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The Omaha Sunday Bee Magazine Page
Copyright, 1913, bj Amerlcaa-Examlner. Orsst Britain RlgUta Reserved.
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Cttntefct. 111. to Tmirn A. Btoest Oh) Vna Ties rrttth PmT
"ATTENTION V Th Sextette of Pretty Eskimo Maid Trained
by the Peary North Pole Party, Getting Ready for the
Dance. Photographed Christina Day on Board
the "Roosevelt"
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'HAT did Amundsen and
Peary and Scott do In the
iz months night, which
every pola banter his to spend, get
tint ready (or his daub In the
Sprint? In the old daya of polar
explorstlou the parties spent prac
tically all ot tbelr time cooped np
In (hack and ship cabins, fighting
with each other. Tb long night,
six months without a glimpse ot the
sun, made them so nervous that
parties mutinied against their chiefs
, and explorers plotted each other's
murder. During General Grealy's
expedition his assistant would not
speak to each other tor months, and
Anally, when their food was gon
the doctor ot the expedition was se
emed ot stealing toad from bis pa
tient But Amundsen and Peary of to
day are mors scientific and the long
night Is the busiest psrt of the trip.
All through the Winter tb com
mander ot a modern expedition
sends out bunting parties, which
find snd bring back dosens ot musk
oxen, and meanwhile get hardened
for ths final daah for tb Pole when
Bpring comes. Between trips, the
me build sleds, take tidal obterva
tions. boss the Eskimo squaws who
sew their fur clothing, lounge In the
csbln telling stories and have ath
letie game on the lea. Part ot the
expedition are-kept out on the trek,
laying down caches of provisions
so tbat the final dash will not hare
to ' depend on what can be taken
from the Ship on one set ot sledges.
Between hunting and sledging, the
men are kept so busy that when
they get back to the ahlp they are
too thankful for a chance to loaf
nd sleep to want to quarrel with
each other. This new system la
largely due to an American Ad
miral Peary.
George Borup, who was on Peary's
successful dash to the Pole and who
will be part commander of the
American expedition to explore
Crocker Land which starts this com
ing Bummer, describes In "A Ten
derfoot with reary how tb explor
ers spent Christmas Day.
Under Peary methods," say
Borup, "travelling during the moons,
always busy on the ship. If there
was any monotony or dreaded dark
ness going the rounds, none ot us
crossed its trail. Constantly occu.
pied, w were happy; the working
day wasn't long enough; and I
never knew till then the real Joy
ot living.
"When Cbrtstms cam It was
celebrated In right royal style. In
the forenoon the Captain and I laid
. out track seventy-five yards long
and ten wide, smoothing rough spots
la the snow off with picks. After
that, we drummed up every avail
able lamp aboard, so ,thst the race
track resembled Broadway after
dark. Then the North Polar Ath
letic Club held Its first meet Ths
A. A. Vy sanction didn't arrive In
time, but we decided to pull It off
Just tl same, sanction or no sanc
tion. With the thermometer at
minus 21 degree Fahrenheit, It
seemed very warm and springlike
compared to the minus S3 degre
a dsy before.
"We hsd races tor every one; the
Eskimo men, mother with tbelr
children on tbelr backs, then for the
white men. In the first beat for ths
huskies, they were not up on bow
to finish. They slowed np before
reaching the tape,- and all four or
It Can't Be All Heroic
Suffer
ings with
Trained
Sextettes
of Pretty
Eskimo
Maids,
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M- - m r fef- v uw&
PPQ LJ Si
fe;-rP f I ra Lamp
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s- 2 -"- ( Broadway
' THE POLAR SEXTETTE IN FULL ACTION. ' - - i ' , J Wr.; Zf'xtmrtL.
v Imitations of
The Furthest North for "Floradora." The Borup Trained Eskimo Maids Wearing Many More
Clothes Than the Original Sextette.
five hit the line at one. The wo
men's race, where the mothers rs
with their kids In the hoods ot tbelr
kooletana, was greeted with fervent
applause. Our memroom wss sll
decorated wkb Courander Peary's
flags, and w bad great and won
drous spread, the Inevitable climax
to our ideas of enjoyment"
When not hunting and making
aledges, the me were much amused
by the antloa of the Eskimos and
tbelr WTvea. Borup and MscMHlsn,
on Peary's trip, trained six dusky
quaw to dance like a "Florodora"
sextette. The Eskimo mother
looked tfter Uietr children snd
washed them Just ss a cat does her
kittens, Thla la vouched for by
. Matt Henson. On of toe ladles
need to ge mildly crasy, so much
so tbst Borup writes In bis book: ,
"There wss a husky lady, a
widow, dubbed 'Buster itianket' by
our facetious cook, and she distinct
ly contrived to dispel dull care. One
night we heard a commotion tor
ward. There waa the lady In S pool
of Ire water, under the bow, look
ing like an inebriated fish, treading
wafer, singing like a siren and bang
ing her hands together: 'Yah! Yahl
A yah yah!' If she'd had more
pleasant surroundings she'd have
made the Lorelei look like the hat
father wore on St Patrick's Dsy, It
took the whole crew some tlm to
get her back on board."
But most of the time the squaws
were too busy making fur hoods and
coat tor the explorers tc take danc
ing lessons or go crazy. Tbey had
to do all tbe sewing In preparation
for the dash. Borup saya In "A
Tenderfoot'':
"To have the sewing don well
k. you'd pick out one girl, make her
f think she was Just IT, tip her hus
band to get his good will, and glv
t blm to understand thered be more
coming his wray It hla wife' rivet-
, ing waa cold. If ta "Jkimo wife
didn't do a good Job tor ber hubby
be attended to tbe make-up ot her
eye. We objected to our room be
ing converted Into facial massage,
parlors, so if we found woman
taking homeward-bound etltches, on
every half mile or so, we'd merely
unravel them with a knife."
"The sailors," says Borup. "put la
psrt ot tbelr time In a boxing tour
nament, but more tn assisting In the
taking of ttdal observations for tb
United 8tatea Cosst and Oeodetlo
Survey." For hi last, according to
Borup:
."Marvin built Urge Igloo on ths
Ice, cut a hole four feet through the
Ice snd put In his gauge. The Igloo
wa canvas lined, to try to keep the
heat In, a two-burner stove lending
a hand. We stood nine-hour
witches, tsklng hourly observations,
except near high or low tide, when
tbey were to be read every ten min
utes for one and a. half hours befor
and after tbe 'stand of the tide.' "
Matt Henson, the negro, who ac-'
companled Peary to the Pole, haa
also told how the explorers put In
their time In - tbe Big Dark. He '
saya in his book," "A Negro Ex
plorer at the North Pole," which
was published tbis Spring;
."Hunting parties' were sent out,
for It waa en the big game of tbe
country that tbe expedition de
pended for fresh meat Professor
Marvin commenced his scientific
work, and all Winter long parties
were sledging provisions, equipment,
etc., to Cap Columbia, ninety-three
mile northwest, In anticipation ot
the Journey to ths Pols. Those who
remained at headquarters did not
find life an idle dream. There wa
something In the way of work going
oa all ot the time, I was away from
the ahlp on two hunting trip ot
about ten day each ,and while at
headquarters I shaped and built
over two doten sledges, beside do
ing lot ot other work. ,
' "OWrfekt If T, A. Statas Ok"
Another Graceful Movement of the Polar Sextette.
"I have a steady Job carpentering,
also Interpreting, bartering, tailor
ing, dog4ralnlng and chasing Es
kimos out ot my quarters."
"When there Is nothing else to do,
says Mstt Henson In "A Negre Ex
plorer," "the men eat alwaya put la
their time mastering the dogs."
Tbe dogs are ever interesting. -To
get together a team that haa not
been tied down tbe night before Is
a Job. Yon take a piece of meat,
froxen as stiff as a piece of sheet
Iron, in one band And tbe harness
In the other, you single out tbe cur
yon are after, make proper ad
vances, and when he come sniffling
and snuffling and all thetime keep
ing at a safe distance, you drop the
sheet-Iron on the enow, the brut
make a dive, and you make a flop,
yon grab the nearest thing grabable
ear. leg or bunch of hair and do
your best to catch bis throat, after
which everything Is easy. . Slip the
harness over the head, push the fore-
paw through, and there you are, om
dog hooked np and harnessed.
"After licking the bites and suck
ing tbe blood, you tie said dog to a
rock and start for rae next one. It
Is only a question of time before you
have your- team. When you have
them, leave them alone; they must
now decide who is fit to be the king
of the team, and so they fight, tbey
fight and fight; and once they have
decided, tbe king is king. A growl
from him, or only a look. Is enough,
sll obey, except the females, and th
females have their way, for, true t
type, the mslea never harm the fe
males, and It Is always tbe females
who start the trouble."
The Last Tragedy of the Unluckiest Half Acre in America
T-jI all odds the most unfortunate bait
- acre in America is the Pcterman
Farm, la Sugarloaf Township, Co
lumbla County, Pennsylvania. Within the
y paat fifty year ao lest than eight death
; by violence have occurred on the place, fiv
I time the log cabin which constitutes tb
tarmfaous has been nearly destroyed by
,. fir, a early a doses serious accidents hare
' taken place there, one of the occupant of
J I the place served a sentence for assault,
J sad tb sole survivor of tbe family is sow
? " ta Briaoa oa a charce of nunl . .
The unenlightened, perhaps, would re
gard the place aa haunted or a cursed by
a hoodoo, but the Petennan themselves '
f. EVyv' fortunes
, A , Began
i
Children '
Were Scalded to' Death.
looker upon tb long chain ot tragedlea
which made the plac s byword throughout
the Stat aa mere coincidence.
Tb Peterman log cabin wss built 'oJ
John Peterman Just before tb Civil War.
Tb oldest Inbabitanta aay ot blm that he
was aa honest, hard-working. God-fearing
man, a careful, prudent farmer,- a good -father,
a kind husband aniv a pleasant
neighbor.. -r
Almost befor tb mud plaster between
the chinks ot the togs had hardened, how
ever, the tragic record began.
One day Mrs. Peterman was boiling soap
in a large caldron that hung upon a crane
In the fireplace. While ahe was working
with her back to the fire, there wa a
crash and a sputtering, followed by a
chorus ot screams, and the woman turned
to find her three lltUe girls drenched with
ths bo.ltng soap. The youngest child hsd
pulled dowa the kettle tn some way, Im- -merslng
herself and her two playmates.
All three died within a few boors.
For a short period the family lived In a
shack on the other side of the farm. Their '
return to tb log cabin after a laps ot a .
tew months was signalised by a fire which
nearly overwhelmed tbe entire remaining
family while they alept and v.hich did
burn one of tbe sons serioualy. ,
?or th- next three years accidents came
thick and fast Kor example, Peterman,
anxious to aei: his farm and escape further
misfortunes, hired surveyor to straighten
. out a d' cpu ted line. The chainman fell
. over a stone pile back ot the corn crib and
broke a-Ieg in'two places. .Sock minor ao-.
ddenta there were by. the score, but the ,
ACCIDENTS AND CRIMES ON
Three children scalded to
death.
Son burned in cabin fire.
Surveyor made a cripple. -Old
John Peterman killed by
storm-struck tree.
Grandchild breaks his neck.
Another grandchild killed with
pitchfork.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
THE UNLUCKIEST HALF ACRE.
7. John Peterman, Jr.,' nearly
killed in tight with his
brother Abram. "
8. ' Abram destroys the sight of a
relative and is sent to
prison.
9. Old Mrs. Peterman dies of a
broken heart
10. Abram kills his brother in a
fight
next Important one was ths death ot the
elder Peterman.
The aky became overcast while be wsa
plowing, and a heavy atonn came on. He
hu rled to the barn, put away hla horses,
and waa running to the cabin when a big
oak tree blew down on him, breaking near
ly every bone In his body.
Tbe widow lived on ta the evil place
with her two sons. John and Abram. In
the course ot years Abram married, and
once mar the cabin waa made bright by
tbe faces ot little children. It seemed aa
' though they might heal the deep wounds
In their grandmother's heart and certainly
they had twined themselvea about the af
fection of Abram as ao one else had ever
don.
But the Nemesis ot the place was too
much tor them. Tbe youngest fell off a
hay wagon at the barn door and broke hla
neck. The other waa accidentally Jabbed
In the head with a pitchfork and died from
the Injury.
Many persons who knew .Abram In Us
. early manhood think that hla mind wa
unbalanced by tb shocking death of hi
children. He became morose, and then a
homicidal mania developed. He would as
sault men with whom he had previously
been on the friendliest terms, and on on
occasion he rushed at his brother with a
pitchfork, thrusting It into his back several
time. John waa rescued la time to pre
vent murder, but another Incident had been
added to the bloody -chapter connected
with the place.
From thla time- oa then waa- a deadly '
fend betweea the brothers. Abram oa sev
eral occasion tried to burn down the
house and bara, but the watchful Joha
thwarted htm. Each man wa constantly
oa the lookout for the ether.
Just before their mother oled Abram wa
carried off to aerv a sentence tn the peni
tentiary, not for any crime that waa com
mitted within the confines of hia accursed
home. To be specific, it waa for goagmg
out the eye of a relative by marriage.
Seventeen year ago Abram was released
from prison and returned to the eabta.
He waa still aa dangerous as ever. On
many occasions He ' threatened to "have
John's life blood." Returning late one af
ternoon about a year ago la this mood, he
unluckily encountered his brother as h
entered the front yard.
"Ill hav ' your heart's blood!" h
shrieked, as he closed the gat behind him
and stood panting with rage inside the
fatal confine ot tb farm. "I'll have your
llfe'a blood. I say! And 111 have It right
mow!"
He sprang at John with a knlf la hi
band aa Joha bent to pick np a atone,
The Impact threw the two old fellow
sprawling oa the ground, for they were far
from agile, John being seventy -one and
Abram seventy, and both a full ot "rheu
teatlca" as Is usual ta countrymen ot their
age. .
- But no full-blooded youth waa ever
swayed by a more furious pasaloa than led
these unnatural sons of one mother to 'ear
and bite and claw and kick at each other
ta the shadow of the old log cabin that had
seen the ruin and degradatioa ot their
clan,
How long they fought John does not
know, although he think "It might have
been aa hour or two." He remember that
they were both covered with blood that
blinded them and choked them, and caused
Abram to mutter over and ever:
"Hia life's blood! His life's blood!"
Tbelr wiad not being so good a It estcst
was, they would lie quiet In each ether's
embrace tor a minute at a stretch, but
when the Inertia of complete exhaustion
bad passed, they would begin again. Goug
ing, striking, scratching, biting, clutching,
with never a thought at asking or receiTlag
. quarter.
, Finally John's right hand earn ta
tact with a stone about the size of his two
Data With all tbe strength that waa left
In him, he brought It down upon the bead
ot Abram, who lay quite still and ceased
his monotonous murmurs ot-"Blood, blood,
blood!"
John was too near gone to rise, but he
managed to crawl to the doorway, where
he fainted. Thus the neighbors found them,
frightfully haggled, the on apparently dy
ing, ths other dead with a grisly smil
upoa his face and bunches of bloody gray
hair locked la hla stiffened fingers.
And now John, the only survivor of the
ill-fated Peterman family, la awaiting trial
for the last tragedy of the blood-soaked
half -acre.
They -
Ended ffpW
When 1 'J KjLmgv !
Abram J , t fk
Killed MM 0
Brother I S?
ee -John, the Last of the Peterman.
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