Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-08-12
Montana's Early Missions

sion was established among the Crows.
When the Ursulines reached the agency
in the Bighorn valley, the Indians had
surrounded the fort. and their attitude
was threatening. Major Armstrong, the
egent. begged Mother Amadeus to inter-
cede for him.. This she did, and not
only quieted the turbulent Crows, but SO
won their hearts, it is said. that their
chief told the agent he would not attack
the fort while she was there and even
tually constituted himself, together with
his warriors, the %bodyguard Of the sisters
until they arrived at the Mission.
There were other dangers quite as
much to be dreaded as Indians in jour-
neys undertaken by the sisters. On day,
when Mother Amadeus was Oh her way
from st. Francis Xavier mission to Fort
Custer, accompanied by an Ursuline COM
panion, a Jesuit father, an Indian boy
and an indian driver, they were caught
in a blizzard, the snow falling so heavily
and drifting, that the wagon in which
they rode could not go on. Their only
hope was to get aid from the fort.
Mounted on the horses unhitched from
the wagon, the two Indians were dis
patched to bring help for the three per-
sons left behind. All night these strug-
gled to keep alive by every means in their
power. Any Montanan who has been out
in a blizzard, will readily understand
their predicament. with no shelter from
Illt SilOW linz pltc VI lNCt III lliC tdbtlilE
wind.
lief. A government ambulance. drawn
by mules, arrived and the three were hur-
ried to the Fort. There the sisters re-
ceived a bath of kerosene to thaw out
their frozen legs and arms, and we're
then put to bed, where they remained
for three days before they fully recovered
from their terrible experience. How they
managed to survive, it is difficult to see.
Once when l was out in such a storm,
although wearing two fur coats. they
could not keep out the wind which swept
with terrific force dow from the north.
and over the level country. Not until
we were in the mountains did we find
any bulwark against the storm.
On another OCCASION, when Mother
Amadeus was going from the Cheyenne
mission to that of the Crows by the Gus
ter trail over the mountains, the horses
driven by a father took fright and made
for the verge Of an impending precipice."
Mother Amadeu saw the danger, n
calling Jump, father" she set the ex-
ample. at the same time throwing out
the basket Of provisions. The mission
aries were saved by this prompt action.
but the horses went over the cliff, and
they and the wagon were dashed to
pieces.
The travellers were still a long distance
AAOli cAIC NboW AiiooAOhs JAN" WHo OA
the ground; 1T was cold, and growing
dark. Herself taking the basket OF pro-
visions, the intrepid mother led the way
up the canyon n through the woods.
"An night they walked weary and foot
sore, over the cracking snow and when
morning came, the gaunt forms OF tim
Der wolves, probably seeming the provi-
sions the basket held, stole out from
among the trees, and startled the little
company, but fled affrighted at the u
OF the mothers voice.
Again, when she was returning to Bill
lings, after a visit to the Grow mission,
in attempting to ford Blue creek when
the water was high and the ice going out,
there was another mishap. Although the
government sign was missing, their driv-
er took no heed, "plunging fearlessly into
the roaring stream. Scarcely had the
horses pulled out from the shore than
they stood trembling n snorting. The
water had suddenly risen above the car
riage wheels and reached the waists Of
the nuns. 1t was very cold. Huge blocks.
Of ice were floating past and knocking So
violently against the buggy that Mother
Amadeus feared that at any m 1t
might be overturned" The driver had
tainted, and the nuns were calling on
Mother Amadeus to save them. Quickly
rising to the emergency she reused the
driver, "scolded him for his weakness In
leaving them thus in danger, bade him
creep carefully over the hind wheels OF
the buggy, wade to the shore, detach one
Of the horses from the wagon that had
followed" and ride to a cowboy camp she
had noted when on the way to the
stream. This, the only hope of rescue,
was most difficult of execution, difficult
and dangerous; an imprudent move
would upset the buggy, frighten the
horses and dash them all headlong into
the frozen stream"
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