Exams, Burials, Baptisms and Dr. Nansen of the North Pole

First, I want to say that the attached photo of a handsome Viking has nothing to do with our Lennie...except that Dr. Nansen appeared in Omaha in the Year 1898, the following week, January 25, to lecture on his past explorations to the Polar regions. Mr. Nansen was a famous fellow. Lennie may have heard about Mr. Nansen but he makes no mention of him.

Lennie, age 16, writes from Wakefield, Nebraska:

Thursday, January 20, 1898
Took examination algebra & rhetoric, civics, very poor.
C??? went to Omaha. (I surely wish Lennie had written more clearly. We'll never know who went to Omaha.)

Friday, January 21, 1898
Belknap was beauried. Died Wed.
Physics 80
Botany 70

Saturday, January 22, 1898
Went skating.
Sunday School convention at Emersons.
Jim Cooper, Earl Grant baptized.
Two years later, according to the 1900 census, Earl Grant lived with his father, David, and mother, Lottie, and siblings Walter, Arthur, Clinton, David and Bessie in the village of Wakefield. In 1898, when Lennie wrote of Earl's baptism, Earl would have been 13 years old.

Perusing the Omaha Daily Bee for January 19 we read that January white sales are on. Men can buy muslin and sateen night shirts, in sizes 14 and 15, only 59 cents, reduced from $1 and $1.50. Or if you were in need of men's heavy ribbed cotton shirts and drawers (underwear), the price was reduced from 85 cents to 50 cents.

As for the Viking in today's photo, the Omaha Bee (Omaha, Nebraska) advertised as follows:

Two Lectures
Matinee - Creighton Theater
Eve. - First Methodist Church
January 25th
The Arctic Viking
Eminent Scientist and Explorer
Dr. Fridjof Nansen
Will Lecture on His Thrilling Experiences
Across the Polar Regions
Magnificent Illustrations.
Prices 50c, 75c, $1.00, $1.50
Tickets at Kuhn's drug store, Friday, Jan. 21.

(click here to read more about the famous Nansen -- handsome fellow, wasn't he!)

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