The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-04
MRS. osrRoM,s MOUNTAIN vIGIL.
wife with her Eight Children watching
Over her lin sha nd's Corpee.


W. II. Ostrom started last week, with
hts wife aud ,ight clildrcn. from a ranch IN
Pin" Grove 6nlrh for distance OF aoout
twenty miles to a small PARK on the south
Platte where he ex coted To spend the winter
Mir. Ostrom had previously vsited the y TX. aud
had TUT house for the protection OF ms idn-
ily. lie had removed most Of his cuecis,
and on Friday mOruing last he started
with MS fgmiy and few Articles OF house
huld furniture and wearing apparel. when
the travellers were about three miles from the
place where they Intended to stop. the WAGON
was overturned. and Mr.. Ostrom was Killed bv
the accident. They had passed over the rough
ct 20 ton OF the road. and about O'Clock
came To "A mall stream. over which man could
81 with e9ae. One OF the two mules SHE'D,
throwing the W gOn to one side, aud over
turuins u. Mra Ostrom and the children
Mr. Ostron threw himself under the wagon to
prevent its falling upon them. He was caught
square under the eros u Of the wagon bed.
There was weight Of fully l,JO0 pounds upon
him.
Mrs. ostrom got upon her feet as soon az pos
sihle. and found her husband very pale, but he
assured her that he was not greatly hurt. lie
told her to get a lever ana pry the wagon on
him. Fine tried, but could not move Vt. Ho
grew paler aud paler. nd in less than Ave min-
utcs after the accident he died. At thus time
the oldest son, VINO was driving a COW. came up.
lie ana his mother were both unanle TO remove
the load from the Dody Of the de I'd husband aud
father. And they were compelled To uncounle
the wagon nnd drag II on with the mules. No
means would avail ANYTHING 70 restore life.
There were the poor woman ana her eignt emil
dren fifteen miles from human being In tue
heart of the Rocky Mountains, aud night upon
them. The ELDEST OF the children was only four
teen, and the others were very small. Tue near
est house was fifteen miles back over the same
road. through the mountains, that they had
travelled. 80 with the dead body OF her nus
band living In n sheet oy her side, aud her chill
dren and the beasts of the mountain wilds TO
keep her company, the brave woman determined
to spend TIE night.
A big nre wis built, and the children were
made as comfortable rs possible. Hut at this
season II " very cold In the mountatns, and do
what she might the little ones suffered. Sue
never thought Of her own com ort. and she and
her oldest boy kept The lonely vigil through an
almost endless and very cold aud very dark
nlgnt.
Win the nrst ray OF daylight the bereaved
mother began to make prepar lions for her re-
turn. rhe wagon was coupled together and the
mules were attached. he children and the
dead body OF the husband were put on the
wagon and the party hogan to reirace their loot
steus. Ibe body had frozen stn during the
night. The road was so bad that they did not
re CHI any house until o'clock ON saturd ~
night.
Mr. Ostrom came from Mobile, Ala, to Den.
yer, IN 1899. He was carpenter, and was a nrst-
class workman. He was a man OF refined man.
ners, and very popular. He VS. about forty i've
years Of