The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-09-13
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laughter and song-and wealth.
Through long months Of deep
winter, in ten thousand si1dcks
and tepees and cabins, the Story
of this June had been written
as fate had written 1t each
winter for "a hundred years or
more. A story OF the triumph
OF the fittest. A story OF tears
Of happiness here and there. OF
hunger and plenty, OF new life
and quick death; a story of strong
men and strong women, living IN
the faith of their forefathers, with
the best blood OF old England
and France still surviving in their
veins.
Through those same months Of
winter, the great captains OF
trade in the city of Edmonton
had been preparing for the COM
ing of the river brigades. The
hundred and fifty miles Of trail
between that last city outpost of
civilization and the Athabasca
Landing, the door that opened
into the North, were packed hard
by team and dogssledge AMI
packer bringing up the freight
that for another year was to last
the forest people Of the Three
River country domain reach
ing from the Landing to the Arc
tic Ocean.
In competition fought the driv.
ers OF Revillon Brothers and Hnd.
sons Bay, of free trader and In
dependent adventurer. Freight
that grew more precious with
each mile It advanced must reach
the beginning OF the waterway.
It started with the early SHOWS.
The tide was at full by midwin-
ter. In temperature that nippeo
mems lungs 1t did not cease.
whip-hands OF the masters OF
trade at Edmonton. Winnipeg,
Montreal and London across the
sea. It was not q work OF phil.
anthropy. These men cared not
whether Jean and Jacqueline and
Pierre and Marie were well-fed
or hungry, whether they lived or
died, so far as humanity was
concerned. But Paris, Vienna,
London and the great capitals Of
the earth must have their furs--
and unless that freight went
north, there would be no velyety
offerings for the white shoulders
Of the world.
Vain Woman
Christmas windows two years
hence would be bare. A feminine
wall Of grief would rise to the
skies. For woman must have her
furs. and in return for those furs
Jean and Jacqueline and Pierre
and Marie must have their freight.
So the pendulum swung, as It
had swung for a century -or two.
touching. on the one side, luxury.
warmth. wealth, and beauty; on
the other, cold and hardship,
deep SHOWS and open skieS-wlIh
that precious freight the thing be-
tween.
And now. in this year before
rail and steamboat. the glory OF
early summer was at hand, and
the wilderness people were COM
ing UP to meet the freight. The
Three RiversA-the Athabasca, the
Slave, and the Mackenzie, AL
joining in one great two.thou.
sand-mile waterway to the north.
ern sea-where athrill with the
wild impulse and beat Of life as
the forest people lived 1t.
The Great Father had sent in
his treaty money. and Cree song
and Chipewyan chant Joined the
age-old melodies OF French aud
half-breed. Countless canoes
drove past the slower and miglItier
scow brigades; huge York boats
with two rows OF oars heaved up
and down like the ancient gal.
leys of Rome; tightly woven
cribs of timber, and giant RATS
made up OF many cribs were ready
for their long drift into a timber.
less country.
On this two.thousand.n mile water.
way q world had gathered. It
was the Nile OF the northiand,
and each post and gathering
place along It's length was turn.
ed into q metropolis, half savage.
archaic. splendid with the
strength Of red blood, clear eyes,