ove best to live in the seas of the cold countries: here
they are, huddled together on the sloping rocky shores, or swimming
about under the ice, thousands and thousands of silver-gray coated
creatures, gentle seal-mothers and brave fathers with all their pretty
seal-babies. And here the Esquimaux (for that is the name by which
we call these people of the cold countries) hunt them, eat them for
dinner, and make warm clothes of their skins. So, as I told you,
Agoonack has sealskin boots.

Next she wears leggings, or trousers, of white bear-skin, very rough
and shaggy, and a little jacket or frock, called a jumper, of the
same. This jumper has a hood, made like the little red riding-hoods
which I dare say you have all seen. Pull the hood up over the short,
black hair, letting it almost hide the fat, round face, and you have
Agoonack dressed.

Is this her best dress, do you think?

Certainly it is her best, because she has no other, and when she goes
into the house--but I think I won't tell you that yet, for there is
something more to be seen outside.

Agoonack and her mother are coming home to dinner, but there is no sun
shining on the snow to make it sparkle. It is dark like night, and
the stars shine clear and steady like silver lamps in the sky, but far
off, between the great icy peaks, strange lights are dancing, shooting
long rosy flames far into the sky, or marching in troops as if each
light had a life of its own, and all were marching together along the
dark, quiet sky. Now they move slowly and solemnly, with no noise,
and in regular, steady file; then they rush all together, flame into
golden and rosy streamers, and mount far above the cold, icy mountain
peaks that glitter in their light; we hear a sharp sound like Dsah!
Dsah! and the ice glows with the warm color, and the splendor shines
on the little white-hooded girl as she trots beside her mother.

It is far more beautiful than the fireworks on Fourth of July.
Sometimes we see a little of it here, and we say there are northern
lights, and we sit at the window watching all the evening to see them
march and turn and flash; but in the cold countries they are far more
brilliant than any we have seen.

[Illustration]

It is Agoonack's birthday, and there is a present for her before the
door of the house. I will make you a picture of it. "It is a sled,"
you exclaim. Yes, a sled; but quite unlike yours. In the faraway cold
countries no trees grow; so her fa