Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-08-05
Mrs. Mary Walton, "a Years i'm Montana, Looks
Back Upon Days of Fear, Hardshps and Fun

always doing the sacristy linen her
sell. She cared for the garden, anc
raised chickens which at one time
numbered 400.
Army Chaplain Visits
Father Lindesmith, the army chap
lain at Fort Keogh, visited the mission
IN August 1887. and records an anus
ing incident. A skunk invaded the
chicken house. killed 50 Of Mary's
choice baby chicks and piled them up
in heap. With q spirit Of indigna-
ton and satisfaction she carried the
animal TO the Sisters and told Of the
tragedy. Father Lindersmith inquired
MARY, didn't you receive the odor
OF MS wrath when you killed him?'
"Ah, no sub, All killed him from
the front not from the rear she re-
piled.
After eight years in the log cabins
the Sisters moved TO the new stone
convent. Bishop Brondel came for the
exodus and he himself supervised and
helped with the work The neighbors
furnished teams to transfer the poor
chattelS TO the new house No one dare
move. anything belonging to Mother
Amadeus, Mary took charge OF that.
During the day she could be seen
carefully pushing an old wheelbarrow
the quarter of a mile back and forth
from the log cabins to the new abode
with the poor possessions Of her revered
missionary.
Mary had no fear OF any man. and
on more than one occasion gave some
concern to the Fathers. A new mission
was 70 be opened at Arlee, and the
laborers destined for the new field
set out in the mission wagon. A short
distance from the scene Of the de-
parture one Of the horses tried TO
break loose and cracked a single-tree.
The horses had to be changed. Mary
was on the scene and soon trouble
arose between herself and the hired
man. It IS said he made a face at
Mary, she threw stone at him, and
there was fight at hand. Father An
dreis put an end to 1t and sent the
man back to work. A few months later
she had a dispute with another hired
man and this time guns were used.
Freighted for Mission
Mary did the freighting for the mis-
sion and often spent the night on the
prairie fighting her way through a
storm and sometimes In great danger
One night a pack of wolves frightened
her team the horses upset the load.
and she stayed guard all night over
the precious cargo destined for her
dear missionaries. A blizzard overlook
her on one trip, the road was lost to
sight, so Mary walked back and forth
all night to keep from freezing TO
death
Black Mary lived a happy 10 years
at the mission when a great sorrow
came to her. The bishop had heard
complaints about her and wrote to the
Sisters to send that black woman
away" Great was their grief, but
bishops must be obeyed This loyal
friend had to be sent from her dearly
loved mission. Mary was a fighter, as
nj in
testify It was even whispered around,
Mary Fields can lick two men," Mary
departed with just Indignation and
made her way to Helena to see the
bishop and as she said, Make him
bring witnesses to swear TO what they
have said against me-" We should like
to hear an account Of the interview
the bishop and Black Mary.
Evidently the bishop won, for Mary
left the mission. She did not go far,
however. Through the help of friends
she secured from the government the
position of mail carrier between Cas-
cade and st. Peters. Each day she
made her triumphal entry into the
mission seated on top of the mail coach
dressed in a mans hat and coat and
huge cigar.
Returns to Sacramento
Mary watched over the arrival and
departure Of Sisters and children TO
and from the mission One day she
was thrown from the mail coach and
arrived at st. Peters IN a pitiful con-
dition. The Sisters used the occasion
10 remind her that she must return to
the Sacraments, for she had not been
such fervent Christian since she had
eft the mission.
Mary went to confession. The next
morning the penitent appeared, not
1t the church door in sack cloth and
ashes, but In the front pew dressed
Tor the occasion IN a long white veil.
High Mass was sung to commemorate
Mary's return to God.
Black Mary died In 1914. The bishop
S dead: the missionaries have left. I
Mary lies by the winding road that /
eads to her dear old mission.
nwuA cxrDr xxrx N warm