The Nenana daily news. (Nenana, Alaska) 1918-1921, 1918-04-08
MISSION WORKER
ON YUKON RIVER
WRITES OF LIFE
Stephens Village, Though Far From
Postoffice, Is An Interesting
Post.

officeless and all but visitorless, the
little native settlement on the Yukon
river, known as Stephens village,
is not a place of allurement during
the long winter months. Yet Miss
Harriet NJ. Bedell, who is in charge
of the mission work there, finds the
village interesting and her work
among the natives pleasant
In letter written to Mrs. R. S.
Hildebrand, of this city, Miss Bedell
says that one consignment of mail
reached the village during the latter
part of November, but that no ad-
ditional news had reached them
from the Outside world up to the
| time her letter was written, March
Il. A fairly regular mail service
is maintained during the summer
months, by passing steamers, but
there is no provision for serving
the village during the winter months
The nearest postoffice is at Ram
part.
81 often thinks of Nenana," wrote
Miss Bedell, but l have never re-
GREETED coming to Stephens village.
The work is very much like the
work was in Oklahoma, only with
Alaskan differences. 1t is inter-
esting, and strange too, that peoples
living so far apart should have so
man characteristics.
Usually our Indians go to Brooks
or Rampant to sell their meat, furs,
etc, once or twice during the win
ter, but it has been so cold-too
cold for dogs to travel so far, and
game has been very scarce. This,
with the scarcity of fish last sum-
mer, has made hard winter for
the people here. Many of them had
to kill their dogs, as there was no
feed for them.
Il was much interested in what
you said about the improvements in
Nenana. The school and new Pres
byterian. church, Roman Catholic
church and other buildings being
built in so short a time, does show
a progressive town.
my school is the most interest
ing / have ever had. 1t is a day
school and goes hand in hand with
work in the homes. You ought to
see how well they look-hair nicely
combed, clean clothes, etc. At first
they would not put buttons on their
dresses. They love safety pins and
the larger they are the better they
like them. l sent them home time
and again, giving them buttons to
sew on. Now they finish their new
dresses and the safety pins are dis
appearing.
81 have had twenty-five regular
pupils until the last of January,
when the attendance was reduced
to fifteen on account of going hunt
ing, but those going took their books
with them and l gave them work to
do. About fifteen adults came as
they could-seven or eight every
day. They are so anxious to learn
that it is pleasure to teach them.
One day, in visiting the homes,
found husband reading aloud from
a primer to his wife. While she .
could not understand much English,
she looked very proud of her hus-
band.
"We have services on Wednesday ,
and Friday nights, conducted by my
catectist in the native tongue.
give them phonic instruction so they
can read their service books. The
attendance is nearly as good as on
Sunday.
There has been quite a good deal
of sickness this winter Two of our
young men and young woman died
of tuberculosis. They had been i'll
for long time.
Nearly every Saturday we lay
work aside and go for a dog team
ride. The trails are beautiful. One
day number of the young people
went. The boys built a huge fire
with spruce seats around. We all !
took a piece of meat and l gave
each potato to bake. While it was
30 dppreeS below zero wa had al