The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-01-10

My attention was attracted, on the
passage up, to a family disembarking
at Juneau. The man, the proprietor of
shop, after two years alone in Ju-
neau, was returning with his family.
The little wife appeared very much
dissatisfied with the first view of her
new home. l noted that it was the
women of the middle class who seem
to object most to life in these wilds.
The poorer women accept the discom-
forts as pertaining to their life any
where and the few womeG of the high
er class who find themselves in this
country rise superior to the small
daily trials of life in a new and un-
formed community. The wife of an
old army officer who surprised her
son in Alaska by visit found herself
compelled to pass the winter in log
cabin Is feet square, which was the
hest habitation her son and his two
partners in the gold fields were able
to offer her. She found the quarters
rather limited for four persons, but
she not only accepted the situation
with equanimity, but went to work
with will, making her family of three
young men very comfortable.
The wife of a river captain, who
was also the daughter of a clergyman,
was coming out" after having passed
the winter with her husband in his
boat tied up at the mouth of Stewart
river, which empties into the Yukon
about IS miles from Dawson. She
seemed a very superior woman and
her experiences were most interest
ing. She told me that she had abso-
lutely enjoyed the winter, although
she had not seen human being but
her husband and the five employees of
the boat through the entire season.
The captain and herself had read
aloud to each other and played end
less games of piquet and other games.
They had walked regularly twice a
day on land, although snowshoes were
necessary. She had done a large
amount of beautiful embroidery, nee
essariIy by lamplight, and had busted
herself in the care of house plants.
When she determined to pass the
winter on Stewart river finding a
great demand for well-made dresses in
Dawson, this lady disposed Of the
greater part of her wardrobe at prices
far beyond cost. On her return to
Dawson in the spring luncheon was
given her by number of friends, and
being asked what special delicacy they
could provide, she expressed wish
for something fresh after her long
season of canned goods. A water
melon was the result of the confer
ence, which later she was startled to
learn had cost $3.50. This was not
80 bad, however, as $25 had Been
paid in Dawson for single melon.
The ever vexatious servant question
is naturally more acute in Alaska than
&, elsewhere. Wages vary with ones
ability to pay. The wife of an army
officer stationed at Fort Egbert, who
had brought in Japanese cook, under
contract at $75 a month, was forced
to part with him at the end of few
weeks, as he was offered $125 a
month. The wives of. the officers at
Skagway were doing their own work,
having also lost for higher wages the
servants they had brought to Alaska
with them. But no hardship or diff
culties seem to deter the American
woman, particularly of the army, from
what seems to be her place and duty,
There is scarcely camp in Alaska,
however remote or unpromising, that
is not graced by the presence of re-
fined women.