The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-02-23
a NEBRASKA HEROINE.

a NEBRASKA HEROINE.
Miss Louisa Royce, the Nebraska
school teacher who lay out in the bliz-
card all night with three children, all Of
whom died from the terrible exposure.
and who a short time ago had both
feet amputated in order to rave her
life, has written to Hon. VIM. Jay OF
this city. The letter is in answer to one
by Mr.. Jay to hen, written in the kind
" tone he is in the babit of using In
similar cases, and enclosing draft for
$50 as token of his regard for her
heroism. Following is the answer, as
received yesterday;
PLANvIEw, Neb.
February IS.
KIND SIR-Your kind letter of the
9th inst. received. / thank you for
your kind offering and sympathy. God
was very good in sparing my life the
night of January 18th. Also In giving
me kind and loving father and moth
| as nicely as can be expected. With
many thanks for your kindness, re-
LOUIE M. ROYCE.
Plainview, Neb.
p. S.-Your draft was received at the
Bee office, and published in the Bee
fund.
From an exchange we clip the follow
ing sad story of Miss Royce's ex-
psrience:
MISS LOUISA ROYCE.
An inexpressibly sad experience was
that of Miss Louisa Royce, who taught
school in the vicinity of Plainview
Pierce county, Neb. Her school the
day of the storm consisted OF three
children-tWo of Conrad ROSeberg'E
children and one of Hans Paggansee's
Being out of coal she attempted to g
to the nearest house, some fifty yards
distant. When they started the house
could be seen, but the storm grew
worse and they lost their way. Will
each moment the fury OF the blizzard
grew greater, and Winds more cut
ting, and the suffering Of the little
party more painful. Weary and foot
sore and chilled, the three little one
gave vent to tears, and
unmindful of their surroundings
lay down to secure amuch-needed rest
In vain the teacher attempted to arouse
them. Then she stretched herself a.
full length in the snow, and to thu
north. huddled the three little ones Il
her breast, covered them with her OWL
cloak, and thus shielded them from TIN
chilling winds with her own form. 4
few hours after dark the youngest o
the boys, Peter Poggansee, awoke
placed his cold hand on the teacher
face, and. with the words, I'm 81
cold" sank into silence the teache
knew was death. The feelings of thu
young guardian. herself suffering witt
the cold, cannot be described and ar
difficult to imagine.
1t was after midnight when she dis
covered that Otto Roseburg, the eldes
boy, had died without a word of warn
ing, and the brave woman gathered he
little Hattie Roseburg, aged 2, into ne
arms and endeavored to give her all tn
comfort possible. The child becam
delirious, and her mind wandere,
away to the home where, even at tina
moment a mothers heart was achin
for her little ones, and between ne
sobs came the plaintive appeal, 20. Pn
so cold, mamma, cover me up" Whel
daylight broke the little arms presse
the teacher closer, and in tn
arms of her faithful guardian
Roseberg took it's fight. The youn
teacher arose, and, covering the littl
forms as best she could, started i
search of shelter. Her hair and cloth
ing were frozen, and she endured e2
cruciating pain. A party was sent fC
the little ones. They were tenderl
taken to their homes, and the best {
care was given to the teacher, who wa
badly frozen. Though unsuccessful Il
her efforts to save her little charge
Louisa Royce did the best her circun
stances allowed-angels could do n
more.
When it is remembered that as
finale to all this suffering Miss RoyC
has had both her lower limbs amp
tated, it is little wonder that suck syn
pathetic souls as are embodied in me
of the VIM. Jay pattern are moved
act in her behalf, and that fund
over 50 900 is already accumulated
Omaha for the benefit of her and n
| "a, l.