. Alaska and the Klondike. mn dignity, the sober, serious earnestness whichfound expression in the demeanour and on the faces ofthese little Innuits and Tinnehs would have been amusingif it had not really commancied our respect. One mightalmost wonder if these children could laugh and shout andplay and have fun as other children do, but another visitorwho came at a more opportune time describes some of thepranks she witnessed which go to show that while theIndian child of Alaska, like the Indian of the States,is generally owl-like in his solemnity as long as whitestrangers are by, he is not at
. Alaska and the Klondike. mn dignity, the sober, serious earnestness whichfound expression in the demeanour and on the faces ofthese little Innuits and Tinnehs would have been amusingif it had not really commancied our respect. One mightalmost wonder if these children could laugh and shout andplay and have fun as other children do, but another visitorwho came at a more opportune time describes some of thepranks she witnessed which go to show that while theIndian child of Alaska, like the Indian of the States,is generally owl-like in his solemnity as long as whitestrangers are by, he is not at all lacking in the spirit offun or the capacity to express it. This school is conducted by Sister Mary Stephen, whose THROUGH THE HEART OF ALASKA 123 strength of character is proclaimed In her countenance, andSister Mary Winifred, a woman of striking beauty andgentleness of manner, who, when asked how long she hadbeen here among the Indians and how long she expectsto stay, replies that she came nine years ago and that she. Holy Cross Mission Chapel bought no return ticket. Sister Mary Stephen Is asked tofurnish a photograph of the school, but she has noneand so the children are grouped outside the school build-ing, and those of us who have cameras take pictures ofthem which turn out fairly well, although It is now 11oclock at night. Ihe mosquitoes here are nearly as ferocious as they wereat Anvik and we are soon driven back again on boardour boat in sheer defeat. There is no adequate oppor- 124 ALASKA AND THE KLONDIKE tuiiitv artordcd here to Icarii nuicli of the practical andpeniianent etiects of the iiieiital and rehgious trainingof these children, for they cannot always be kept inthe school. But enough is gathered there and elsewhereto show that while the boys in most cases reap permanentbenefits and live on a higher level than their parents did,some of them earning good wages as pilots on the river,and others securing other kinds of profitable employment,the probleiT of th
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidalaskak, booksubjectalaska
