Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-07-22
ADcserter,s Fate

An old resident OF Nashville relst
this romance to writer in the N. :.
vile American: "In the town Of I
coin, ILL.,, before the war, Their erss;a.
a young man named j. ]. Sear;,ki
who for sometime engaged in the .,
Gerry and provision business in ns,;|
nership with William b. Harlow +,
der the firm name of Harlow 4 e
right. 1t was one of the largest 4,
wealthiest firms in that section g.
the members thereof were both pons
lar leaders in the social and po.iiSes
circles of their country. When 3
war broke out both partners decals3
on volunteering in the Union ar
but as Harlow was man of farnilsz
mutual compromise was affectS
and Starlight alone donned the al
of soldier. Heenlisted in acomna,
forming in Logan county for the ihisz
ty-second Regiment of Illinois inianfrs
and received O lieutenant's cop,n,Is
sion. Generally esteemed an err
lent officer, he seemed to have brji:
liant career OF military service nd
before him. At the battle Of Bein,oni{
Mo, he was with General Grant. an
was noted for conspicuous gallantryS
when Grant fought the battle n
Shiloh he again distinguished hirnseIl
and soon after was promoted to +
captaincy. In this latter engaeempn5|
he Voc quite severely wounded, and
by permission went back to his IlIinos1
home on furlough. Meanwhile his res|3
ment had been attached to Geners<
Buels army, and was then on dntj5
either in middle Tennessee ornorthers
Alabama, and Captain Starlight, aitsI|
a few weeks at home, came throusA|
Nashville to join his regiment at I'll
front. In an unluckv hour he net Il
young lady OF rebel proclivities, buf
extremely beautiful, at her home neaS
Nashville. She was reputed to be i,u]
mensely wealthy, and was in full pos
session OF her property, having yeai|
or two before attained her majority. I
"Would it be proper to tell thenamS|
OF the fair rebel?" inquired the anxiz
Gus listener.
NO" responded the old gentlenaaJ
"but on the other hand quite improp1
er, as subsequent events will prove
Suffice it to say, they met and loved
All the time that the captain could
spare from his duties, and be frequent.
ly importuned his colonel for ieapaS
of absence, every moment he could, b
spent in the society of the charming
secesh siren, as his brother officers
called her, and she as eagerly returned
his burning passion. Captain Searight
time and again offered his resignation.
He wished to leave the tented fields
and dwell in the rosy bowsrs
of love, but, unlike his love, it was
not accepted. Love at length. how
ever, conquered all his scrupulo6s
opinions of duty TO the flag OF BE
country. He grew desperate He DE-
serted, and succeeded in escaping be-
you'd the federal lines with his fair ca.
shaved. She leaving home and frieads
and property for his sake, and he sUr.
rendered honor and loyalty to tie
cause he had sworn to protect. An.
rived within the confederated lines the
seriousness of the situation began to
dawn upon the mind OF both of them.
Ii the fortunes of war should thros
him into the hands ofthe United States
authorities, he would certainly %
hanged as a traitor, and his wife would
possibly suffer as a participant in his
crime. They determined to leave The
country. From Atlanta they went
to Charleston From the blockade
to Nassau, where they took British
vessel bound for Havana.
But their happiness was short-lived,
and in the end turned to bitterness.
And now you will see why it was bed
to suppress the lady's name, for ths
following extract, published in the
Lincoln en- Herald in July, 1885
and which / pasted in my scrap book
gives the sequai to the sad romance
"By letter to this Office We learn
that Captain Starlight, whose dsser
ton from the army and elopemeni
with a secesh belle we published iasl
winter, was lately killed in duel by q
Spanish officer, near Havana, in Gu
ba. 1t appears that this woman, e:
whom he abandoned fame and fortuHs
had, In turn, deserted him and flet
with a captain in the Spanish army
Captain Starlight shortly after met tn
destroyer of his happiness in coffee
house and knocked him down. y
course the proud Spaniard cous:
not brook this insult; ne challenges
Starlight, who gladly accepted, as b
WAS weary of life They met OF
the seaside, about two miles from tn
city of Havana, and there Searigh'
fell, pierced to the heart by his adyer
sary's bullet. Thus untimely has fall
EN- one who fought well and nobly To-
his country, till in an evil hour he me
one who seduced him from the patl
OF honor and duty, and through ne
agency the star OF his life has SET .
blood. The Spaniard and the fair fals
one with O demons heart have fed y
the Isle of Pines"