St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-01-26

My attention was attracted, on the
passage up, to family disembarking
at Juneau. the man, the proprietor Of
shop, after two years alone in Jul
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 women of the high
er class who find themselves in this
country rise superior to the small
daily trials of life in a new and IN
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 a log
cabin Is feet square, which was the
best 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 a will, making her family of three
young men very comfortable.
The wife of 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 rs 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 &
day on land, although snowshoes were
necessary. She had done large
amount of beautiful embroidery, nee
essarily by lamplight, and had busfet
herself in the care of house plants.
When she determined to pass the
winter on Stewart river, finding {
great demand for well-made dresses il
Dawson, this lady disposed Of thu
greater part of her wardrobe at prices
far beyond cost. On her return tt
Dawson in the spring luncheon wa
given her by number of friends, ant
being asked what special delicacy the.
could provide, she expressed a wisl
for something fresh after her lonl
season of canned goods. A water
melon was the result of the confer
| ence, which later she was startled t
learn had cost $3.50. This was no
so bad, however, as $25 had beef
| paid in Dawson for single melon.
The ever vexatious servant question
is naturally more acute in Alaska thai
/ elsewhere. Wages vary with one
ability to pay. The wife of an arm,
officer stationed at Fort Egbert, VIII
had brought in a Japanese cook, unde
contract at SIS month, was force
to part with him at the end of a fey
weeks, as he was offered $125
month. The wives of the officers a
Skagway were doing their own work
having also lost for higher wages tn
servants they had brought to Alask
with them. But no hardship or diff
culties seem to deter the America
woman, particularly of the army, fror
what seems to be her place and duty
There is scarcely camp in Alaska
however remote or unpromising, tina
Is not graced by the presence of re
fined women.