New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-25
Rp1VE CHRISTIAN WOMAN.

Here ia a true story of mining life, which
we find in Western paper, that is worthy to
he read under any Christmas tree. In last DC
tcber. a farmer with his wife and three chill
dren left the Scotch Presbyterian settlement in
Western Pennsylvania to which ne belonged,
and set out to the Black Hills in the hope OF
mending his fortunes. lll-luck steadily fol-
lowed him. On reaching the camp, he was
struck down with fever and lay helpless for
weeks, during which he was nursed by the
miners. In November his wife gave birth to a
baby. and died the next day. The camp had
now the father. who was sinking day by day,
and four helpless children on its hands. A
certain little woman in distant camp heard
of their trouble and came to see what was to
be done. The baby was weak and sickly, and
after few days she declared it to be impOssi-
BILE 10 keep it alive through the terrors OF q
Winter In camp with the thermometer 3O0 be-
low zero. The only safety for any OF the chill
dren was to go back to their home in Penn
syvania.
But how were they to go7 There was the
Journey of nearly two thousand miles; the
wagon trains were in danger OF daily attack
from hostile Indians, the snew was from SIX
to ten feet deep. The woman Ito whom the
children and their parents were neither klns-
folk nor acqUantanccs) offered to take charge
of them. A wagon train was TO pass the camp
in few days on its way to Fort Laramie.
Our camp prepared a wagon, furnished it with
feather bed, etc, and our gallant little
woman gathered together a spirit lamp, pro-
visions, and such poor comforts as could be
had for the children. The train arrived; every
miner was busy making them ready; one
brought his bedding, another clothes there
was not dry eye in the camp when the poor
babies were taken in to say goOd-by to their
diving father. After he had kissed them for
the last time, he turned his face to the
wall, and they were hastily carried out
and started upon their long and perilOus jour
ney. Their kind friend was the only woman
in a train of thirteen wagons; one OF her help
less charges be it remembered, was baby
two weeks old The cold was extreme; several
times the wagons were blocked by snow; twice
attacked by scouting parties of Indians; but
this woman and her children were made a
sacred charge. AT night her wagon was placed
in the center of the corral, the Others forming
line of defense about it, They reached
station on the Overland Route, ut last, ana she
was put safely aboard the ears. Our exchange
country newspaper, states that she had ar
rived with the children ut their old home, de-
livered them to their grandparents and imme-
diately started on her return to the Black Hills.
There is the whole story. The children are
safe their father, let us hope, still lives in
camp and will see them again. We do not
know the woman's name, nor whether she is
maiden, wife, or widow. In all probability
she will never be heard of again. But she
had friendly soul, and, we cannot but think,
had, like the woman of Israel, touched afar
off the garment Of Christ, and that virtue had
gone out from Him to her. We tell the story
just as it comes to us, not because such
friendly souls, and good women, and unself-
isb deeds are rare, but because they are many,
and because it is the most wholesome of all
things for us to remember at this Christmas
season how many and how possible they are.