The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-01-01
A Brave Christian Woman.

Here is true story OF mining life,
which we find in Western paper, that
ia worthy to be read under any Christ
mas tree. In last October a farmer with
his wife and three children left the
Scotch Presbyterian settlement in West
ern Pennsylvania, 10 which he belonged.
and set out to The Black His III the
nope of mending his fortunes. I'll luck
steadily followed him. Ga reaching the
camp he was struck down with fever
and lay helpless Tor weeks, during
which he was nursed by the miners.
In November his wife gave birth to a
hnd now the father, who was sinking
day by day, and four helpless children
on its hands. A certain little woman in
a distant camp heard OF their trouble
and came to see what was TO be done.
The baby was weak aud sickly, and,
after O few days, she declared 1t to be
impossible TO keep it alive through the
terrors of winter in camp with the
thermometer thirty degrees below zero.
The only safety for any OF the children
was TO 20 back 70 their home III Penn
sylyanla. 10.
But how were they to go? There was
the Journey of nearly TWO thousand
miles; the wagon trains were in danger
of daily attack from hostile Indians, the
snow was from six TO ten leet deep. The
woman (to whom The children aud their
parents were neither .kinsfOlk nor ac.
duaintances) offered to take charge OF
tnem. A wagon train was to pass the
camp in few days on its way TO Fort
Laramie. Oar camp prepared Wagoni
furnished it with "a feather bed, ETC., and
our gallant little woman gathered to!
gether a spirit-lamp, provisions, and
such poor comforts as could be had for
the children.
The train arrived; every miner was
busy making them ready; one brought
mis- bedding, another clothes; there was
not q dry eye. i'll the camp when the
poor babies were taken in TO say good
by to their dying 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 journey. TAeii
kind friend was the only woman In 9
train of thirteen wagons; one OF hel
helpless charges, be ID remembered, was
| u baby two weeks old.
The cold was extreme; several times
the wagons were blOcked by snow
twice attacked by scouting parties o.
Indians; but this woman and her Chill
dren were made sacred charge. A
night her wagon was made the center O
| the corral, the others forming line o
| defense about it. They reached a sta
ton on the Overland Route at last, ant
she was put safely aboard the cars. Oul
| exchange, a country newspaper, state:
| tuat she had arrived with the children
| at their old home, delivered them tt
their grandparents, and immedlatel.
| started on her return TO the Black Hills
| There is the whole story. The chill
dren are safe; their father, let us hope
| still lives in camp and will see then
| again. We do not know the womaP
| name, nor whether she is maiden, wife
or widow. In all probability she Will
neEer be heard of again. But she had
| friendly soul, and We can not but think
| had, like the woman of Israel, touche,
| altar off the garment of Christ, and tina
| virtue had gone out from HIM to her
We tell the story just as it comes to us
not because sucn friendly souls, an
good women, and unseliish deeds ar
| rare, but because they are many, and be
| cause it is the most Wholesome OF al
things for us to remember at this Chris
mas season now many and how possib.
they are.-[New York Tribune. .H