The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-07-01
A WAR ROMANCE,


Buchanan, in BOuletOurt county, Vir-
ginia, nesting high in the Blue Ridge
mountains, in a valley formed by loft
Ter peaks, is one of the little towns
which experienced an abnormal inla-
ton during the boom which visited the
state, followed by such ignominious re-
suits as are described by AesOp in his
narrative of the ambitious frog. It's
grass-groWn b~oulevards, silent factories
and building lots are mute reminders
of the vanity of human aspirations
when reared upon an insufficient foun-
dation. One loves about them with
a sense OF melancholy as among the
corpses of dead hopes. The chimerical
feature of the little village lies west of
it's inhabited portion.
TO the east of 1t a few blackened,
-apidly diminishing ruins tell Of it's past.
The town is situated on the right bank
of the James river, and a bridge which
spanned the stream at this point was
fired by McCausland in his retreat be-
fore Averill in 1864, the flames from
which, communicating with adjacent
buildings, had wrought this work of
destruction. The only authenticated ro-
nance of tie war which has come to
my knowledge grew out of the union
generals ten days halt there, but sit
with me on the Verandah of the old
fashioned brick house, which stands or
the main street of the village, and listen
to the story as 1 heard it from the lips
of the aged h~ousekeeper of it's heroine.
"a generation" the old lady began,
"has been born and has reached matur-
ity since that Inc day in 1864, and yet I
recall its events with far more vividness
than the happenings Of yesterday. I
have only to close my eyes to see again
the little band of confederates, faint
with fasting n fatigue, as they pass
ed along the street yonder. The villag-
ers had ri1ed their smoke houses and
pantries in preparation for their COM
ing. AS they neared this house, Mil
dred, Colonel C%arrington's young
daughter, and I stood at the gate and
distributed the contents Of two immense
baskets among them; and when these
were exhausted our W frugal dinner
was taken from the fire and distributed
to those who were still unsupplied.
Then, breathless with anxiety, for they
were holly pursued by the enemy, we
watched them until the last retreating
form was swallowed up in the distance.
1t was well that they had lost no time,
for at this moment Averill, arriving at
the opposite side of the river, and sup
posing them still in range, opened his
battery upon the town. A large cellar
extends beneath this house, and our
terror-stricken neighbors and ourselves
sought refuge in it, for shot ratified
around us like hail, and shells burst in
our very midst. How long the can
nonading continued 1 cannot say but
when the union general discovered that
it was directed only against helpless
women and children and not less help
less old men, it ceased, n we emerged
from u hiding place. AS we did Sc
the roar and crackle of blazing timbers
met our ears. and black ascending
smoke clouds, issuing from the lower
end of the village, told us that it was
in flames.
"The town is on fire, Catherine Mil
bred cried, wringing her hands. oh
think how many will be made homeless
and destitute! Then, a sudden resolve
Selling her, I will go to them! h x
claimed. Who knows what service
may be able to render
"tDon't! I implored, putting fortf
both hands to detain her. Think of the
risk you run. Think of my anxiety II
regard to you!
"'Kittie,' she said, turning back fol
an instant and lifting her beautiful
earnest face to mine, neither your fear:
nor my own should prevent me doing
an evident duty. Besides, you must no
be anxious about me. I am strong anC
dCIltO, III WILL VIC WHY Ian
with sudden anguish in her voice, oh
these are precious, precious moments
am wasting and so saying h tor
herself from me n was gone.
"I had taken her, with her sister, al
infant of a few hours, as a dying be
quest from their mother just four years
before. The weight of the responsible!
had never borne so heavily upon me a.
now, however, with their father ava!
in the army, and Mildred bursting int
a lovely flower, into WOmanhood, and a.
she sped away down the street and dis
appeared behind the drab smoke curtain
which parted to receive her, l stoot
leaning upon the gate to watch for he
return.
"At this moment the sound of clat
tering hoofs smote upon my ear, an
a union soldier, his horse white will
foam, dashed past me, f~ourishing
glittering sword in the air. He ha'
discovered a ford at the opposite en'
of the village and was the first fedora
to enter the town. The rest soon fol
lowed. They had gathered bouquet
Of the mountain ivy, with which tn
woods were just then f~estooned, las
tening them to h ends OF their payo
nets.
A they passed down the street, tn
hand at their head playing Hail Colum
hia.' They looked like a moving par
terre, but I scarcely needed them Il
my agony, for how was h to max
her wayback to me through this thron'
of hostile soldiery. After what seeme'
to me to be hours Of wretched waiting
saw the CLEAN OF a white dress ann
tho uniformed ranks, and Mildred VIII
d~ou,rcast ewes and blanched cheeKs