Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1910-06-16
American Girl Puts Duty, as She
Sees Ii, Before Life Of Lux
ury and Ease.
Really Remarkable Career ofMar-
earet Nc MILAN, the Friend Of
England's Unfortunates.
Powerful Figure in British Public
Life---Soon to Visit America
to Attend Meeting.

London, Eng.-Miss Margaret Nc
MILAN, an American woman living in
London. has deliberately turned her
back on wealth and social distinction
In order to espouser the cause of the
poor.
Though little has been heard Of her
through the newspapers in the United
States, she is today one OF the most
powerful figures in British public life.
She has literally fought her way up
against almost overwhelming odds, &C
complishing reforms especially in re-
lation to child-life- (which few poll
ticians, even when backed by parties,
have attempted
Miss Mcmillan will soon visit Amer
lea to attend an important interna-
tional congress at Washington.
AS the remarkable story Of her life
has not hitherto been told, the writer
recently interviewed her at her home
in England, 1877 George lane, Lewis
ham, near London
Though Miss Mcmillan was born in
Westchester county, New York you
would scarcely suspect her of being
an American.
Both her parents hailed from the
land Of the thistle. Her father emf
grated to the United States and took
UP his residence in New York in the
early sos, where he died shortly after
the Civil war, leaving his family in
precarious financial circumstances,
having suffered heavy losses in the
conflict. The mother returned to her
fathers house in Inverness, Scotland,
where after a few years she also died.
1t was after her grandfather's death
and that of her mother that Margaret
Mcmillan found herself practically
alone in the world She was only in
her sixteenth year and 1t was neces-
5sary for her to seek her livelihood.
She soon went to Switzerland, and at
nineteen engaged in teaching pupils
older than herself. She acquired at
an early age complete mastery Of
French and German.
Switzerland has always been the
home Of political refugees, and she
met a number of Advanced radical
thinkers. Later, while still at an i'm
questionable age, she came in con
tact with one of the most remarkable
leaders among women of that time
Louise Michel. She even taught in
London at a school conducted by
Nine. Michel
The Russian government had it's eye
on this school and sent one of its
most able detectives to obtain stu
alton in order to learn all that took
place behind its portals. No one at
the time suspected that the humble
teacher of French at this establish
ment was the famous-or rather infa-
mousspy Coulon, through whose eff.
forts full reports were sent to Russia.
ultimately the school was broken up
and closed, mostly as the result of
this espionage.
Though in touch with Russian suf-
ferers and learning the meaning Of
by actually minglirg with the
jewellers in the abyss Of London mis-
cry, Miss Mcmillan was all the while
earning her daily bread by teaching
in one of the wealthiest English fam
lilies. Her knowledge of French,
German and music and her superior
abilities brought her services much In
demand.
She experienced no difficulty in ma
king friends among the very rich and
began to lead, as it were, a sort of
double life. She used to go down to
the docks and address the dock la
bOrers, attended the Democratic club
In Essex street and even went to-
the extent Of addressing socialistic
meetings in Hyde park Possessed
of magnetic personality, no one who
knew her failed to become Instantly
Interested At
A Rich Lady Her Patron.
In fact, 1t was through her contact
with 81 very wealthy woman at this
time that one OF the most tragic cpl
sodes Of her life was enacted. Miss
Mcmillan entered into her service as
secretary but she had not been with
her employer long before the two be-:
came close friends. Margaret did not
attempt In the least to conceal her
views on social questions; but, how
ever insistent and earnest she APP
,peared In the work of reform, the
titled lady, possessed of Immense
riches. could not realize that her:
Eprotege could really mean half Of
what she advocated. With the enor-