The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-04-17
WALKED FROM TEXAS
Former Artesian Woman Tells Her
Troubles and Tribnlations to-
u Journal Reporter.

y Journal Reporter.
The Sioux City Journal or Thurs
day contains the following account
OF Mrs. Ella Arthur's troubles. Mrs.
Arthur was well known In Mitchell
while she lived at Artesian. She has
taken 10 her residence in Sioux City
and the Journal has the following
concerning her story:
After s~Tss;sii,hsg d suit ssof d al iiTorce
from her husband, John Arthur. a
bridge builder for the L. u. Baker
company, who lives at 422 East Third
street, Mrs. Ella M. Arthur is now
seeking her youngest child, Barbara,
from whom she was separated sew
eral years ago.
Mrs. Arthur in order that she
might support her children, walked
with them all the way from q gulf
town in Texas to Artesian, SD,
only to be separated from her Dung
est child at the end OF the long Jour
ney. Barbara was given over to a
l~chi1dren's home at DesMoines. Now
the court has allowed Mrs. Arthur
5000 alimony from her husband,
She has not yet obtained the
money. but with it in prospects she
longs once more to see the child from
whom she has SO long been separat-
The story OF the efforts OF the
reads like a page Of ict,on. Her
labcrs have been herculean. Six
years ago she was living at Artesian,
5. ID. She had separated from her
husband and was trying to make q
living for her three little children.
a girl OF IA, a boy of ID and a girl Of
81 IL was Barbara, the youngest
child, who vas taken away from
Mrs. Arthur had d COW and a pig
and 4 few household goods ait ArIe-
sian. There came her way a glowing
prospectus of the delights to be OBJ.
rajned In Texas. 1t was painted as
q perfect Elysium fol. poor people.
FIhc5lafld flowed with milk and honey.
Mrs. Arthur thought that here
was her chance. Packing her goods
and selling the COW and pig an
everything else she could not take
With her, she started for Texas.
When She reached the destination
her dlsillusionment was rapid. In
stead OF the andsfnwing with milk
~ 4AiShAJ ASSIlS ~ iOuttu d u nIlU
umfruitful soil. Poverty rei9nedI
everywhere. White labor had toll
compete with negro labor and that
was out of the question.
Her money all gone Mrs. Arthur
was in despair. She finally ANNOUNCE
ed her intention of walking back to
South Dakota. Her neighbors held
a meeting on the subject, but there
Wa$ not enough ready money in thel
neighborhood to buy her a ticket
s. purchasing a little express wagon j
in which to trnndle her youngest
chile, Mrs. Arthur started out on
her wanderings. With the two child
rem walking and the third pulled
after her in the WAGON, and only 3OI
cents in her pocket, she tramped !!
across Texas, Indian territory andl
On %northwa1d until she reached
blnes, 10. After reaching Ames she
was given transportation to Sioux
City 4
ItN was here that the little girl
whom she had drawn after her ALL
the Yay from Texas was taken away
from her. There was trouble with
The fsther, whom she alleges wanted
to get the child. She was poor and
finally signed her consent to haveI
the child taken away from her.
Little Barbara was taken by Marionl
Johnstn, the agent of the DesMoines
home, and since then Mrs. Arthur
has neither seen nor heard from herl
child. Her Oldest girl is working for
a famiB at Greenville and attending
Morning Side college, and her boy is
wits hB father.