The Alaska citizen., 1910-08-29

doctors, devils, or painted rings The fact that the little maiden had a stomach-ache was to her. at any rate. an actual fact. and no amount of persuasion could convince her to the contrary. In vain the witch-doctor howled. yelled, pleaded and groaned in vain the natives helped him with their discordant howls: in vain the dogs made music; in vain the anxious mother of the baby Wept and groan. ed -- the infant still screamed with pain.
 It was obvious that the witch-doc. tor was getting desperate. for even he could see that unless the child was speedily relieved she would die and he would lose considerable pres tige as a result Presently the crowd halted for moment to take q breath. and, stepping up to the moth er. l spoke to her in broken English assisting myself with the universal sign language To my delight found that she could understand me SO. waving my hand al the discom tited witch-doctor, l said Him tey nen (medicine manD no good
 The mother. by her ioORs. plain ly agreed with me, but the said icy nen threw me such maleyolcHt glance that, had been oombustible l must have shrivelled up on the spot
 Me make medicine,' I said The mother nodded her head vigor ously, for she was willing Do catch al any straw in order to save her bays life
 l broke through the ring, and. pick ing up the little girl, tried to soothe her The situation was rather em. barrassing. for l had deliberat ely disgraCed the medicine man, and my efforts To quiet the little one were productive of no results. except per haps that she screamed q little loud CT, if that were possible
 The Indians were watching me with eyes and mouths wide open wondering what particular branch of the art of black magic l was go ing to dispense, and | must confess that was as much ill the dark as they were.
 "Now, l wonder what my mother did to me when l had the stom ach-ache?" | said to myself: but The question remained unanswered for though 1 suppose al one part ol my life l suffered from that com plaint, still my memory hardly goes back so far.
 Suddenly the thought flashed across my mind: If l remember right they always put babies ill q hot bath fol strike me than | rushed up the vii lage with the baby in my arms. look ing for some hot water l saw var ious pots, pans, and kettles with hot water in them. but none of them large enough to hold the baby. until my eye caught large pan filled with steaming water. which the natives were heating ill order to cook dog feed The pan was black and greasy with the cookings of years. and. like everything else in the village, had a ripe tshy smell.
 placed my hand in the water and found that it was not too hot to scald the child. l was ready to pla the baby in the bath, when the mother diyining my intention, rush ed forward and seizing my arm, would have taken the child away.
 What's the matter?" I inquired.
 No good" was her reply You no make medicine"
 Al once the meaning of her con duct was made plain. She did not object to my placing the baby i'll the water, but she had no faith in the | treatment, as to her there was noth- ing that sayored of witchcraft or magic ill placing the baby in hot water
 l was nonplussed for a minute, and wondered what l could do to impress her with the idea that 1 was a great medicine man. The situation was rather awkward, for the baby was still screaming and the natives were eyeing me aSkance. Suddenly remembered that ill the pocket of the canvas coat l was wearing | had a bottle of magnesia. which l always carried along with me. l at once pull ed the bottle out of my pocket, and the Indians rushed forward to see