The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-17
Woman Flouts Death in
I. a Bearing Girl Sufferer to
Safety Over Snow Waste

1ort Ynkan. A1as3vs, Aug. 1e.--Hunan
heart bsata for humAn heart here IN
the frozen North Just ~ elsewhere.
Ana It. expressions often involves. sacri-
Noes undreamea OF IN the states, whore
conveniences are At the beck Of every
ona. sa asx.ss IA f4 srgs
Another enc Of those acts OF hero.
Ism which frequently are ). brought
forth by emergency and human auf-
fering has Just had its reward here
IN the recovery from paralysis Of Ida
Behn, the young daughter Of "Slim"
Behn. Of this post
ida Behn had been living at Steph-
ems village. 100 miles from the Yukon
rfvsr. with Miss Harriet M. BedelL q
teacher IN the Episcopal mission 1T
that village. During the winter the
htt1s girl was paraiyxeA and became
quftA helpless. There is no physician
~ Stephens village The nearest one
was IN this town. 1T the Episcopal hos,
pitAl
A. thers Wis no tran betwssn the
two points, Miss Bedeil. who had de-
tesmfned 20 bring the girl here for
tre&fment. was unable at nrst T. got
anycne - make tho trip with her.
However. she persevered and 1T length
induced Theodore John and Henry
Moses to agree to make the attempt.
The story Of their success has been
sent to the director Of the churchs
natfon-wide campaign rs an example
~ service that could be rendered In \
greater degree X the resources Of the
entire Episcopal church were stirred
INTO action
Two dog sleds and eleven dogs wers
used Miss Bedell and the sick girl.
veil wrapped In furs and blankets. oc-
oupfed ono sled; on the other WAS
stored their bagEage and food. For
the flrs< few miles there was 4 good
trsil leading to = humber camp. but
thercafter Il was necessary for the
drivers to 90 ahead of the dogs add
0rcakA tran with their snowshocs- y
The ifttle girl bore mp bravefy under
tAe Inconvenience and the fatigue of
ne journey Many Of their meals were
eaten In the unbroken wilderness and
the hrst three nights wesS afso 20
sDsak
huge ffrs was hunt snd slices Of
krcsen bread placed on tho corner Of
the grub box near tho ffre to thaw
out Partly boiled beans, also frozen.
the blake. while moose meat was
brosled on . stick held over the hameA
With tea. they enjoyed bountifm meals
which went far to keep them m trim
FIR the difficult 1eo-miie journey.
A small sheet-irun stove wAs carried
which was set up In their tant when
they pitched camp for the hrst Saixht
the next morning they were ready tn
renew the rip.
For two more nights they eamped
ir the snow The third was spent in
the cabin OF \ white trapper who en-
tended a cordial Welcome to them and
made them comfortable.
The next days run was thirty-sfx
miles with four very high and difficult
portag-s to cross. but the ambulance
party reached Beaver City by o'clock
In the evening. Beaver City II tust a
fading post for the miners out on the
Chandaiar river. but the natives there
were touched by Ida Behn's condition
md showed her much sympathy and
attention.
The fifth and. sixth nights of the
Journey were spent in the cabins of
white trarncrs. and on the seventh day
Fort Yukon was reached with the pa
tient wearied. but cheerful. The long
the dogs.
The people Of Fort Yukon were
amazed as the dog-sIed ambulance
slipped into town, knowing they
did the hardships and difficuft.e OF
a lsh-mIlc Journey through winter will
cernesses without y trail. DR. Grafton
Burke, IN charge Of the hospital At
paralysis.
Miss BedelL Theodore John and
Henry Mosas received many feiicita-
tions upon their courage In bringing
IN the patient before they left for tho
return trip three days later. Miss Be-
dell and the other Fpkcopal workers
along the stretches OF the Yukon. A.
well as the white miners and trappers.
and especially tho native Indians. are
hoping that the Episcopal nation wide
campaign now In progress in the
United states. wfll result In the erec-
tien Of more hospitals In Alaska. where
they are rftifulfy few ana most OF
Nhem handicapped with Inadequate IA