MRS. ADELAIDE RIDEOUT RIGGS.
A beautiful life has gone out from our work, taking from it one who was loved and admired by the Indian people as well as by her fellow-workers.
Mrs. Riggs was born in 1867 in Dorset, Vt., graduating in 1887 from the Western Reserve Seminary, and after spending two years in Bradford Academy, Mass., she came as a teacher to the Santee School, Nebraska, where she made herself exceedingly useful and was afterward employed by Dr. Riggs as his secretary. In 1893 she was married to Mr. Frederick B. Riggs and took a trip with him upon the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Reservations, camping out and sharing the hardship of such travel. Failing health led to the employment of the best medical advice, and in November, 1894, she went to New Mexico to escape the rigors of the climate of Nebraska, where it seemed impossible that she could live through the winter. But in spite of all that could be done, Mrs. Riggs passed away March 12, 1895. She was admirably fitted for her work and full of enthusiasm for it. It seemed[pg 170] as if her usefulness had just begun, but God had prepared her for another and more glorious field.
The funeral service of Mrs. Riggs was held on Sunday afternoon, March 24, at Santee, Neb. The simple exercises were conducted by Rev. Mr. Dwin, Superintendent of the Government School, and Pastor Ehnamani. The latter is the venerable Indian pastor of the church at Santee. He referred feelingly to Mrs. Riggs giving her life to the work among his people and of her desire to be buried among those whom she loved.