Douglas Island news., 1904-03-09
A Simple Tale
 Told in a Direct Way

ms QauSuJeE TUT llLuhOioA pull APNSNSs ~S related in letter in recent issue of the Nugget? According to credible witnesses, it has been done many times. For money, no; for whiskey, yes. 1t IS a known fact that they have staked their children, after losing everything else at cards. During the summer, we see visiting Indians, and their children are sometimes so dirty and filthy that they are repulsive With the native, cleanliness is nc virtue, neither is soap necessary adjunct to their household necessities. But if a native will sell or gamble away his children, can he have any affection for them? Yes, a natives love for his children is almost akin to worship. Witness the anguish of the parents at the grave of child; 'tis true that their peculiar wailing often pro- vokes laughter among the unfeeling, but He tests at scars who never felt a wound.' No civilized mothers grief is more poignant at the loss of her darI- ing, but the natives grief is not solaced with thoughts of meeting it again in happy future.
 Who is responsible for the state of affairs among the natives? state un- hesitatingly-the whaler, who for years has been trading molasses, from which the natives make their hootch, for skins as we'll as girls, and the loathsome disease spread among the natives by the whalers, has caused the death of many.
 "An incident, or rather tragedy oc- cured at Fortymile, in the early days of mining in that section, which illus trates the love the native has for his children. No country folk ever feel happier on going to the city to make their holiday purchases, than the inte- rior native does to the trading post to exchange his skins, going sometimes couple of hundred miles for that pur- pose.
 "It was in the summer of 'S8 that a native and his family were floating down Fortymile, and as they passed those rich bars, many good-natured tests passed between them and the miners. They were happy family, for upon the North Fork had they not killed moose which not only supplied them with plenty of meat, but the skin of which covered some willows that were tied together, thus forming large and commodious boat
 "The natives had many furs and were in happy anticipation of their future purchases-calico, drilling for new tent, mosquito netting which they saw the miners had, and possibly one of those bright coffee pots in lieu of the tomato can which they had used to made their tea; besides the feast they would have when they would get their flour, tea, sugar and tobacco. They had passed the Cleghorn, Brannen,s bar and the other dangerous rifles, and the only bad place ahead was the canyon. But he had no fear-had he not been through it many times? But there was one treacherous rock near the surface which he was not familiar with, and in moment, upon entering the canyon, his frail boat had struck and immediately filled with water. The native jumped upon the rock, but before he could save any of his family they were swept around the rock and into shallow cove behind bluff, and in shallow water where they were all safe. The native, hearing the voice ot his wife, called to her, asking if the children were drowned. She, misun- derstanding him, thinking he had asked if they were safe, answered yes. For moment he could hardly realize what had occurredin such brief mo | ment of time-his boy, whom he was just teaching to hunt and trap; his lit tie ones, whose childish and innocent prattle amused him-dead-all dead! With despairing cry, emanating from heart torn with a sudden grief, he grasped his sheath-knife and plunged it into his heart, falling a corpse into the torrent. Such is the love native has for lis children. ."-Geo. T. Howard, in the Nome Nugget.
 Among Alaskans who have been in Washington this winter there has been Q lnt of nnssin ahnnt the coming an-