The Morning Herald

ROMANCE OF ALASKA,

The Portland "Transcript" tells of a very interesting romance of Alaska. A young man who was in Alaska, some four years ago, fell in love with the only young lady on the island, a girl of 15, who was possessed of extraordinary beauty, and whose hair fell below her knees. But he was unable to communicate the "old, old story" to her, for she did not understand a word of English, nor did he speak Russian. In his dilemma the arrival of the priest in his once-in-two-years visit was a god-send, and to him he made known his love. The priest knowing the young man to be possessed of a high character and a fair fortune, thought it was a lucky chance for the young lady to escape from a life of such isolation, and he willingly persuaded the girl's mother (her father was dead) to consent to the match, but the young lady herself was not to be persuaded. She argued that she had never spoken to the young man who expressed such a desire to be her husband and only seen him twice, and he had not been on the island only 48 days, but her objections were overruled, and the marriage took place. After living in Alaska for several months, the young man brought his bride to his home in Cleveland, Ohio. She was astonished at the fashions she saw, and declared that nothing would induce her to wear her hair otherwise than flowing—as she had always worn it. But before 24 hours had passed her mother-in-law had persuaded her to try the effects of braids around her broad and shapely head; and now she dresses as much in the fashions as any lady in Cleveland. Last year her husband went to Alaska again, and brought home the young sister, who is 11 years of age, and promises to be as beautiful as the elder. The mother, bereft of both her children, still clings to her home on one of the islands of Alaska.