The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-07-22
A BEAUTIFUL GIRL UNION SPY,
Exciting Career OF Major Pauline ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Scene the
Might She Toasted Jeff Davis and the South in a Louisiana Theater.


OF the small band of women who
were of material assistance in the "se,
cret' branch of the governments work
there were none more faithful, more
efhclent and more worthy of the grate-
full remembrance of her countrymen
than one who sleeps, u~ndisturbed by
the war alarms of the present, in the
Grand Army plat of the City cemetery
IN a Francisco.
Pauline Cushman' this heroine lik-
ed to be called, even in the latter days
when another name was hers by right,
for 1t was as Pauline Cushman that
she Won popularity in her youth and
afterward distinguished herself by her
devotion to her country in its hour of
need. And best of all did she k
to be addressed by her rightful title
of major, since she earned her COM
mission-signed by the martyred Lin
coin himself-by deeds of daring which
gained her at the time not only the
admiration of the army Of the Cum
berland, to which she was attached,
but of the entire country as we'll.
Pauline Cushman was born in New
Orleans in 1888. Her father was a
Spanish refugee of excellent family and
her mother a French creole, noted for
her grace n beauty even in that city
of graceful and beautiful women. From
her parents she inherited the charms
of face n figure, the ardent, impul-
SlVe, emotional temperament, the bril-
liancy of intellect n the fascination
of name which particularly fitted
her for the role she was destined to
play in the drama of the preservation
of our union.
An early remOVal to Grand Rapids,
Mich, rave Pauline the advantage OF
a childhood and youth spent annie
surroundings which developed the lat
ent force of her character and so
strengthened her physically hat the
delicate southern born girl soon rivaled
her northern mates in vigorous health.
Carefully educated and enVirOned by
the somewhat irksOme though entirely
loving Watchfulness characteristic OF
high-class southern households, the
elf-like child grew into girlhood so
beautiful that she became the envy of
her girl friends and an anxiety to those
who loved her best. She early showed
an Impotence of control and an indie
pendence of spirit which marked her
strong individuality, and when she ar
rived at the age is a girlish rebellion
occurred against domestic rules n
regulations.
Quite against the wishes of her right
full guardians, who shrank from the
idea Of a public career for their idol.
kASu llSl, AAlSo ll1SlolOu
upon entering the theatrical profess
sion, for which she felt herself partic-
ularly fitted. Being fortunate enough
to find a manager who recognized and
appreciated her ~undoubted talent, she
was soon advance to- the front rank
of vaudeville actresses, depending upon
her southern birth to gain her the ini-
tial good will of her audiences, made
many trips along the southern circuit
of that day and established herself as
a prime %favorite with the theater-going
public on the lower side of what was
afterward known as Mason INC Dixon's
line.
When war was declared Miss Cush-
mar was paying a successful engage-
ment through the Middle M Western
states, but went south the mex year.,
playing in those cities which had not
as yet ranged themselves openly n
boldly on the side of the confederacy.
Having always, for professional rea>
sons, made a boast of her southern
birth. the charming actress was sup
posed to be at heart al adherent OF
the stars and Bars and in every
town where she appeared she attracted
around her a circle of southern SYM
pathizers who delighted in showing her
all possible attention in public and
private and doing everything in their
power to prove their admiration of her
ant 10i supposed -.
In March. 1868, came the turning
point in Pauline Cushman's life. Here
tofore she had been only an ordinarily
successful actress, earning a good SAL
airy and living in careless ease, cOurted,
fattered and envied as those who are
young beautiful and fortunate always
are. She a never experienced a hard
ship or known a real rouble; her ways
had all been ways OF ~pleaSantneSS n
she had lived like a butterfly in one
long day Of sunshine.
strange was it not. tina she should
turn from all this to brave dangers the
thought of which might we'll cause
st~out-hearted men to hesitate before
facing them? That she should of her
own free will give up her career, her
luxuries, her fattering friends, all per-
sonal comfort and all real assurance of
personal safety, to become a scout and
spy for the Union forces, for the SIM
pie, but to her sufficient, reason that
she felt that her country needed just
the special work that she could do bet
ter than any one else who could, at
that time, be secured?
She knew that in entering this work
she braved more han the possibility of
a shameful death, for the sOutherners,
though chivalrous, were never merci-
full to spies. But her patriot soul look
ed above all this at the starry banner
that she loved, and so gazing she for
got all but the fact that she was need
ed to help hold it aloft.
There are those alive today who re-
member we'll the night when Pauline
Cushman made her dramatic exit from
the scene of her many triumphs. She
a been playing a long engagement
at Woods theater, Louisville, and had
had a brilliantly successful season, both
socially and professionally. The city
was full Of carefully repressed seces-