Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-07-17

done let you sleep all dis time! An all
de chillun done dressed and gone. No,
chile, it's late, and eff you don't hurry
d'aint no brekfus' for you dis morn
ing But there was, rs usual, my own
special meal waiting for NE, graced
with the solitary piece of butter which
had been saved for the delicate one, SO
ungrudgingly given that it never oc
Cured to the other children that their
poor sorghum was plain fare.
And SO we children went to our
mornings play. Soon the bursting Of
the bombs came 10 drown orr childish
cries. We were hurried into our
homes, and to scene after scene of
such terror rs even now comes WILDLY
before me.
One by ONE the houses in our neigh
borhood took fire from sparks which
flew thick and fast before a strong
wind. Ours alone was saved, and that
alone by the bravery and resolution of
my aunt, who spread with her own
lovely hands blankets all over the Hat
roof and her saturated them with
water, which was supplied to her by
mother and such of the elder children
as could be trusted to do such work.
We boasted an underground kitchen
to our house which, at such a time we
thought specially safe, and here we
finally collected. being REINFORCED by
terrified neighbors who were without
any such stronghold. until we num-
bered forty.
The terror stricken servants went
from o TO room seeking courage
from the two brave mistresses. My
aunt, until quite late in the day, kept
her place On the roof. My mother was
in twenty places at once-ordering, re-
buking, comforting and now and then
finding time to come to us in crowded
kitchen with words Of cheer or a smiA
of sympathy. The hours crept by, IN
minutes kept by the booming shell, the
dense gray smoke rs of Il fog over all,
but no enemy was ~scen-hardly a crea-
turc upon the streets.
Ii was by this time 3 o'clock. We
were all dazed by the long suspense,
the frightful bursting of shells ut the
armory. not five blocks away, followed
by the death-like silence. Every win
dow in the house was broken. NV
mothers cyeSight was permanently in
iured by the effects of the conclusion.
suddenly the long expected cry of The
Yankees" was brought to us by Il ter
ror-stricken negro. No one quite knew
what was To be feared. but the terror
was none the less real because 81
vag1lt.
The Yankees were coming. Surely
enough they were ~coming-a gallant
and gay company of cavalry. cantering
up the street. Our house was large
and conspicuous, and by the time the
cavalcade reached it my aunt was at
the door. There she stood, calm and
stately, her grand figure and diiini-
fed gentlcncss n tit protection
for the frightened children hiding be-
hind her skirts and tho bcwildercd
negro faces in the background. What
a picture of quiet bravery she made?
Child as | was | looked up at her with
a wondering awe and thought she must
be like the great Joan Of Are. the hero
inc of my small stock of learning. She
stood on the portico, between two
tail pillars, at the top of the high
steps. and signed to the leader OF the
band to come to her.
''Sir," my aunt said. with what win
ming grace and dignity | have no words
to describe, Il see that you are "A gen
tleman. We are Il household of help
less women and children. and | desire
from you some guard or protection
such rs may not prove less courteous
than yourself"
MADAM" he answered, standing
bare-headed before her, Il will gladly
leave you one of my mon until / can
see the commandaut and provide You
with a permanent guard. And per-
NIT me to say, madam, that if the
women of Louisiana had shown your
courtesy and consideration for our
feelings there would have been fewer
outrages."
He left an orderly who proved use
fnl in helping rs TO patch windows,and
and more useful still in allaying our
fears. He checrfully slept in the cold
front hail. there being no vacant room,
and bore with admirable patience the
AIRS and graces Of nine impulsive, one-
sided children. He actually made
friends with the boys sufficiently to in
duce them TO accept II knife apiece
rare and highly valuable articles. /
must add, however, that this conduct
toward the boys met with such hearty
disappr0val from the rest or US AS to
send them to Coventry.
So the day which had threatened
the horrors of war ended in peace. The
peace of defeat, not of victory. it is
true, but at least with the as
uranc that there was an
end tt battle and murder il
not to sudden death. And for
this / think wen the brave spirit of my
unit was thankful, remembering the
two dear ones away-God alone knew
whcre-and the terrible day that has
brought many a silver streak to her
locks. a few days aftor tho roads
were open to travel.