San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-03-06

EY SIGISMUND.


thing but enviabe. and his personal
safety was hourly getting more inse-
cure. \ GOODNESS toward him. not here
tOfOre visible, seemed to peryade the
community, a suspicious watching and
secret whispering, a silence whenever
he joined a group of his former com
paniOns, gradually awakening him
from his dream Of security when, one
day a hOrSeman covered with dust and
the horse white with foam, rode i'll to
town and announced that Gen. Lyon
had made war on "MissOurl'S sacred
soil"
That was the match that set fire to
the already innamed passions of the
people. The next day all able-bodied
young men organized to fight for the
cause of the South.
Frank was called upon to join the
ranks. His principles would not per
NIT him. So after hasty consultation
with his young wife, lie kissed her, babe
her goodbye and at midnight quietly
Slipped out of town to make his way to
where Gen. Lyon was organizing to de-
fend the union.
In a few weeks and for several
months thereafter that entire district
was in complete possession of the rebels,
all communication being cut off so that
Nellie knew nothing of the fate of her
husband. She prayed and hoped that
the father of her unborn babe would
reach his destination in safety, but
heard not word from him, until Null
ligan and his brigade swept over the
northern part of the state and opened
an avenue for the mail service. With
the first lot of letters that reached
=. came one several weeks old
from Frank Gilmore to his wife inform
ing her that he had reached st. Louis,
and was wearing the uniform of an
American soldier.
. After this she did not hear a word
from him for Il year and a half, until
Cen Price had been driven into Ar
kansas. and the union troops had again
taken possession of that part of the
state. Then il was that another letter
reached Nellie informing her that her
dear husband stll lived and was pro-
NOTED to a Captain; further he inform
ed her that after nearly two years ser
vice in the field. he WAS granted two
weeks furlougE and in three days he
hoped to be again with her.
Nellie kissed her first born babe, now
nine months cid, knelt down and while
the tears rolled down her cheeks, she
alternately Rugged her babe and thank
ed God, for His mercy in preserving its
father in all the danger he passed
through. Frank in the meantime made
haste to reach his home, where next to
his country, the dearest object in life
awaited his return. lie had come by
stage to Jefferson City and arrived
there early in the morning. So impa-
tient was he to reach home that he did
not wait the departure of the regular
stage to F. in the afternoon, but
Immediately after breakfast he hired
horse and saddle and started alone on
the road to r, a distance of II
miles.
1t was midsummer. the day promised
to be hot, which. with his desire to
reach home caused him to travel as fast
as his horse could go in safety. To the
right and left of the road he saw the
evidences of the destruction of war in
the dismantled farm houses, farms 90
ing to weeds and the many mOccupied
hamlets, the inhabitants of which had
been driven, some to towns, others into
the army, while still others had follow
ed the fortunes of their principles and
went North or South as circumstances
forced them to do. Nothingof import
ance occurred to Frank until lie came to
the cross roads one of which led up to
r some half a mile farther north.
Here while he was drinking in scenes
that were familiar to him, and which
had but little changed. he was pOunced
upon by a dozen of Quantrall's gang,
who had hid themselves behindthe Osaeg-
orange hedge that lined the roadside
and waited to see who the lone horse
man was.
When they found ont ii was Union
officer a hilarious shout went up to
hang the Yankee invader" which was
almost done as soon as said and the
gang left the body Of Frank Gilmore
hanging almost within the sound of the
voice of his wife 9nd baby.
In the afternoon the news that man
was hanging from the limb of Il tree
dOwnat the crossroads brought acrOwd
from the town more in curiosity. than
pity, as it was no unusual sight at the
time. and none dreamed that it was
their old tOWnsmnn Frank Gilmore.
Nellie learning that QuaHtrtli gang
had hung another Union sOlde went
with the crowd to look on the remains
of the latest victim of the terrible pas
siOns aroused by the Civil Var. Itnev-
er entered her mind that she was going
to look on the face of her babes father,
hence, although having much sympa-
thy for all her husbands comrades, her
feelings were wandering to the far
north in pity for wife. mother or sister
who waited the coming of one soldier
that would never return. and wonder
ing why God permitted so gTeata sacri-
fee.
As she was approaching the place
where the dead body hung. some person