The Nome daily nugget. [volume], January 19, 1935, MAGAZINE AND FEATURE SECTION, Image 7

About The Nome daily nugget. [volume] (Nome, Alaska) 1934-1938

Image provided by: Alaska State Library Historical Collections

                
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CHAPTER IV—Continued -
—7—
“But why didn’t you go east for a
visit?” questioned the boy, forget
ting the consternation he had felt
at this Idea when, weeks before,
Aunt Louise had read aloud the
letter from their distant relative.
‘‘Because,’’ responded the astute
old lady, “I was not sure of a wel
come! I realized that I was noth
ing to my eastern cousins but a bit
of family history—a queer old wom
an, perhaps, who was born In a
covered wagon, and whose life had
been lived In a little Colorado
town. Besides, I dreaded to be
away from home, even temporarily.
My roots go deep, like the roots of
an old tree that has never been
transplanted. I admit I toyed with
the Idea; but gave It up; and the
next thing was to get some of you
to come to me.”
She paused, and Jack said, smll
lne: "Blit how did vou Inmncn to
pick out Nancy?”
“I could hardly expect the older
members of the family to drop
their work and come at the whim of
a cousin whom they had never seen,
could I? Besides, I had a yearning
for some one young. But I've read
about these modern girls, Nancy,
and was Just a bit afraid. Sup
pose, I asked myself, suppose I get
her out here and And she is one of
those—those flappers?”
Both young people gave way to
langhter, the word sounded so
strange on the old lady’s lips.
“Do you see now,” asked Cousin
Columbine, “why I wrote that let
ter?”
“You mean,” said Jack with sud
den Inspiration, “that no flapper
would have accepted your Invita
tion r
"That's It, exactly. No girl whose
- sole pursuit was pleasure and so
ciety, would have been willing to
put up with such a situation. But
a girl like Nancy, would, I was sure,
be glad to help out a poor old lone
ly cousin. So I made the Job as
unattractive as I could. It’s true
that Aurora doesn’t do everything
my way; and that often Fm des
perate for some one to take a stitch
• for me, since I loathe the very sight
of a needle and always did. Oh,
there was enough truth In that let
ter so It didn’t lie very heavily on
my conscience! And when I read
It over I said to myself: •Colum
bine Nelson, no one but a good,
sensible, old-fashioned girl would
consider this proposition for a min
ute; and you don’t want the other
kind.’ So I mailed the letter.”
The room was silent for a mo
ment Nancy’s cheeks flamed, not
solely from her close proximity to
an airtight stove. What would
Cousin Columbine think If she
knew how Impossible that proposi
tion seemed to her—that nothing In
the world save Dad’s financial losses
wouin nave maae ner give 11 a sec
ond thought—that she wouldn’t
have considered It even then If Jack
hadn’t thought out this scheme and
pot It through while she fought him
(or wanted to) to the last ditch?
Nance knew she was sallng under
Talse colors, and didn't like It. She
even avoided meeting her brother's
eyes as she responded: “I’m afraid
you’ll be awfully disappointed In
me. Just the same.”
"No," asserted Miss Columbine
briskly: “I either like a person at
first sight, or I don't like them.
Been that way always. I’ll admit
you look rather ornamental; but
that’s nothing against you If there
are brains In that pretty head of
yours, and I don't doubt that, you
being a Nelson. As for your broth
er, his brains were evident In the
letter he sent me. Back In my fa
ther’s day he would have been a
pioneer. He's got the spirit, and
that's what counts, my dear."
Jack flushed now, not being as
sure as Cousin Columbine that he
possessed the courage of his fore
fathers.
“When do I go to work ?’’ he ques
tioned, In an effort to change the
conversation.
The old lady hesitated, and then
said: "Here’s my second confes
sion: When I sent that telegram I
had a Job for you on the McKenzie
ranch over Divide way; but the
next day Mrs. McKenzie telephoned
that her nephew from Boulder
wanted the place after all. Don’t
look distressed, Jack. Tou’l! have
a job here before the week Is up.
I hoped the Adams would have
something for you to do, but there
are so many boys In the family
they seldom hire outside help.”
Jack was frowning a little. He
said: “I must get something aa
soon as possible, Cousin Columbine.
I don't want to sponge on you for
board.”
"Fiddlesticks I” she retorted. "This
Is the first time I’ve had company
In fifty years. But I’ve asked Mark
Adam to be on the lookout, and
he’ll find something If anybody can.
He’s smart as a whip; and a good
boy Into tile bargain. All the
Adam boys are good. Ere always
said that If Eve Adam Isn’t much
9t a cook, she’s a grand success as
a mother. Four sons, and every
one a credit to the name.”
“Eve I" laughed Nancy. “How
did she ever dare to marry a man
named Adam?”
“Because,” replied the old lady
with a twinkle, “she’d set her heart
on doing Just that thing—always
said that when she found an Adam
she was going to rope him. What
she wanted was to find one with
Adam for his first name; but when
John Adam came along she snapped
him np—at least, that’s the way
she puts It Eve was a Denver girt
Her father made considerable of a
fortune In gold In 1878, and lost It
as many others did Just then.
After years of hardships, so much
money went to their heads. Eve's
father bought stock in fraudulent
companies, and when the boom col
lapsed—well, he collapsed with It,
you might say.” , .
“Were they left with nothing at
all?”
“Practically; but Eve’s uncle In
the East had money, and gave the
*in an education. She was In Bos
ton for three years; and on her
way home she met John Adam on
the train. He was going to Cali
fornia for hls health; but when he
saw Eve he decided that hls health
wouldn't be much use to him In
California, If she was In Colorado.
You needn’t grin, Jack. It was Just
like that—love at first sight. And
when she found hls name was
Adam, that settled It”
“Did he get well?” asked Nancy.
“Mercy yesl As for the boys—
you’ve seen" two of 'em. They
don’t look like Invalids.”
"And there are two more?”
Cousin Columbine nodded.
"Luke's eighteen, and John will
be—”
“You don’t mean," gasped Nancy,
“that they’re really named like
that—Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John?”
Jack rocked with mirth, and
Cousin Columbine’s eyes lighted.
"Indeed they are. Folks at Pine
Ridge are used to ’em and never
think about It; but I dare say It
sounds queer to outsiders. That
was Eve’s doings. She’s sort of
fantastical and dreamy. But she's
a wonderful woman and her hus
band worships the ground she
walks on. I wish I could have got
yon a job there. Jack. They’re fine
people, the Adams. Goodness gra
cious, children! It’s almost eleven
o’clock! I haven't sat up so late
since 1902 when the schoolhouse
burned down and Aurora pounded
on the door to wake me up on her
way to the fire. Breakfast’s at
seven. We’d better be getting set
tled for the night.”
It had, Nance admitted, as she
snuggled down under the heavy
patchwork quilt, been an Interest
ing evening. After all, she wouldn’t
write that letter to her father—not
yet, anyway.
CHAPTER V
MORE than two weeks slipped
by with no sign of a Job for
Jack. This troubled the boy, though
Cousin Columbine Insisted that he
more than earned his board by
chopping firewood—new work to
Jack, though when his sister con
doled with him one afternoon, he
declared he enjoyed It.
“But Just the same, Nance,” he
added, lowering his voice thnt Au
rora Tubbs, peeling potatoes at an
open window, shouldn't hear, Tm
worried. I’ve got to earn some
money; and how can I do It un
less somebody ’round here needs a
ranch hand?"
There was a tang to the air, but
the day seemed more like late fall
than winter; and the sky was as
blue ns It Is possible for a sky to be.
“I think,” Nancy confided as she
perched precariously on the chop
ping block, “that this bright sun
shine keeps us from being home
sick. 81nce that first afternoon I’ve
had only a few twinges; though I
rather dread the time when we’re
settled down and you away some
where. Cousin Columbine says we
ought to be seeing some of the
points of Jaterest around here. Tm
going to cffinb that hill off to the
north. Do you want to come?”
Jack glanced at the wood pile.
“Can’t Just now. You run along
alone. Sis. Look here!” (as she
started off), “haven’t you got any
thing but those silk stockings?”
“That’s exactly what I asked her
this morning." Aurora’s voice came
through the open window. “Like as
not that handsome pair of hose
will be full of runs when you get
back, Nancy Nelson. Why not bor
row a pair of Miss Columbine’s
black cottons?”
Jack was obliged to hide a grin
at a vision of his fastidious sister
in cotton stockings; and Nance re
plied, almost impatiently: “Oh, see
here, Aurora, didn’t Juanita have
on silk stockings at the post office
this morning?”
“If she did. I’ll paddle that girl
when I get home,” asserted the good
woman. “Juanita Tubbs wearin’
silk stockin's In the mornln’ I
What’s the world cornin’ to?”
“Mercy 1" gasped Nance. “Have
I got Juanita Into trouble? I hope
not. Next time we go down to the
Springs, Aurora, I’ll buy some wool
en sport hose. I thought I packed
a pair but can’t find them. Now
don’t worry any more on that sub
ject. How do I reach the hill—the
one with the pine trees on It?"
“Walk straight up the road till
you pass my house and see a path
leadin' Into the woods. It’s terrible
steep and I ain’t attempted It for
years, though Tubbs and I got en
gaged to be married up there under
the old pine, you’ll find our 'nltials
cut In the bark with a heart around
'em. Victor Tubbs Is a real good
carver. If you run Into anybody
from the Adam ranch, Nancy, tell
’em we’ll want extra milk tomor
row. And would you mind peekin’
in my bedroom window and see If
Tubbs Is sleepin’? He’s got a deli
cate stomach, and his supper didn’t
set good last night.”
Suppressing a smile at this
unique request, Nance promised,
and started on her way. The after
noon was all her own, and It was
Impossible not to feel a thrill at
this unbelievable December day.
The sun was warm; yet the paper
reported a blizzard raging In New
England! It seemed incredible;
and next week, Nance mused re
gretfully, the Country club would
be gay with winter sports.
“I wouldn't be there anyway,"
she consoled herself, as the home
sicknesses she had supposed van
quished, raised Its head again. “I’d
be at Edgemere wiping dishes for
Mother, or mopping up puddles of
snow brought in by Phil. Here’s
the Tubbs abode already. I must
see if Victor is asleep.”
This brought a smile, and home
sickness retired to that place where
such things go when we forget our
selves. Aurora’s house set back a
space from the road. Nance went
softly up the path and peered in at
a window. By pressing her face
against the glass she made out an
ornate iron bedstead on w'hlch the
recumbent Tubbs was snoring
peacefully; while one of his wife’s
rich layer cakes and an open Jack
knife stood on a nearby chair.
Thinking of Victor’s "delicate
stomach,” the girl chuckled as she
turned away. No wonder his sup
pers failed to digest! Should she
tell on him? Nance decided against
this; but vowed that Cousin Col
umbine should hear the story. It
was too good to keep.
She still smiled as she resumed
her walk; but that path into the
woods seemed to elude her. Con
cluding that she had missed it, Nan
cy stepped, aside to escape the dust
from an approaching truck, and
recognizing the hatless figure of
Matthew Adam, hailed him as he
was about to pass.
Although on one pretext or an
other, Mark had dropped In almost
every day of the past two weeks,
Nance had not seen Matthew since
his blushing exit after colliding
with Aurora Tubbs. He was blush
ing now, the girl observed, and
wondered if it were the same
blush, or a new one for her espe
cial benefit! She said, as a shy
smile hovered across his face on
recognizing her: “Sorry to make
you stop if you’re In a hurry, but
Aurora wants more milk tomorrow.
And will you show me how I can
reach that hill? I’ve lost my way."
As Matt slid lightly from the
truck to stand beside her, Nance
was again Impressed with the young
man’s appearance. His blush had
subsided; but something told her
that he was struggling with em
barrassment and furious with him
self because of it.
“You should have turned oft Just
after you passed Aurora's,” he told
THE STORY FROM THE BEGINNING
Ruined, financially, by the stock market crash, James Nelson, Boston
merchant, breaks the nsws to hla household. Nanoe, his daughter, nineteen.
Is on the verge of her Introduction to society. A short time before, an
elderly cousin of Nelson's, Columbine, had written suggesting that Nance
come to her at Pine Ridge, Colo., as a paid companion. The offer had been
regarded as a Joke. Now Jack, Nancy's seventeen-year-old brother, urges
her to accept tha proposition, to relieve their father of a financial burden,
and offering to go with her so that she will not feel too lonely. The girl
agrees that Jack shall write to Cousin Columbine, and they will await her
answer. Columbine wires welcome to both of them, and despite some mis
givings It is arranged that the two shall go. Welcomed by Cousin Colum
bine, they are somewhat dismayed by her unconventional attire and man
nerisms, but realise ‘she has character. A young friend of the old lady,
Mark Adam, la Introduced. The desolation (to Nance's city Ideas) of Pine
Ridge appalls the girl. The newcomers meet Aurora Tubbs, Cousin Colum
bine's cook and housekeeper, and Matthew Adam, Mark's older brother.
Cousin Columbine explains her reasons for desiring Nance to come to her,
and tells some experlenoea of her TS yearn on the plalna.
k'
her, “but It's no wonder you missed
the trail, so few go up that way.
It’s an easier climb from the other
side. If—If you don’t mind riding
on the truck I’ll take you round.”
He was blushing aguin. Nance
caught the Idea that he had forced
himself to make the offer out of po
liteness, and thus "responded:
“Aren’t you too busy?”
“Not busy at all; but this truck
Is second cousin to Methuselah,
and—”
Nancy laughed.
“You needn't apologize for the
truck I I’m tickled to go for a ride
in anything at all. My feet have
had plenty of use since I struck'
IMne Ridge; but that hill tempted
me, and the day, too. Isn’t It
glorious? Is It far to the other side
of the hllir*
“A couple o’ miles, maybe."
“Miles} Why I thought It was
only a step I”
“To the top of that hill? Well,
It’s not much more, from here; but
It’s pretty steep, and we can ride
half way up from the other side.
My mother used to take us there
on picnics when we were kids.”
Seeing that the young man's em
barrassment had dropped away
when he spoke of his mother, Nance
grasped the cue.
“Cousin Columbine tells us that
Mrs. Adam Is—well, what she said
was: ‘Eve Adam Is a grand suc
cess as a mother 1’ ’’
“I'll'say she Is!” Matt faced her,
smiling, and Nancy saw that he had
•‘Mercyl’’ "'Gasped Nance, "Have I
Got Juanita Into Trouble?"
completely forgotten himself at last.
Then the color dyeil his face again
and he stammered awkwardly: “I—
I don’t mean that we boys have
turned out anything above the aver
age ; but—but—that—’’
“I know what you mean,” smiled
Nance, coming to his rescue, “though
I think Cousin Columbine meant Just
what you're denying. It must be
nice to have such enviable’ reputa
tions 1 How did your mother' man
age with all four of you?”
She couldn’t resist teasing him
a little, but It was kindly tact which
made her bring the conversation
back to Ills mother; and Matthew
answered: “By being herself, I
guess. She was always on hand,
you know, so perhaps we didn’t get
into as many scrapes as some kids.
Mother’s a wonder; and Dad Is too.
I’m rather crazy about my people,
but—but I’ve said enough. Don’t
know what got me going or—”
“I got you going 1” admitted
Nance, a twinkle In her blue eyes.
And then: “Oh, look I Is that a
snow capped mountain range on the
horizon?”
Matthew nodded.
“Here’s where we turn. Do you
mind a little cross-country riding
In this old wreck? You’re likely to
get some Jolts, but—Look out
there 1"
This warning was too late, and
only a quick snatch of Matthew's
arm which brought her tight against
his khaki coat for just a minute,
kept Nance from losing her balance
as they dipped Into a rain-worn
gully. When he released her and
the girl looked up, she saw that all
his previous confusions were as
nothing compared to the embar
rassment that engulfed him now.
This amused sophisticated Nancy,
and she said demurely:
“Thanks for saving my life! Is
that another of those pleasant lit
tle thank-you-ma'ams looming up
ahead? If you'll tell me when one’s
approaching I’ll hang on tight and
save you the trouble of rescuing me
a second time.”
“It—it wasn’t a bit of trouble,”
stammered Matthew. “I mean—1
didn’t in the least mind—I—”
(TO Bfl CONTINUED.)
Papeete Has Maaniag
Papeete, capital of Tahiti, meant
"basket of water,” because of Its
palm tree fringe rs.
Howe About:
An Affecting Letter
Sentiment
Our Courts
©, Bell Syndicate.—WNTJ Service.
By ED HOWE
I LATELY saw a note sent by a
merchant to a patron, which
read: ‘‘Dear sir: Reference to our
books show that you have for some
years paid your bills promptly. In
our grumbling about patrons whs
are very slow, or do not pay at all,
we feel we should express apprecia
tion of your long-continued fair
ness.” ... I have not In a long
time seen a letter affecting me
more agreeably. Should there not
be more appreciation for men who
come somewhere near doing their
duty to themselves, their families
and their country?
• • •
I often think of the loneliness of
my position in religion; I almost
never meet a man who agrees with
me; one I can sing hymns with, and
“call brother. As a hypocrite I
think I am above the average, but
have never seen any sense in exploit
ing It; I am rather disposed to hide
my hypocrisy, and be ashamed of
It. I have found It best to be hon
est with sentiment of all kinds; It
Is easier than to pretend a lot of
things there Is no practical war
rant for. I Judge religion as I Judge
everything else-and, as I say above,
am very lonely.
• * •
A rather nbtable lawyer called on
me lately. He visited London a few
months ago, and told about a sen
sational murder case there. The
crime was committed after his ar
rival. He was In and around Lon
don not to exceed two or three
weeks, and by the time he left the
murderer had been arrested, con
victed and hanged. An appeal to
the highest court had also been
made and considered and decided
In due form.
1 do not know a reputable law
yer who Is not ashamed of our
courts. Many of the Judges, and all
the people are, yet we do nothing
about It, as we do nothing about our
disgraceful political system, our
banking system, or racketeering,
kidnaping, or bombing. We shout
higher ideals than the people of
other nations, and submit to actual
performance not existing among
the Indians before we Christian
ized them.
Reasonably respectable people are
largely in the majority; but they do
not use their power; the mistaken,
irresponsible. Incapable, vicious, are
In control. It Is said Russia is ruled
by less than 2 per cent of the peo
pie. That Is about the percentage
here. We pretend we are devoted
to the Old Flag, our homes, our
families. Actually we dally assault
and Insult all three.
A certain town built a really re
markable court house and city hall.
"A beautiful structure," a stranger
said to a citizen. “Yes," the. citi
zen replied, “but it busted the town
and county. It reminds me of the
war: It was a fine gesture, but how
It- cost! A New York magazine re
cently made fun of us because of
our squirming about the bonds. Re
fore you leave town, yon should see
some of our school houses. I fear
we shall get In trouble over the
school house bonds, too.”
• ft ft
Occasionally a written sentence
Is so wine and true ns to be worthy
of a place In the permanent philos
ophy of every fairly Intelligent and
honest tnnn.
I know of no American who may
be credited with a greater number
of such rare exhibitions than Abra
ham Lincoln. And the sentences I
admire were cast In almost perfect
form; nothing can he taken from
them, nothing added, without harm.
Yet Lincoln was not a professional
writer. He almost never went to
school; of young men of today not
one In a hundred had as poor a
start as IJncoln
Of all Americans of large equip
ment I regard Ralph Waldo Emer
son as perhaps the ablest writer.
Lacking Emerson's enormous tech
nlcal education. Lincoln was timid,
and wrote sparingly. 1 can point
out many specimens of folly In
Emerson’s writing; none in Lin
coin’s he intended for thp public.
Some of his private love letters
were foolish, hut these were Intend
ed for the Are.
And no one should he criticized
for folly In love.
• * •
A traveler says that when an
American picture play Is presented
In Germany, the lingering kisses,
the bravery of the Western heroes,
the nobleness of the heroines at
tract whistling from those In the
audience. . . . The Germans are
making fnn of ns. . . , Have we uot
reached an age when we should re
cover from some of the conspicuous
follies which attract contemptuous
criticisms In older countries?
• » •
I know an old man who Is ill, and
lately went to see him. He lives
In the house pf a relative, as there
Is no other place for him; and he
Is not very welcome there. He "told
me his greatest terror Is the radio,
which Is always going. The radio
Is a quite wonderful invention, and
very creditable to/the gentlemen who
worked out its details, but there It
a lot of mischief In It few of our
politest people realize.
Newfoundland Sealers
Dragging Pelts to a Sealing Vessel.
Prepared by National Geographic Society,
Washington. D. C.—WNU Service.
DURING the late spring each
year, St. Johns, Newfound
land, Is a beehive of activ
ity ; for the vessels of the famous
Newfoundland sealing fleet are re
turning from the northern seal
hunting grounds.
Sailing dates for sealing vessels
are fixed by law and not by weath
er. No killing is permitted before
March 14 nor after May 1.
At eight o'clock in the morning,
March 7, St. Johns is black with
men. On that day the sealing fleet
weighs anchors and sails for the an
nual hair-seal hunt, the second
most valuable fishery of Newfound
land. St. Johnsmen line water
Street and crowd the piers where
the ships lie.
The heartfelt wishes of St. Johns
and the whole island go with these
men and ships as they move out of
the harbor. Whistles scream God
speed, bells ring out, cannons fire
salutes, bunting flies on ship and
shore, boys and men race along the
Battery road, cheering the ships to
the Narrows and beyond.
me sealing nanus come irom
various parts of The Island, some of
them starting for St. Johns late In
February. It Is the worst time of
the year—rough weather. The men
bid good by to their families and
start out, many on snowshoes,
walking to trunk-line railway sta
tions.
St. Johns begins to fill up with
them the first days of March. They
wear canvas Jumpers over home
made guernseys (sweaters), mole
skins or homespun trousers, one to
four red or white flannel shirts, and
home-knit, heavy drawers. Some
wear sealskin caps and some elsl
nors or whalers, which are leather,
wool-lined caps with ear flaps.
Their mittens are also homemade.
Husky Men Are Needed.
Captains like to sign up men who
frequent the open bays fishing and
hunting birds and who are seasoned
In the woods. A man who has been
dragging a sled and lugging wood
all winter Is In fine fettle for the
Job ahead of him. He’s got good
wind to go after the seals. A man
snogging, ieals has to be light-foot
ed, running and jumping over the
Ice like a deer. A big fellow with
broad shoulders has to be followed
around with a life belt; he will be
falling Into the water all the time.
They want men light and nimble,
raw-boned fellows, small. Some
times, to get light, the men take off
everything except tlicir underwear
and boots. In order to follow fast
after the seals, which can go as fast
or faster than a good man running.
The day Is appointed for the sign
ing of the men. “The John Poe
will sign her crew at nine o’clock,’’
says a placard on the otlice of the
ship owners. Men till up the room
and the clerk reads the whereases,
the wherefores, the wliys, nnd the
shares. Then the sealers put down
their names or make their crosses
If they can't write.
Each sealer then receives a ticket
with his number nnd name on it,
and also a “crop.” A crop is an ad
vance of a small sum of money.
Some men send the money home;
others don't use It; and others buy
tea, sugar, beit, sheath and knife,
skin boots, oilskins, or tobacco.
If they think they are getting
something for nothing, some of the
sealers will buy anything—anything
from a needle to an anchor.
The ship clears Channel Head
nnd hauls up for Cape Ray. The
Ice Is about ten miles offshore nnd
the lop (big sea) hoves down from
(he northwest. The ship, With en
gines wide open, takes them green
over the forecastle, clean over the
bridge. In about twenty minutes
she Is one solid block of Ice.
Not Fur Seals.
At last the lookout reports seals
ahead.
Where do these seals come from?
What kind of seals are they?
The seals on Pribiloff Islands In
Bering sea are different frpm the
harps and hoods that are hunted
off Newfoundland. The pribilof Is
ft fur seal (near relative of the sea
Hon) and its skin Is used for mak
ing beautiful coats, worn by fair
ladles to give them nn air of dis
tinction. It hauls out on the land.
It pups or whelps on the land, while
the harp and the hood haul out on
the ice to give birth to their pup
pies. Newfoundland fishermen call
It seal “fishery," because the Atlan
tic seals live as mpcli In the water
as cod and haddock. During the
season of Lent the sealers eat the
hair seals just as they would fish.
Capt Robert A. (Bob) Bartlett,
1 veteran sealer, once said, “When
I tell girls about the large number
of seals we get off Newfoundland,
some of them ask why I don’t bring
them fur coats? I feel like thirty
cents, knowing I can’t comply with
their wishes. Well, I am sorry, I
tell them, but the seals we go after
are the hair seals, and all they are
good for Is to make soap and pock
etbooks.”
There are several different kinds
of seals around the shores of New
foundland and the Gulf of St. Law
rence; the square flipper, the horse
head or. gray seal, the jar or ringed
seal, the hay or shore seal, the harp
seal; and the hooded seal. The harp
and the hood are the two kinds that
the Newfoundland sealers hunt In
their sealing vessels. The first four
varieties mentioned hang about
Newfoundland and other northern
waters. In small groups, but only
the hood and the harp herds beat
away to the northward and return
to their whelping grounds In an an
nual migration over 2,000 miles of
ocean.
Harp the Best seal.
The seal par excellence Is the
harp. As an adult It carries a gray
colored patch on the back, shaped
like a harp, for which It Is named.
The harp yields more oil than the
hood and the young are easy to
handle. Because It gathers In close
herds, less time Is required in hunt
ing it.
After having been down to the
Banks, the Harps work northward
to a ''vast sea eddy eastward of
Relle Isle strait, and also In to the
Gulf of St. Lawrence to the west
of the Magdalens. Now they are the
sport of wind and weather of
stormy March, and until the coming
of the airplane spotter the seal
skippers had nothing but their own
Judgment and experience to bring
them to the herd.
The harp seal seeks new Ice—
thnt Is, Ice a few Inches thick that
forms in the open leads between
the heavier Ice. Only In new .Ice
can the harp bore bobbing holes
and get to Its young, which are
born on the new Ice.
The baby harp looks like a fluffy
white muff with two large, liquid
brown eyes peering out. It Is as
woolly as a gosling. Later the
hairs become longer and whiter, un
til In about 20 to 25 days the young
seals roll the white coats off In
their movements around the Ice and
become "ragged Jackets.” This
white, woolly coat is replaced by a
hair coat covered with dark spots
the size of an American quarter
dollar.
In its first days the puppy seal
Is helpless and dependent on Its
mother. It whines like a baby. The
weight at birth Is about seven
pounds. Drinking its mother’S rich
milk. It puts on a pound to a pound
and a half a day.
dealing is a nara me.
Men on board a sealer are
Jammed In ns tight ns sardines In
a box, particularly In the smaller
wooden vessels. Going out, every
available bit of space Is filled with
coal, with Ice-fighting equipment,
sealers' chests, dunnage bags nnd
sealing gear, and men ns thick as
flies around a moiasses puncheon,
i A sealer carries provisions for
two months nnd a half—70 to 80
barrels of potatoes, 100 quintals of
codfish, 80 barrels of flour, 35 bar
rels of pork, many pounds of tea,
molasses to sweeten the tea, but
ter, turnips, and beans.
Contrast in Menus.
Could some of the old sealing
crews take a look at what’s going
on now, they would be shell-shocked
with wonder. They’d think the fish
ery was ruined on account of lux
urious living. They had nothing
but hard biscuit and tea, pork and
duff, with little grease In the duff.
No soft bread whatever.
The men go overboard In gangs,
or watch crews, 40 to 50 men In a
watch. The master watch la re
sponsible for the working of the
men and their safety. Each crew
tries to beat the other crew, and
each man tries to beat the other
man. Where the seals are fairly
plentiful, the master watch raises
a marker flag and leaves some men,
and then another flag and more
men.
The mother harp goes down a
bobbing hole, as the sealer ap
proaches. Young1 seals are saucy
and will come for a man until he
snogs them with his bat. He turns
the dead whitecoat on Its back and
slits It down the belly. Then he
carefully cuts the body away from
the pelt, which Is the skin with the
white fat fastened to It, and then
cuts off the hinder daddies (black
flippers). One or both front flip
pers may be removed.