The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1914-06-22
Editors Hear Of Northern journalism
Alaska Writer Tells Interesting Story

! production Of the photograph OF the
couple--a very good one-but /
scrutinzed the latter obviously, for
the staff artist not being content
in simply reproducing the photo
had surrounded and embelished it
with circlet of very fat cupids with
! exceedingly diminutive wings.
Objects to Cupids.
There We're over twenty of these
little love messengers gaily gyrating
around the newly weds but | look
ed at them disapprovingly. vaguely
seeing some resulting unpleasantness
| and my intuition proved correct
While | was still examining the
| picture, my office door was thrown
open without the ceremony of a
knock, and in came the enraged
bride. who had been all amiabilty
the day previous.
! She violently shut the door and
! 9lood W III mel Dttt N against II tOD-
| fronting me with a vicious glare that
BODIED no good, and | noticed that
she held in her hand crumpled
newspaper Wont you have some
kow-kow,' (meaning anything to eaD
| said, overwhelmingly.
Another stamp of the foot and a
decided negative. This is fine
| weather. | Ventured weakly. for
was beginning to feel quite alarmed
, there being only one egress from
my office, and that barred by the
biggest and maddest Eskimo woman
to me ten feet tall as she stood
blocking my doorway. Still no reply
except muttered growl accompan-
led by a recurring stamp of the
muckluck
In desperation | extended the
in desperation extended the paper
toward her, saying with all the cordial
ity that our strained relations permit
ted: Did you see this nice picture of
yourself and Anaok?' and then the
storm burst forth in all its fury.
Explanations Made.
She Strengthened out the crumpled
paper which she had held all this
time in her own hand, and with her
| fingers traced the circlet of cupids,
demanding in voice of thunder:
What that mean?' What does what
mean?' l weakly answered, hedging
to gain time. 'Mickannies-heap
fat babies-me and Anaok got no
babies-what that mean?' l strove
to find words that to her limited
understanding of English would con-
| vey the correct meaning.
Mechanically | answered, those
are not babies-they are cupids.
What's cupids?' came back at me
with suddenness that fairly took
my breath, but | had recovered my
poise, and while I know that she
could not fully comprehend the
meaning of my words of explanation
felt that along with them l might
convey it telepathically-and | did
"'Cupids are little love gods
answered. Not babies, see their
wings and l traced the very dim
inutive appendages that had escaped
her notice. Little love GODS max
ing of myself human monograph,
until finally her face began to clear
and with the dawn of a full under
standing, she beamed upon me and
clasping to her bosom the despised
sheet, she exclaimed How nice!
"A few months ago mining man
who had just visited the former
bride at Unalaklik, where her herds
have been removed, said that he
saw upon the wall of her igloo, the
once detested newspaper picture,
all yellowed with age, and that Sin
rock Mary pointed to it with pride
and tried to tell him it's history.
hope soon to have the pleasure Of
again visiting this woman whom !
consider my best native friend in all
our Northland."