The Alaska daily empire., 1920-01-29
Dancing To Tom Toms
 I'm An Alaska Kazim

this company. averaging seven pounds heavier and three inches taller than any other in the army of Uncle Sam.
 We went to see them on their barge and had a little talk with some of our Nenana boys-young fellows who had had their own more or less important part in bringing the "iron trail' to the interior of Alaska and the sudden springing up of a pretty and orderly little town in the heart of the wilderness. Some. what dejected over the nonappear ance of the transport, and their rather unsteady, storm-swept exist ence on the barge, they were ali keen on getting a chance at the Hun. The steamship company fixed them up a couple of vacant offices in it's building where they could read md write and smoke. and grumble in peace.
 We bravely faced the wind, but the Eskimo trading shops were tao tempting, especially one that wslS closing out the next day, and we bought some fascinating ivory cary ings and beautiful baskets for a very small sum of money.
 The chief of the tribe came to the Governor and said his- people would like to honor him with a dance; they awaited his pleasure :: so, on the appointed day, with an
 Eskimo guide and interpreter, we wended our way down the hillside among the huts, dirty and ssquaiid locking dwellings, to the "kazinl,' or Casino. where the dance was to take place. As the performers were not quite ready (though their cos tunes did not suggest that it would take long to dress), we were ushered into the palace of the chief 1 A very superior abode it was, con tsisting of two rooms with linoleun Ion the floor A real range in the ! kitchen was the pride of the tribe The chiefs wife regarded us with
 out displaying any great interest grunted unintelligibly to a few 1e
 marks of the interpreter, walked to l the kitchen table where she, stood
 leaning over it. with her chin resting
 on her hands and gazing out of the
 window with the far-away, melan
 choly gaze of some queer ape at the zoo, utterly oblivious of the curio IS stare of the sigbtseers. Her calico "Mother Hubbard" was clean. DOT llaps in honor of the festive occas.
 ion ;her iron-gray hair hung in two very long, very thin braids. and she looked so old, all bumped up, gazing into space, apparently neither hear ing nor seeing anything, but think |ing-what?
 Her grandson. Inc interpreter, a bright young fellow, educated at some mission and keen to go into the army, entertained us with tales of Eskimo life and customs.
 The dance was about to begin.
 We walked single file down mar row passage, then stooping on ail tours, passed through low door into a large room, lighted and ventilated by square opening in the moss. grown roof. through which we could see dark faces peering down upon us with furtive eyes and drawing quick.
 " back among the grasses and hsa. ther when we looked up.
 All about the room, at about forr feet from the floor, was wide shelf. on this shelf, at the end oposite the entrance, sat the Chief. with the mu siclans seated on either side of nin, They all held "tom-toms' with round tlat heads and short handles. The heads were of seal hide, stretched taut. This they moistened from time to time with sponge to kee,; it frightened up, and with long. slender Willow wands they beat on the under side of the drum head. little chips breaking off the sticks all the time and flying about. With slow. anonot. onous chant at first they they grad. uaily worked themselves into a f,an. zied shout and loud, resonant beating ot the drums as the dance went on.
 Around the wall on the shefi sat the men. with their wives and eff. springs squatted on the floor at the feet of their T'ightfnl lords. We sat upon the shelf. of course-a .,lm writer girl. with light blue eyes and dark brown hair; blond tlavol CT girl our handsome Colonel, wLol