Weekly Herald

THE WAY OF THE NORTH COUNTRY.

Men and customs are stern in this country and punishment is sure. A few days ago a number of solemn faced men led another man out to the edge of a lake at the outskirts of this town. He had a helpless frightened look as they approached the lake where there stood a device that has hurled many another man into the great unknown. The poor man, white and trembling was put in a seat by his companions and strapped in. A sort of sock cap came low over his beaded brow. When he was properly placed and securely strapped, the men all stepped back watching gravely and intently. The operator took his position and with his hand on the controls examined his switch carefully. The life of the poor victim was now helplessly in his hands.

The man who seemed to be in charge said "All ready" and nodded to the operator at the controls, who thrust in the switch. There was a sigh and a roar and a flash of light as the sunshine was reflected from the spinning steel propeller and Gillam took off with Charley Dewitt to fly to Cordova. Charley had been guilty of neglecting his teeth or of not eating spinach when he was a boy, and he had one that ached so bad that he had come 150 miles from Salina to Chitina to find a dentist, only to find that he must go 130 miles further to Cordova. Charley would have put on his snowshoes and mushed to Cordova, but his friends felt sorry for him and wanted to put him out of his misery so they put him in the plane, and in a little over an hour he landed in the dentist's chair in Cordova.

By special Correspondent