The Alamance gleaner 1
VOL. LIIL GRAHAM, N, C., THURSDAY JANUARY 12, 1928. NO. 50.
^HH
DOINGS OF THE WEEK ~~1
tiriiftA nriiirin #??? i
NEKS KtVIEtt Ul
CURRENT EVENTS
????_ *
More Marines Sent to Nica
ragua?Government's
Policy Attacked.
By EDWARD W. PICKARD
THAT rebellion In Nicaragua whose
head Uncle Sam cat alt last year
Is still wriggling its tall vigorously
enough to cause the United States
government a lot of trouble. The tall
consists of General Sandlno and his
band, who are holding out in Nueva
Segovia, where the leader has set up
a new "republic," A few days ago the
American marines. In conjunction
with the NIcaragunn constabulary,
fought these rebels for several days
and took the town of Qullall, but six
marines were killed and many others I
wounded. Washington was aroused
not only by this encounter but by ad
verse criticism of the administration's
conduct of the Nicaraguan affair, and
after the President had discussed it
with the cabinet orders were issued
ror tne immediate aispatcn or l,uuu
more marines to the scene of action.
The reinforcements were gathered at
Quantico, Paris Island, San Diego and I
Panama. At the same time it was an- I
nounced that Brig. Gen.'Logan Feland
had been, ordered to proceed to Nica
ragua -and take over command of op
eration's there. The additions bring
the force of marines in Nicaragua up
to 3,415 men.
Secretary Kellogg, following a
luncheon conference with- the Presi
dent, Issued a formal statement an
nouncing the government's Intention
to "co-operate with the constabulary
of Nicafsrgna effectively to establish
order throughout that country nnd
make possible the holding of a free
and fair election which we have un
dertaken " to supervise."
The secretary reiterated that this
government and Nicaragua consider
the Sandino forces as bandits. "It
will be recalled," Mr. Kellogg said,
"that bottt sides agreed to lay down
their arms and that they did so with
the exception of a comparatively small
body of men under Sandino, which
has since been augmented by lawless
elements."
When congress resumed its session
on Wednesday the Democrats nnd
some' others at once opened their at
tnck on the administration's Nicara
guan policy. Senator Ueflin of Ala
bama offered a resolution in the sen
ate denouncing that policy nnd re
questing the President to withdraw
the marines Immediately. Senator
Nye of North Dakota presented an
other, declaring against the protec
tion by the American government of
investments of American citizens In
foreign countries; nnd next day Sen
ator Wheeler of Montana introduced
a resolution for the appointment of a
senate committee to Investigate the
American Nicaraguan policy.
In the house Bloom of New York
offered a resolution calling on the
secretary of state nnd the secretary
of the navy to supply Information
concerning the recent bloody fight and
the reasons why marines were sent to
Nicaragua. Begg of Ohio defended
the administration and engaged In a
warm debate with Garrett, Huddleston
and others.
Quilaii was Saudlno's base, and Its ,
loss was a severe blow to the bandit
leader. He is said to be concentrat
ing his forces at El Chipote. a moun
tain stronghold, and the marines and
Nicaraguan troops probably will at
tack him there.
CECRETARV OF STATE KELLOGG
lias answered the French note sug
gesting that' France and the United
States sign a treaty forever outlawing
war between the two nations with a
counter-proposal that the United
States and France Join In an effort
to obtain the adherence of all the
principal powers to a declaration re
nouncing war as an instrument of
national policy In favor of the pacific
settlement of international disputes.
Hr. Keilogg's note makes It dear
lhat the United States cannot consid
er the Rrinnd proposal If It is con
lined to France and America, nnd
lhat the United States will not enter
Customs of Alaskan
Indians Are Changing
If the languages, beliefs traditions
and customs of the Alaskan Indians
are not to go the way of those of so
"tatty other native American tribes
and he forever lost to human his
tory, ethnologists will have to work
double time In the next few years.
. j^'ts is the warning brought back
from the Yukon by Hert W. Rrieger,
ethnologist of the National museum
??<W tW Smithsonian Institution.
v.vtiLjr uuiutus cms government i
never to go to war under any circum- i
stances. Foreign Minister Brland
promptly replied, asking for clarifica
tion of certain details of the Kellogg i
proposal, especially as to what would i
happen If the United States senate I
refused to ratify an arbitration award. 1
He did not make serious objection to
the idea of including all other na- i
tlons, but that plan did not arouse his i
enthusiasm. He pointed out that the
treaty must leave France free to
execute its obligations to the League
of Nations. European press comment
on Kellogg's proposal was generally ,
unfavorable. ,
DKESIDENT COOL1DGE transmit- :
ted to congress a letter from Sec
retary of the Navy Wilbur, which he i
Indorsed, asking the appointment of
a commission of experts to lnvcstl- i
gate the disaster that befell the sub- ?
marine S-4 and to make recom- 1
mendatlons looking to the avoidance
of similar accidents In the future, i
Identical Joint resolutions carrying -
out the administration's recommenda- <
tlon were Introduced by Senator Hale, i
chairman of the senate committee on t
naval affairs, and Representative :
Butler, chairman of the house com- i
mittee. It was provided that the
commission should consist of three ]
civilians and two retired naval offi
cers. Representative La Guardla of
New York spent 36 hours on a sub- i
marine last week, and then announced
that his experience had convinced
him the navy had done everything
possible In the S-4 disaster nnd that i
he would rise to the navy's defense In
congress If the need arose.
Divers are beginning to recover the i
bodies of the victims of the S-4, al- i
though their operations are hampered
by the extreme cold. Wednesday the
first three bodies were brought to the
surface and taken to the naval hos- ,
pital at Chelsea, Mass. They were
identified as those of Lieut. Command
er R. K. Jones. Lieut Joseph McGln
ley and Chief Machinist's Mate Aaron
A. Hodges. At the Charlestown navy
yard the naval court of inquiry was ,
hearing testimony concerning the sink
ing of the submarine nnd the efforts
to rescue the victims. i
ALL doubt concerning the authen
ticity of the Mexican documents
published by the Hearst papers was
removed when handwriting experts
employed by Hearst himself told the
senate committee that the papers
were undoubtedly spurious. They
were sure the alleged signatures of
.President Calles were forged. Former
Ambassador Sheffield testified that the
embassy had not purchased or con
sidered purchasing the documents of
fered it, and Miguel Avlla, the half
breed, who procured the papers for
Hearst, gave conflicting testimony:?
COLONEL LINDBERGH'S a!r tour
of Central America continued with
great success and eclat He made a
wonderful landing on a tiny field at
Belize, British Honduras, and after a
day there flew on to San Salvador.
Two days there, and thence to
Tegucigalpa, Honduras. On Thursday
he hopped off for Managua, Nicara- ?
gua, avoiding so far as possible flying
over the zone where the marines and j
the rebels are fighting. His route then
was to Costa Rica and Panama, his
arrival at the latter city being ex
pected on Monday. Everywhere he
was, as usual, welcomed by officials
and enthusiastic populations and his
collection of decorations was largely
increased. An extraordinary honor
was the Issuance of a million special
Lindbergh stamps by the Panama gov
ernment.
Miss Ruth Nichols, a society girl of
Rye, N. Y? made the first nonstop
flight from New York to Miami. She
was accompanied by Harry Rogers
and MaJ. M. K. Lee, nnd they covered
the 1.200 miles In 12 hours. Half of
the time Miss Rogers piloted the
nlane.
HAKFORD MAC.VIDER has re
signed as assistant secretary of
war, effective January 12. and anoth
er Iowan Is to succeed him. The
President appointed Col. Charles Bur
ton Rohblns of Cedar Rapids to the
post. Colonel Bobbins Is a close per
sonal friend of MacNider and a for
mer commander of the Iowa depart
ment of the American Lesion. De
served in both the Spanish-American
Mr. Krleger found that the younger
Indians have become thoroughly
Americanized. For them* the pot
latches?once ceremonial events of
great Importance for the propitiation
of those spirits who could Insure good
hunting or good fishing?are merely
opportunities for a good time.
They have forgotten their own mag
ic and their tribal folklore. Only the
old people eetnember these things. If
they are to be preserved these old
people must be Interviewed before
they die
and the World wars, and is now en
rolled in the reserves. He was cited
for gallantry in action in the Spanish
American war. While Mr. MacNider
cave, as his reason for quitting, the
need of looking after his personal
business affairs, some of his friends
In Iowa think be may seek the Re
publican vice presidential nomination
this year or try for the United States
senate in 1930.
XI^HEN Gov. Al. Smith delivered
* * his annual message to the New
fork legislature?a long document
declared by him to be his last?he
took the opportunity to set forth his
position on prohibition and law en
forcement for the benefit of those of
his fellow countrymen who are con
sidering hts possibility as a Presiden
tial candidate. Ostensibly confining
himself to New York state affairs, he
discussed also water power, budget
reform, agriculture and structural
governmental changes. As for pro
hibition, be insisted It was the "sa
cred duty" of the state to sustain the
eighteenth amendment and the Vol
stead act and reasserted that, go far
as it was within his power, he would |
remove from office uny public officer
guilty of laxity In enforcement of the
law. He said the failure of the Re
publican legislature of 1919 to sub
mit to a popular referendum the ques
tion of ratifying the eighteenth
amendment was "the direct canse of
the unrest uneasiness and dissatis
faction apparent in large portions of
the state. It has gone further and
been the prime cause of creating dis
respect for the law among citizens
who give the limit of obedience to
every other regulatory statute ever
enacted In the state or nation."
ORDERS entered by the United
States Supreme court allowed
the lake states, which seek to enjoin
the diversion of Lake Michigan wa
ter at Chicago, 13 days in which to
prepare and file briefs supporting
their exceptions to the- findings of
Charles Evans Hughes, the court's
special master in the lake level con
troversy. Thereafter, under the or
ders, the Chicago sanitary district
and the state of Illinois, defending
the water withdrawal for sanitary
purposes, are to have 20 days In which
to respond with reply briefs As a
result. It Is practically certain that
three months will elapse before the
court hears oral arguments In the
case.
THREE noted figures of the amuse
ment world passed away last
week. First of these was Lole Fuller,
the famous dancer and friend of
Queen Marie of Rumania. She died
In Paris after an Illness of two
months. The others were Miss Emily
Stevens, an actress, who had played
londlnir roles In mmiv nlnvs and Miss
Dorothy Donnelly, actress and play
wright Charles M. Kittle, president
of Sears, Roebuck & Co. and former
rice president of the Illinois Central
railroad, died In Chicago following an
emergency operation. He was only
forty-seven years old nnd had had ex
traordinary success In business.
DLANS just announced by the gor
' ernlng board of the Pan.-American
union contemplate the erection In
Santo Domingo of the largest light
house In the world us a memorial to
Christopher Columbus. It Is to cost
$4,000,000 and architects of all na
tions are Invited to compete for
the honor of designing IL Prises
totaling $00,000 will be distributed
among the architects. Albert Kelsey
of Philadelphia has been authorised
to go to Santo Domingo to select the
site and plan the competition. Ths
Dominican government already hat
subscribed $300,000 to the funi and
other governments have Indicated
their willingness to participate.
IP AMERICANS thought they had a
hard time during the week of ex
treme cold weather that prevailed
over almoat the entire country, they
should contemplate the plight of tha
British. Over there they had ? cold
snap that was, relatively, as severe
as ours, and then the deep blanket of
snow that covered the Island began
to melt rapidly and much of the conn
tryslde was speedily under water
Cities and towns were flooded, com
munlcatlon was Interrupted and then
was widespread suffering.
Sir. Krleger"s most Interesting dls
cowries are considered by scientists to
bare been made far from the month
of the Yukon. It comprised examples
of the earrings of a coast tribe on
known before last year when both Dr
Ales Hrdllcka and the Canadian arch
eologlst Doctor Jennings, found ape
dmens of these earrings. Indicating
the existence of a tribe on St Law
rence and Nelson Islands.
"they are done In old Ivory and art
examples of an art onllka anything
else, known from Alaska.
THEIR
0 REMODELED 6
; GRANDMAS |
?> ?>. > .>
<? bl D. J Waloh.)
FANNT P1TCHEH had wandered
out into the sunshine and flrsl
bloom of tbe garden that morn
ing simply because she could
not stay In tbe bouse another moment.
Her granddaughters, Peggy and Betty
Chalmers, were giving a breakfast
Breakfast at ten o'clock! Fanny bad
bad her cupful of tea, slice of toast
and dish of prunes at seven, having
prepared them herself. She was al
lowed that liberty In her daughter's
bouse.
It was the second week that Fanny
bad been living In her daughter's
house. She had come because it was
considered unsafe for tbe old person
to live alone any longer. In fact
Julia Chalmers had set her foot right
down and the only way to make her
take It up was to do as she said. Julia
bad always had her own way. even
when Fanny had been able to spank
her, and as that was quite out of the
question now Fanny gave up to ber
all tbe more quickly. Not but that
she believed herself perfectly able to
live alone In her four small rooms
whither she bad gone when her hus
band died and where she had been so
lonely If cosy for a great many years.
In spite of a tiny uttack of Indiges
tion, which had brought the doctor
and Julia both In the night, she felt
quite strong and capable of taking
care of herself. And her second week
at Julia's had convinced ber that she
was right and Julia wrong. She was
tnnch better off in her own abode than
here In this large house, where some
sort of upheaval wps forever going
on. Lnst night there had been danc
ing and she could not sleep; this
morning the breakfast party was very
noisy. And she was too old for such
things, and the one thing she would
do wns to keep out of sight.
Youth?youth everywhere. Girls of
assorted colors and sizes, swarmed
through the house. Julia, too, had
her coterie, all trying to be as young
as their daughters. The neighbors on
either side were young married peo
ple eager to be In the Chalmers' set
Fanny bad nearly fallen over a spoon
Ing pair on the back stairs last Dlght
when at eleven she stole down for a
magazine with which to while away
'.he time until ehe could sleep. Youth
was wonderful, unless one happened
to be the one old thing about That
was disagreeable for youth and agon
Izlng for the one old thing. .
Hyacinths, narcissi, were opening
Fanny strolled between the rows lov
ing them with her eyes. They were
young, though. And the robins were
mating. A world of youth. , She
sighed and drew the little white shawl
closer about ber shoulders.
The Hick of a lavender frock across
the hedge made her start a bit She
had not known anybody was there.
She hoped she had not been talking
aloud as she sometimes did and bad
been caught at It Just yesterday
Betty had laughed at her whenVslie
was repeating a bit of poetry to ner
self?"The best Is yet to be." Had
Browning known what he was talking
about? How could he when, writing
ihat he had not been old?
On the other side of the hedge with
a spiky bunch of hyacinths In her
nand stood a rlender girt Her back
was toward Fanny and she was sing-,
Ing clearly something that sounded
like "In the gloaming, oh. my dar
ling I" Only It could not be that, of
course. A girl of today was so much
more likely to warble "Sprinkle me
with kisses If you want my love to
grow." as Peggy was doing last night
Tills girl's lavender frock was dainty
and ber wlde-brlmmed bat with a
rcarf of the same hue touched her
shoalders as she stood arranging her
nosegay. More youth. Fanny sighed
again. She felt Indescribably old and
unnecessary amid that radiant spring
time rapture, and she was about to
sit down upon a garden bench when
the girl on the other side of the hedge
sew ber.
"Good morning, neighbor I" she
called gayly. "Come on over I"
Well, that was friendly! Fanny's
lonely heart warmed a little. "I'd like
to, but I don't know how," rfae re
plied.
"Come here and I'll show you."
She parted the .thick foliage and
there was a little bole In'-tbe hedge.
Fanny crawled through and rising
came face to face with her new ac
qoalntance. She gasped and her eyes
flew wide open. For the face under
the wlde-brlmmcd hat, though charm
Ing. was that of a woman every bit
as old as herself.
"Good land!" she exclaimed "Why,
you are an old woman, tool"
The other woman laughed.
"Did yon think I was a girl like
those captivating granddaughters of
yours?"
"I did?wben yon back was turned
to me."
"Have aume hyacinths and lei's sit
down und talk." The oilier woman
sank upon u garden seat.
"I'm so clad." Kanny suld tremu
lously, "to tlnd something that Iso 1
young. If you can't have a thing *
y-urself, you can't help butlng to see
everybody else linve It."
"But you have hud youth. Mrs
Pilchcr. By the way, my nuiue Is
Mrs. Drlscoll. The trouble Is, you
didn't keep It, or auy sembluuee of
It. Why didn't-youT"
"You enn't stick the jietnls buck ou
a rose after they hnve fallen off." an
swered Fanny mournfully. "I liuve
raised children und lost my husband
and had trouble, and now I um mere
ly an old woiimu whom young people
don't care for."
"Vou don't cure for young people,
either, do you?" returned Mrs. Drls
coll quickly. "1 do like to have them
In my bouse at all times."
"Yon don't have to lire with them.'
Fanny said.
"Don't I? I'd like to know how I'd
lire at all If it wasn't for my mar
ried granddaughter. That Is her buuse.
this Is her garden. Oh. I've gut some
money of my own, und I spend It for
lavender frocks and Imts und creams
and assuaging powdere. And Berulce's
friends call me a good s|Mirt because
I can beut them at bridge. Some
times I forget I'm not as young as
the rest of them?and then I nm!"
Fanny stared at her in astonish
meat.
"Look here," Mrs. Drlscoll said. ts|>
plng Fanny's hand with her euipbutlc
linger. "You rip off that old black
dress and crimp your hair and massage
your fnce and?and act us If you
didn't have a pickle In your mouth
and mold on your soul, rnd see whin
comes of It. Why. only yesterdav
your Betty was saying to my Bcrnlce
thnt she wished you would fix up (he
way you could If you'd a mind to."
"Did Betty any thai?" Fanny had
flushed, not altogether with pain. "You
don't think I'm too old?"
"No woman Is ever too old to look
her hest." replied Mrs. Drlscoll
promptly. "See here, "If you wan*..
I'll tuke you shopping now. I'll call s
taxi. You wun't need a hat. Do, my
dear! Why, your folks will be
pleased to death."
(Tnlf an hour Inter Funny tele
phoned from a downtown store to suy
that she wouldn't l>e home to lunch:
she wus going to a tearoom after do
ing a hit of shopping.
It was Indeed half-past four when
she emerged from the ruli at her own
door. She walked straight around to
the gurdcn; she wanted u little time
before presenting herself to the fain
lly. But to tier uiunzement the girls
were In the garden rending under the
silver birch. They dropiied their
books and stared at sight of her. No
wonder I She wore a silver gruy gown
with touches of blue, a close-lilting
gray hat with touches ol both blue
und pink, and high-heeled, brilliantly
buckled ghees In which she had not
yet learned to walk Her liuir had
been marcelled and the color of ex
cltemenl timed her cheeks and bright i
encd her eyes.
"Why, It's grandmother?our grand i
mother I" shrieked Betty.
They rnn to her. tliey kissed her.
they admired her. they ma do her cry
with their praise.
"Why. you are a regular beauty
grandmother," Peggy breathed "You're
lovelier than Bcrolce'r grandmother?
and we have always envied Iter nice
"Oh. I'm not as nice as Mrs llrl?
coll," Fanny disclaimed earnestly.
"Yes. you are?lots nicer." Sudden
ly Belly's cheek was against Funny's
"Becnuse you ate our very own," she
whispered.
He Waa Annoyed
The great personage hu<l paid his
first official visit to the Indian prison
had noted with approval the excellent
organization, and had lntervlewp<i
man) of tlte convicts.
Before leaving, however, he re
marked to the native governor:
There la one thing I cannot under
stand. All the convicts appear con
tented and happy?except one. Thn
Is the man I spoke to last."
"Ah," replied the governor. "I
should have explained beforehand.
That Is (.spat Itnb. lie is to be
banged tomorrow. And he Is Inno
cent. That's what makes him peev
Ish."
Amuting Hit Daughter
"One way to detect ? fruudulent
diamond," mid Audrey's fa I her, "It to
mark the rtmie with an aluminum |
pencil. II It li> a genuine diamond the
mnrk trill readily rub ntt with a moist
clotli, but If It It gluts It will not
wash off even wltb acid.
Little Audrey laughed heartily at
this for the knew her father had
neither a diamond nor an aluminum
pencil.?Kansas City Times.
Leading Food Fithet
The herring ranks as the world s
most tni|Kirtant economic flsh. with
the cod taking second place The cod
average* from 7 to 40 pounds weight
but several exceeding 100 pounds and
one of 100 pounds I tare been recorded.
^m^mMw?mmtmmmnmmmmmtmmmmmmmmmm*
^Mllmsd<$f
A Cliff on Middlflton Island. ' f
(Prepared by the National Geocrapble
Society. Wiihlrtflnn. D. C)
IN THESE days of congested popu
Istlon, rapid transit, telegraph and
radio connections. It Is hard to
Imagine people living in solitude
like that of Itoblnson Crusoe. Yet this
hero, so much admired by youthful
readers of an earlier decade, was no
further from neighbors than are the
dwellers of toduy on a certain Is
land In the North 1'uclflc.
Mlddleton Island lies 100 miles off
the southern coast of Alaska, almost
due south of Cordova, a town of 1,000
Inhabitants. From no point In Its area
of a little less than eight square miles
Is there nnythiug to between except
limitless sea and sky.
The Indian name for the Islund
Achuka or Achntsoo (which sounds
very much like u stieese) means "The
Ilarborless." It Is a descriptive title,
for In nil the shore line there is no
safe anchorage for bouts of any sort.
Steamers having business at Mid
dleton must stay well outside of the
dead line of crashing surf which sur
rounds It nearly every duy of the year,
and take the hazard of sending In a
small boat. Itarely can the occupants
of such bouts reach the shore without
a thorough drenching. If nothing
worse happens to them. More than
once a schooner, after a day or more
of standing hy. has been obliged to
wigwag n disappointed farewell and
depart without having accomplished
tier errand.
Cnllcrs at the Island are few nnd
fnr between, however, as It Is off the
course of boats bound for Seward.
Nome, nnd the Arctic. Once In a
blue moon, one of the fishing boats
which |>ly along the Alaskan consl
turns off the beaten path to pay the
Island a friendly visit, and Is luckv
If Its dory Is nhle to make a land
Ing.
No postman makes an unfailing
dally call upon the Islanders, no
telephone bell tinkles Its welcome sum
inons to communication with the outer
world. Not even a trail of smoke or
a sail on the horizon Is sighted for
two, three, or even six months at a
time, yet In this ufte Isolation two
voluntary exiles live In comfort and
contentment for eleven months of the
year.
Raising Blue Foxes.
Since 1SU0 All (Idle I on ha* neon,,
leased hy the government to various
private concern* a* a breeding farm
for hi no fnxea. and In cotmcquence
(here lina been a aucrenaton of Cinsne*
In charge of the place. The present
one la hy hlrth a llostonlan. who eral
Rrated to the Yulc>n during the Klon
dike rush and thenee crowd back to
Uncle Sum's territory on the trail of
another "big strike."
I.lke many another In those hectic
day*, he made and lost fortune*, tra*
eled and prospected over many liun
dreda of ntlle* of that vast country
and acquired what your true Alaskan
nltvnys |>osses*es?tlte ability to turn
his hand In any occupation which
come* tdons nnd to make It go.
Cnllke Defoe's famous hero, this
modem Crusoe brought an excellent
partner to share Ills solitude. Mrs.
Crusoe was a Roth on school teacher
nntll her exodus to the far North
tvest ten year* ago. Some years ago
these two sold a prosperous restau
runts business In Cordova. Alaska, and
left tliut thriving little town to he
gin their experience In fos farming
on Mlddleton, out In the ocenn.
Fur Brings a Good Price.
The breeding of blue foxes In cap
tivity Is not an easy undertaking
owing to the extreme ghyne*s of the
fox family. They do not readily grow
accustomed to innn. but generally
have the attitude of wild animal* on
the defensive. A mother fox. when
alarmed, has been known to kill her
offspring on the Instant, and the con
stant nervousness of the animals
even affects the quality of the fur.
On the Island the foxes are unaware
of being prisoners, aa they room free
ly; so they rear their young In the
natural way, double their number aa
nnally, and produce skins of great
beauty.
The blue fox baa a long-haired far.
of a soft gray tone at the ends of the
hairs, shading to a doll bine etoae
to (he pelt. An arerage price in the
london market la $175. while excep
tionally line skins may bring $375.
The chief doty of the fox farmer to
to provide and dally distribute freak
food for his charges, at atatlooa scat
tered shoot the Island, especially dar
ing the winter months Besides a *
small proportion of vegetables, rations
consist or rabbits and the flesh of the
hair seal when It can be obtained. The
last requires expert marksmanship, an
the seal mutt be shot through (be
head In order to float ashore; other
wise It sinks and la lost.
In summer the foxes will leave the
food In the feeding boxes and go for
nglng for themselves, running al-mg
the bench In search of flsb eggs and
small flsh washed up In the kelp or
climbing the dilfs to rob the sea
pigeons' nests of eggs and squaba. The
animals are seen at dose range only
In December, when they are lured in
to box traps.
Climatic conditions on Mlddleten
are agreeable on the erhole. except tor
the strong and almost constant winds
which sweep It The lowest tempera
ture recorded Is 20 degrees below
zero, the highest 110. There Is an
annmil rainfall of abont 96 Inches
and from 2 to 4 Inches of snow In
winter. The succession o( seasons Is
not nnllke that of New England, al
though the summer la much longer.
Spring on Mlddleton begins with (be
renppeoranee of plant life, about the
r iddle of February. From this time
on. the sun shines warmer and longer
enrh day until the summer solstice.
Between May 1 and August 13 there
are from 13 to 20 hours of sunlight
dally, and during June and Jnly no
darkness at all. But the Islnnders ray
for this luxury In ftie long nights of
winter, when they get hardly more
than a glimpse of Old Sol during the
entire month of December.
One of the natural beauties ot the
Island Is a chain of lukes, dear as
crystal and large enough to alTi-rd the
pleasures of boating. Scattered sl'Ulg
(he shores of the lakes are the only
trees wlilcb the place possesses?12
small spruces, battered and bruised
tiy the winds, hut refusing to give up
(lie tight. Cross of 12 varieties flour
ishes everywhere, sometimes growing
' six or eight feet high.
Gnats, but No Mosquito**.
There ore no enemies of plant life
on the lalnnd. Picture the Joys of
horticulture without splits, cutworm
or potato bug. The mosquito, that ter
rible pest of the Alaska mainland, la
also absent. Evidently If waa not on
Mlddlcton Island that the Indians used
t? tie a man naked In the woods la
mosquito time aa a form of capital
punishment.
However, for three weeks In Auttust
life Is made miserable by the tiny
Rnat called by the Indiana "No see
urns." which will go through any net
tins yet devised by man. nnd theie
fore cannot be kept out of the boose
entirely.
During the last week of June great
quantities of wild strawberries ripe*
all over the Island, and for a month
the residents revel In them. Then, hi
August, the salmon berry hushes era
heavily laden with ripe berries, almost
any one of which would (III an after
dinner coffee cup.
Detectable strawberry preserves and
salmon berry Jelly are two of the Inz
urles which Mrs. Crnsoe provide* for ij
the winter menu. The staples, la large
quantities, ar* brought In from Cor
When the Islanders need eggs they
:;o to the great chalk cllfTsit the
north end of the Island, where the see'
pigeons nest. Stretched Oat on the
cliff top, with a book-and-hag raeiiegi
tlon, they fish up tha e ggs from tii ??
ledge* below. They Sfe^k tnfl*am