mes,
to make the darkness and discomfort of the present endurable, and this
will wonderfully cheer and create patience. Thousands of persons who
were ill qualified in these and other respects had journeyed to Alaska,
only to return, homesick, penniless, and completely discouraged, who
never should have left their home firesides.

Not so with the Swedish people. They are accustomed to a cold climate,
hard work, and conditions needing patience and perseverance, without
great luxuries in their homes, and being strong and hearty physically,
they are well fitted, both by nature and practice, for life in the new
gold fields of Alaska. There were more reasons than one for their
success in the far Northwest, and a little study of cause and effect
would disclose the truth, when it will be found that it was not all
"luck" which made so many successful.

Our last day at Nome is a confused memory of trunks, boxes, bags,
barrels, dog-teams, tickets, bills, lunches, tables, dishes, and
numerous other things. Tramping hurriedly through busy, dirty streets,
and heavy, sandy beach, with arms loaded with small baggage (we had
neither parrots nor poodles) making inquiries at stores and offices,
doing innumerable errands, saying good-byes, and having good-luck wishes
called after us; and then, when the sun had disappeared for the day, and
night was almost upon us, we turned our backs upon our summer camp, and
hastened to our winter home.

At the water's edge small pieces of ice washed up and down with a
clicking sound upon the sands, as if to give us notice of approaching
winter, but the ocean was almost as smooth as a floor. No breath of wind
disturbed the surface, and only a gentle swell came landward at
intervals to remind us of its still mighty, though hidden, power.

Then we were all in readiness to leave. A little boat was drawn upon the
sand. Into it all small baggage was tossed. It was then pushed out
farther by men in high rubber boots standing in the water.

"I cannot get into the boat," laughed Little Alma, "I will get my feet
wet."

"Not if I can help it," answered a stalwart sailor, who immediately
picked her up bodily and set her down in the boat, repeating the
operation three times, in spite of the screams and laughter of Miss L.,
Ricka and myself. Ricka and I were only of medium height, but Miss L.
was a good six-footer, and when we were safely in the boat, and she had
been picked up in the sailor's strong arms, if s