My Northern Exposure: The Kawa at the PoleChappell, George S. (George Shepard)
General
My Northern Exposure: The Kawa at the Pole
Chappell, George S. (George Shepard)
Arctic regions -- Fiction; Burlesque (Literature)
The chairman of the evening was my life-long friend Irving T. Grosbeak,
R.O.T.C. who was introduced by Luther Slattin the new president of the
E.U. Other addresses were made by Professor Phineas A. Crutch,[29]
F.P.A., S.O.S., Col. Woodwark of the Canadian Mounted and Lord
Beaverboard of the South African Game Commission. The principal
forensic display was by Ex-senator Wicklefield of Wyoming whom Dr.
Grosbeak characterised brilliantly as "The Aurora Borealis of Oratory,
the most dependable geyser in the world since Old Faithful blew up and
became a brook."
But the climax of the evening came when an old man in a red shirt and
fire helmet tottered to my side and with tears streaming down his face,
quavered, "The world may claim Walter Traprock but _we_ own him."
It was old "Shelly" Smith of Naugatuck Hose Co. No. 1. His father used
to spade our garden.
Of course I was called upon for a speech but for the first time in my
life I begged to be excused. My heart was too full. Captain Triplett
stood up in my place and embarrassed me by pointing his horny finger in
my direction and saying repeatedly, "He done it."
Grammatical errors in public always annoy me.
The rest is history. I shall never return to the North. I feel that I
have seen all that it can offer. My work in that direction is done.
Of those who returned with me all but one has carved his niche in the
rocks of time. The exception is Dane, who has never fully recovered
from the blow dealt him, by my arm indeed, but due to the cowardly
shove of Plock. His work in comparative ethnology, however, was
accomplished before he was stricken. His object in making the trip was
to discover the similarities, if any, between the surviving Eskimo
tribes and the early civilization of the Nile dynasties. The only
entry I find in his note books is the rather pathetic one "no report."
He is now occupying a comfortable room in the Shadyside Retreat, Walnut
St., Philadelphia, where he busies himself cutting out paper dolls of
Egyptian character, and where I occasionally visit him.
Frissell remains the same blithe spirit as ever. The horrors of our
return voyage left no more lasting impression on this debonair youth
than a passing fit of seasickness.
Swank and Whinney naturally show spiritual scars, especially the
latter, though he is greatly cheered by the royalties received from the
sale of his sprightly journal, written in total darkness.[30] My two
close companions and I, with the occasional addition of Triplett when
we can lure him from his own diggings often dine together at a cosy
little tea house in Forty-fifth Street. There we plan new ventures and
discuss the old. What stirring memories flock about us, what tender
visions neath Tropic sun and Arctic stars!
Kippiputuona, Babai, Ikik, Lapatok, their names are a sentimental
rosary, a succession of lovely chords, lost chords, but, let us hope,
not the last!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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