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SCHOOL NOTES
THE DAUNTLESS ELEVEN
By Margaret Keenan Harrais
emit, from last week
Thanksgiving Was approach
ing, and I had suggested that
the best way to express their
gratitude was to divide with
others not so fortunate. "But,
Mrs. Harrais, everybody in Alas
ka has as much as we have; that
is, everybody except the Indians
down at Chitina.”
“Then why not the India*.s:’»
I suggested, “They are our
brothers, too.”
“Sure we will, and we’ll
make them think it is Christmas
end Fourth of July both rolled
into one.”
But, like many good resolu
tions, it needed the spur of con
test to arouse them to immedi.
ate action. The scurry of depar t
ing feet told me no further spur
would lie needed.
The next morning I found it
difficult toent.e the schoolhouse.
Tiie self-styled “Kid Team” liad
rallied the two little First Grad
ers to their ranks, and had evi
dently not kept curfew hours
after leaving me the night before.
The porch was piled with boxes,
baskets, bundles and most.y
with loose articles which no one
had taken the time to roll up.
Wmie 1 looked in amazement a
joyous pair swung around the
corner with a wide shallow deliv
ery basket between them, piled
high with a "pay streak” collec
tion. They swung it to the top
of the pile, bottom sine up. with
a businesslike air, and were off
on the run to return the oas^e-t
to the O Neill store before nine
o’clock.
The five older pupils found
themselves elected without due
process to the opposition, with
an almost hopeless handicap to
overcome. But they were not
born in the Northland for noth
ing. Their parents, too, had turn
ed their backs on the smooth,
i
weilknown life of the old homes
* Outside” or overseas, ami fared
forth into the great unknown,
braving incredible hardships, to
carve • ut new homes and a new
Male in
"I he land where the mountains
are nameless,
And the rivers all run God
knows where.”
11 takes nerve to do that, and
their children have the same
quality. The local ground had
been so nearly covered that
there was not much left for
them except in their own homes
but there were the mines —
Jumbo, Erie, Bonanza, Mother
Lode, Green Butte —and the
wood camps and the roadhouses
— yes, and the Government road
camp and Shorty Gwinn's, and
—and —“Oil, we’ll show you!”
Two big packing boxes were
placed in opposite corners of the
school room, a teller and a check
er selected from each team, ana
no merchant ever checked over
his goods with more interest.
Each new bundle was received
with acclaim, its contests count
ed and classified, and lovingly
patted into place in the big boxes.
Not to remain there, however. It
was such fun to take them out,
try them on, play “lady,” won
der just what the Indians would
think and say, woder whether
they would know the use or
purpose of all of them, wonder
which ones would get the lovely
tan coat with its lining only
slightly worn, the natty sports
i
Copper River
and Northwestern Railway
THROUGH SERVICE TO CORDOVA TWICE WEEKLY
P. A. HANSEN Supt. 0. F. PUGH. Agent
Kennecott Laundry
IVlcOartLy Agent
S. Wold
Alaska House
KENNECOTT
ALASKA
“The McCarthy Club"
On Second Street
CARD TABLES
C IGA RETT IS, CIGARS
TOBACCO and SOFT DRINKS
Neat—Clean—Newly Furnished — Rooms
For All Guests. Charley Chong Prop
Pastime Cigar Store
LA RGE ASSORTMENT OF
CANDIES SOFT DRIES CIGARS
CIGARETTES and TOBACCOS
Jack Schultz - - Proprietor
suit that had cost Slda when
new, and the sealskin collar.
These were the cream of the
collection, the balance being
made up of heavy woolen union
suits, sheep skin coats with the
fleece on the inside, flannel shir
ts. shoes, socks, dresses every
thing needful forthe long Arctic
winter; and prize possession of
all, a comp'ete outfit for a baby.
The other tilings might be thro
wn carelessly about, but these
were handled with reverent awe
as though some of the personal
ity of the tiny wearer hab come
along with them. Janus brought
a clean flour sack, the suitcase
of the North, and into it packed
all the baby things with the gen
tie touch given only to the moth
ers of men to be.
The busy winter days flew
happily by and it was time to
close and ship the boxes if they
were to reach their destination
before Thanksgiving. Two quiet
little groups gathered each to
its final preparations. The old
er boys generously offered to
nail up both boxes; a dog sled
swung up to the door, received
the precious burden, and whisk
ed it off to the depot; the next
ore train carried it to Chitina;
an i a strange silence pervaded
the little schoolroom. Something
vital had gone out of its life;
something which Mariane exp
ressed in wistfui tone, “It’s lone
some without those boxes. I
wish we could begin at the beg
inning and do it all over again.”
“Never retrace your steps,” I
counseled, “press forward to
something else.” “But what else?”
There will never be anything else
so interesting that we can do.”