The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1910-06-16
I me can Girl Puts Duty, as She
Sees 1t, Before Life of Lux
ury and Ease.
Really Remarkable Career Of Mar.
garet 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 espouse 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.
comprising reforms-especially in re-
lat1on 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, 127 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 COS, 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 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 it was neces-
sary 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 a complete mastery OF
French and German.
Switzerland has always been the
home of political refugees, and she
met 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 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 a stu
alton in order to learn all that took
place behind it's portals. No one at
the time suspected that the humble
teacher of French at this establish
ment was the famous-or rather infa-
mous-spy Coulon, through whose eff
Iolts 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
poverty by actually mingling 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, sort of
double life. She used to go down to
the docks and address the dock Ia
borers, attended the Democratic club
10
the extent of addressing socialistic
meetings in Hyde park. Possessed
of magnetic personality, no one who
knew her failed to become instantly
interested.