The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-01-04
A WOMAN'S HEROISM,
A Romantic Incident of Life in the Blu
Hills.

A Romantic Incident of Life in the Black
Hills.
A family left Butler, Pa, n few months
ago with view of locating in the far
West. The family consisted of Mr..
Alexander Mcmillan, wife and three chill
dren. After long and tedious Journey
they reached Deadwood, in Dakota Ter
ritory, and from thence departed to the
vicinity of the Black Hills. Here Mr..
Mcmillan located claim and went to
work. He had been employed on his
claim but n short time when he contract
ed fever and was compelled to take his
bed. The only doctors there were the
miners, and they did what they could to
alleviate his sufferings, but i'll vain.
While he lay sick Mrs. Mcmillan died in
childbirth. The helpless condition of
the bereaved family was brought to the
attention of the people resident i'll the
vicinity, and as Mr.. Mcmillan was sick
and penniless, with but small chances of
his recovery, it was deemed best by the
people to raise. subscriptions and send
the three children, rs well rs the newly
born babe, back to their grandparents in
Butler. The necessary amount was
speedily secured, but who was there to
deliver them safely in Butler? They
had to cross hundreds of miles of terri
tory, and certainly could not go alone
just at the advent of the bleakest por-
ton of the winter season. A day or two
passed and the situation of the children
came to the ears of widow lady named
Mrs. r. A. Kilbury, and she volunteered
to take upou herself the duties incum-
bent upon the safe delivery of the little
ones at the home of their grandparents.
The mission was perilous one, and Mrs.
Kilbury greatly feared the effects of the
weather ON the children. to say nothing
of the news that the Indians were again
attacking the wagon trains. Nothing
damted, however, the little lady deter
mined to perform the duty she had un-
dertaken. The day of departure was
fixed for the morning of the twenty-third
of November, and at an early hour the
settlement was astir with men getting
their wagons in line, horses harnessed,
placing goods and provisions in the
vehicles and saying goodbye to their
friends. Eventually the train of wagons
moved off i'll the midst of n snowstorm.
On the second day the snow was found
to be over six inches deep and the
weather extremely cold. Great were the
sufferings of the children, although all
that was possible was done for their COM
fort On the third day from the settle
ment evidence was found that hostile In
dams were in the neighborhood, and an
attack was expected. That night the
wagons were all placed a in circle, save that
containing Mrs. Kilbury and the chill
(ren, it being placed in the center The
men made every preparation for defense,
but fortunately no Indians appeared
The fourth and fifth days of the trip were
so cold that Mrs. Kilbury found it neces-
sary to use the spirit lamp as means of
heat i'll the wagon, and the caloric de-
veloped from the little hickering flame,
she thinks, saved the life of the baby at
least. Cheyenne was eventually reached,
and Mrs. Kilbury and her charges We're
taken on board The train for the East,
and i'll due time size reached Allegheny
City, and Immediately proceeded to But
Ter. There she found the grandparents
of the little ones, who were overioyed to
meet them, but the JOY was speedily
turned to grief when the intelligence OF
the death OF the mother was gently
broken by the brave little lady. Mrs.
Kibury's mission accomplished, she re-
turned to Allegheny, and, after deliver
ing letter which was intrllsted to hel
by Mr.. Israel V. Hoag to a relative there,
she took train for her frontier home.
The action of Mrs. Kilbury in this case
is certainly to be commended rs that of q
noble, Christian, self-sacrificing lady
one who has shown devotion and kind
ness well worthy of the emulation Of all
good people.