The San Francisco call., 1908-08-09

the IeCOEu MS man was 10 HAAS until
the voyage ended.
AS he moved back to the bar asked
LIndstrum II he liked the land OF ever
lasting white-whether he would go
north again II the opportunity offered.
He shrugged his shoulders and laughed
a reply. who knows"
HEN under the mellowing influence
OF few 'petits verres' he let me
into secret Far UP under the North
star he had found gold He gave mo
the impression that 1t was lying around
loose waiting to be picked up. but,
guarded by hundreds OF miles OF ice
foes. enwrapped in the bitter arctic
cold. he evidently did not fear that an
other would get there before him. For
the expedition he needed money, and il
was this that had brought him to San
Francisco. hoping TO find capitalist
who would back his little enterprise.
1t would take only $4,000 or $1,000.
he said. He would take a small steam
schooner. and when he had reached the
outskirts of the frozen wastes he would
engage an Eskimo crew. taking only
three other white men along with him
He would be away about two years and
would come back IN his own eyes
rich man and with a valuable scientiae
collection. which he would donate II
the United States. because he thinks Il
would be more appreciated here than
In his own country
As he outlined the plan Lindstruln
became enthusiastic. His eyes Nzhtet
up. his usually animated manner BE-
came intense: but suddenly he broke or
with a great laugh.
First l must ind the man with the
money" he said Who knows whether
I shall ever 90 that?'
AS we were about to part he called
me to one side and brought OUT thick
leather packet. carefully wrapped and
securely tied. As be enrolled il with
reverential care there first came a
certificate printed in undecipherable
Norwegian. which had been given him
by his government on his. return with
Amundsen. Then there were two
medals. the one a beautiful piece of
gold work
This am only allowed to wear on
special occasions" he said. 1t wouid
be very bad to wear 1t in saloon or
on the street. This other L can wear
any time 1t simply shows that 1 have
got the first"
As he folded them up again his
hearty laugh bubbled up.
Il show them.1 he said. ''but that IS
all 1 never wear them Ny friends
like to see and it gives me pleasure"
Lindstrum IS q true rover on tha
face OF the earth. His mother died
when be was In the far north. and with
her went the last OF the affection and
kinship that bound him to his nativ-
place. Now he drifts from port to port.
from sea to sea. as fate wills. care free,
happy in the work OF today, not con-
cerned In what will happen tomorrow
1t is not unlikely that he will wander
into the SoCth seas. Possibly he will
encircle the world Probably the north
will see him again. perhaps in Guest
or his secret gold fields But whereve-
he is he viii be laughing his cheeks
will be smooth and red. his eyes viii
twinkle with the good humor OF perfect
independence and self-confldence. and
he Will be telling how he met the king
In Christiania, or how Captain Amund-
sen induced him to ship on the Gioa
while he was ''well--feeling pretty
good. and he Will be totally free from
the self-conscious pride which another
man would feel who had spent 90 years
among the ice foes. enduring 10 long
arctic nights and accomplished that
which has been the goal OF advantur-
Gus spirits for centuries-ths circuu-
navigation Of the American continents.