-04-01


 Generally, if you have known a man in the states, you can tell pretty nearly where to find him socially ten years later, but it is not so much so in Alaska. Joseph Hollingsworth was, for years, an exemplary churchman and Sunday. school worker down on the Pacific coast. About two years after going to Alaska, his old pastor gave brother minister, who was going North, Hollingsworth's name, and as- sured him he would be his right-hand man in the organization of Sunday school and church. The first man he inquired for on landing was Hollings- worth.
 'sKnow him well!n said the man ad- dressed.
 "Fine man, is he not?" continued the minister.
 "Now, your talkin', Joe's one of the the best fellows I ever knew, and 1 guess there arn't any doubt about bis being the best poker player in camp"
 ''I don't believe he is the man I'm looking for"
 If it's Joe Hollingsworth from Ma rion, California, he's your man, for he came up from there just about two years ago. reckon you'll find him at one of them tables over there at the Louvre; though he might be back in the dance hall"
 He proved to be the right man; vas glad to hear from his old pastor, wish ed the mission work success, and promised to come around for the Sun day morning sermon, and he did, but he still continues the champion at cards. Had his wife and pastor ac- companied him North, he would prob ably have remained the model church man, but he couldn't go counter cur rent.
 Rodger Raymond, young lawyer, had been in Alaska less than year when he found his social position. He was general favorite and it was rare treat to listen to his descriptions of men and speeches in the United States congress, where he had been a daily visitor for years. With his won- derful memory and power of descrip- tion he could picture men and scenes and repeat telling points in speeches until he thrilled his listeners perhaps more than did the great originals their more cultured audiences. But from something of skeptic, he joined the church, and while not accepting the strictly orthodox views you may hold, he filled the pulpit occasionally and was instrumental in the establishment of free library and popular literary so- ciety. His was one of those peculiar constitutions which is affected little by it's environment.
 "Popcorn" Kate was another charac- ter never to be forgotten. She had spent her life in mining camps and was a good prospector, but she landed in Alaska as winter was setting in and had to do something. She rented two-story business house, put up a sign and opened the Stickeen Hotel. 3It's out of my line little, for I have been in the saloon business for years" she used to say. And it proved true. She never gave away drinks, but a hungry man was more than she could stand, and the free meals represented many dollars in the course of week She prospected the next summer, but was up with the railroaders near Ben-' nett, with the most popular saloon in camp, last accounts.
 But the "Countess" Von Teck, of whom 1 was going to tell the story, was a different sort of person-harder to understand and as difficult to de- scribe. No woman seemed more at home around camp or even about the theater or dance hall, and yet many a real countess, am sure, is filling her position with much less grace and dignity than our "Countess" would in her place. It was very evident she had not been reared on the frontier any where. She was not generally consid- cred handsome, but she possessed a certain dignity and refinement which always commanded respect. She was an attache of the "Slim Jim" theater and dance hall, and with this intro duction I will go back little.
 Nelson Bartvell was journalist