Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-12-28

WOOD Tor the winter Between them
the walk leads back 10 the pier. where
other storehouses reveal themselves;
two story frames each and all. Tow
ering over these is the masters
house. the seat of government for the
post.
Everywhere outside great Eskimo
dogs loiter and there is a litter OF
pups under queer sawmill, with
sails resting on the earth as to a salt
mill of lower Austria. &
Newcomers. however, are eager al
ways. first of all, to see more of the
furs. To this end they VISIT store
OF the company on the, second floor
Of still another frame structure. Here
the trading for pelts is done. All
about the wall OF the trading post
there extend open shelves On ono
side a section of these isagiyen over
to washbowls of a white porcelain.
with blue pattern The shelf Just be-
low holds, more bowls and some socks;
that beneath is for, worsteds and
heavy underwear. Mems suits finish
the compartment. Adjacent to II one
finds a section with suits OF oilskin.
Of shirts striped in blue and white.
cans, of pineapples and tomatoes. I'm
dershirts too figure In the avadIables
for trading. Down from the ceiling
iron buckets suspend; In a corner
there are boxes. Cans of peaches.
bundles of brooms. these, too. are
here. open to barter
Fine .PeIts In Trade.
id'AA genial youMg agent. induced to
come here from Scotland under a
two year contract. takes delight in
showing visitors around He reserves
for the last the great chest In which
are kept the frirs, arrived since the
ship took away the spring quota, 1t
is a small outlay. but OF inestimabie
value. Here, for one. is a marten
skim the company paid $22 for. The
man who caught It took 1t out In bar
ter. Two or three silver foxes are
brought In a year, scfne of these net
the poor trapper 5000. i4one year the
post secured seventeen. Then. again.
1t is a long matter Of selection for
barter-toilet. soap and jiggers for
squid. jugs and knives in leather
belts. all drawn on by the, trapper.
Down the 'front.' OF the store. where
the trade is consummated, there ex-
tends a heavy. old time counter. with
ancient hanging scales al one end.
Over these the agents servant pre-
sides. Out of pile OF furs ready to
ship some beauties are brought for
inspection.
No Hudson bay sable are obtained
at this place. but marten are In the
yield now. All the skins are packed
inside glove like affair. lined with
skin This becomes tight case. aft
er proper folding. and the fur Is as in
pocket Of gut All furs, the man
tells us, will fade II kept exposed to
the light. and SO. in addition. these
packets when filled are kept In the
tight case in the dark.
Meanwhile again he shows some
weasel skins from hereabouts The
animals are white in the winter. dark
in summer The skins bring from 25
to 40 cents up here, according to size.
Only a part Of the satin can be used.
Even a silver fox skin when brought
in Is cut in pieces. and these are set
into strips from an inch to two inches
broad. These slivers then are set be-
tween other strips, OF cotton in such
a way that the garment is made much
.
wider, while the result, to the eye. is
the same as II OF fur throughout The
front of the skin Is used for trimming
or insertion under the arms.
Only a few years ago marten we're
worth but $5 or $6 up here; now they
will bring up to $40. All furs. in fact.
are very high now. since they have
become SO fashionable Last winter.
In Labrador. the black fox brought
from S4o0 to $500 Marten. too. have
been going up each year. Mink and
ermine are traded here; 10. too. are
the white hare and beaver. Mink will
come to SIS or SO Lots OF small skins
are utilized in filing out trade. The
mink however. is not of the accus-
toned reddish tinge unless It has fad
ed II exposed to light, like all the
skins. It turns color and becomes q
pale brush red Tailor marten alone
are not so apt as this animal in the
native state. does not come to bright
light so often and nature Ia more
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