ting snow, and intense cold. It is impossible to keep
the house as warm as usual, and I have eaten my meals today dressed in
my fur coat, my seat at table being at the end with my back close to the
frosty north window. Though this is the place of honor at the board, and
the missionary's seat when he eats in the Mission, still it is a chilly
berth on occasions, and this is decidedly one.

The dining-room contains, besides the north window, one on the south
side as well, and though both are covered with storm windows, the frost
and ice is several inches thick upon the panes, precluding any
possibility of receiving light from either quarter unless the sun shines
very brightly indeed, and then only a subdued light is admitted. During
the night the house shook constantly in the terrific gale, rattling
loose boards and shingles, and I was kept awake for several hours.

At night I am in the habit of tossing my fur coat upon my bed for the
warmth there is in it, as I am not the possessor of a fur robe, as all
persons should be who winter here. Furs are the only things to keep the
intense cold out in such weather as we are now having, but with some
management I get along fairly well.

A reindeer skin not in use from the attic makes my bed soft and warm
underneath, my coat over my blankets answers the same purpose, and the
white fox baby robe from the old wooden cradle upstairs makes a soft,
warm rug on the floor upon which to step out in the morning. Wool
slippers are never off my feet when my muckluks are resting, and I
manage by keeping a supply of kindlings and small wood in my box by the
stove, to have a warm fire by which to dress.

These days we do not often rise early, and ten o'clock frequently finds
us at breakfast, but we retire correspondingly late, and midnight is
quite a customary hour lately. Today we passed the time in eating,
sleeping, singing, and reading. A visiting Swedish preacher came over a
few days ago from the Home, and is storm-bound in the Mission. He is a
large, heavy man, with a hearty voice and hand grip, and is a graduate
of Yale College, using the best of English, having filled one of the
vacant Nome pulpits for several weeks last fall before coming to
Golovin.

Today he has read one of Talmage's sermons to us, and we have sung
Gospel songs galore, in both Swedish and English, with myself as
organist. When this is tired of, the smaller instruments are taken out,
and Ricka has the greatest diff