The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-01-08
4 WOMAN,S HER0lsM.
4 KGmAMIir IECitsrEI nj Lie In ItIr Black
Hills,

\ KGMHHtir tEcitrEt Of Litr III llIr nlhFh
Hills.
A family lett Butler, PIT, n few months
ago with Il view Of locating III the far
West. The family consisted Of Mr..
Alexander Mcmillan, wife Md tllree,clil.
drcu. After IL long mil tedious journey
they reached DeatlwoMl, i'll Dakota Ter.
r;tory. and from thence departed to the
vicinity Of the Black Hills. Here Mr..
Mcmillan located claim anl went to
work. He had been employed on his
claim bit short time when he contract.
cd fever nlrl WIS compelled 10 take his
bed. The only doctors there were the
miners, md they did what they could to
alleviate his sTltlerings, hut i'll win.
While lie lay sick Mrs. Mcmillan lied in
childbirth. The helpless condition Of
the bercaved family WIS brought to the
attention Of the people resident in the
vicinity, anil as Mr.. Mcmillan WIS sick
and pennilcss, with but small chances OF
his recovery, it WIS deemed best by the
people to rIlisG subscriptions md send
the three children, rs well as the newly
horn baIc, hack to their grandparents iii
Bntlrr. The necessary amount WINS
speedily secured, lnnt who was there to
takc charge Of the four little ones and
deliver them safely in Butler? They
haul to cross hundreds Of miles Of terri
tory, and certainly conltl not 60 alone
just at the advent Of the bleakcst por-
ton Of the winter season. A day or two
passed and the situation Of the children
came To tie ears OI n widow lady named
Mrs r. 4. KillMry, md size volunteered
to take upon herself the duties inctnn-
lrnt upon the safe delivery Of the little
ones ut tue ll0mc Of their grandparents.
The mission wus Il pprilOus one, and Mrs.
kilEury greatly feared the effects Of the
weather on the children, to shy nothing
Of tie nuwS that tho Indians were again
attacking tie wagon Trains. Nothing
tllIntetl, however. the little ladv deter
mined to perform tile dirty she liad I'LL
,lCrtakrn. Tile day Of departure wins
fixed for the morning of the twenty-tlirl
0E November, and at III early hour the
settlement WIS NStir with men getting
their wagons i'll line, horses hnr1lesse,i,
placing goMls mud provisions i'll the
vehicles niWl saying goodbye to tl,eir
friends. Eventually the trim Of wagons
moved of i'll the midst Of n slOwstOrln.
On the second day the snow wns found
10 be over six inches deep ,uld the
weather extremely cold. Grent were the
suifcrings Of tile children, although all
tlMt was possible wasilonefOr their COM
fort. On tile third dry from the settle
ment evidence was fonud that hostile H.
di'ms were in the nGighborllood, and an
attack WINS expected. That night the
wHgonswere NIL plNce,lain circle, save TINT
containing Mrs. kilbury and the chill
drcn, 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. Kilhury found it neccs-
sary to Use the spirit limp rs means Of
heat i'll the wagon, and tho caloric de-
vclOpctl from the little Pickering flame,
she thinks, saved the life of the baby ut
least. Cheyenne WIS eventually reached,
md Mrs. kilbnry and her charges were
taken on board the train for the East,
and in due time she reached Allegheny
City, and Immediately proceeded to But
Ter. There she found the grandparents
Of the little ones, who were overioyed to
meet them, Int 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.
Kilbury's mission accomplished, she re-
turned to Allegheny, and, after deliver
ing letter which wis intrustel to her
Ily Mr.. Israel v. HoagtOa relative there,
size took train for lier frontier home.
The action Of Mrs. kilbury in this case
is certainly to he commended us that Of n
noble, Christian, self-sacriiicing lady
one wlu has shown n devotion and kind-
ness well worthy Of the emulation of all
good people.