Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-11-06

uetner0uS oilers or marriage 10 hef, 10
ma Of whom she answered mo"
adFrank Gilmore was a northern man,
lmded to his being a mechanic, caused
lFellie's people TO look down upon him
rnd not to regard him rs n suitable
match for her. hence her affection for
ank was o encouraged by any Of
arr family. This made Nellie more
aodent in return for the warm, earnest
hive at her feet.
Frank was II Union man, which at
that time was sufficient to socially or
t~racises a more influential pers in
that community, hence all knowledge
of the secret working of the Knights OF
the Golden Circle-that had its net
work all over the then proud boast of
the people of Galloway county, The
South Carolina of Missouri"-was care
fully kept from Nellie, her people
knowing well that secrets between low
ers are difficult to keep.
Time sped on, the spring of 81
came, and with it the rumblings OF
coming trouble, but to Nellie and
Frank al things seemed peaceable.
The war cloud that hung around every
household was hid from their view by
| the beautiful curtains Of their Young
love, behind which they walked in
blissful ignorance.
In the midst of this condition of
seeming peace. and while the chaldron
of sectional passions was on the eve of
raining destruction on the entire
try, Frank led Nellie to the altar of
God, where for good or i'll their for
tunes were united.
The young men of the town wished
them joy, but with Unsurpassed dis
appointment, on account of the belle of
the district being taken from them by
the doubly Objectionable fellow" a
mechanic and IA Union man.
Her parents reluctantly gave their
consent, but by their actions vIsibly
relegated her to the position of a loved
one who married beneath her station.
and to "A hated Union man But
Nellie and Frank were happy, and saw
not the dark clouds that lowered over
their destiny.
The war of passions which separated
section from section, brother from
brother. and marked n line east and
west from the Atlantic to the Rocky
Mountains, soon invaded F. Lin
coin was seated in the presidential
chair, followed by the firing on Fort
Sumter. When the news reached
r, all %pretensions of secrecy were
thrown aside, men spoke ont. old mus
kets and rifles were brought forth, and
the heretofore peaceable citizens seemed
TO vie with one another in the pride
they took in shouldering their engines
OF destruction. The Union men were
few and the disunion sentiment pre-
dominated to an overwhelming extent.
Frank Gilmorc's position was any
thing but enyiable, and his personal
safety was hourly getting more insecure.
A GOODNESS toward him, not heretofore
visible, seemed to pervade the com
munity-a suspicious watching and
secret whispering, a silence whenever
he joined "A group of his former COM
panions, gradually awakened him from
his dream of security, when one day "a
horseman covered with dust, and the
horse white with foam, rode into town
and announced that General Lyon had
made war on 'Missouri's sacred soil"
That was the match that set fire to
the already inilammed 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 u hasty consultation
with his young wife, he kissed her,
babe her %good-by, and at midnight quiz
city slipped out of town to make his
way to where General Lyon was or
ganizing to defend the Union.
In Il few weeks and for several
months thereafter the entire district
was in complete possession of the
rebels, so that Nellie knew nothing of
the fate of her husband. She prayed
and hoped that the father of her I'M
born babe would reach his destination
in safety. but heard not II word from
him until Mulligan and his brigade
swept over the northern part of the
state and opened an avenue for the
mail service. With the first lot of let
ters that reached F came one, sew
eral weeks old, from Frank Gilmore,
informing her that he had reached st,
Louis and wa wearing the uniform Of
an American soldier.
After this she did not hear Il word
from him for Il year and a half, until
General Price had been driven into Ar
kansas and ,he Union troops had again
taken possession of that part of the
state. Then it was that another letter
reached Nellie informing her that her
dear husband still lived and was pro-
noted to be Il captain; further, he in
formed her that after nearly two years
service in the field, he was granted two
weeks furlough, and in two days he
hoped TO be again with Ter.
Nellie kissed her first born babe, now
nine months old. 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
waited his return. He had come by
STAGE tn Jefferson fity and arrived