| Author: | Rebecca Matthews | ISBN: | 9781540170842 |
| Publisher: | Rebecca Matthews | Publication: | June 3, 2019 |
| Imprint: | Language: | English |
| Author: | Rebecca Matthews |
| ISBN: | 9781540170842 |
| Publisher: | Rebecca Matthews |
| Publication: | June 3, 2019 |
| Imprint: | |
| Language: | English |
In December 1864, Ellen Conklin and her three daughters are struggling to survive in war-torn Southern Georgia when a critically wounded Union soldier unexpectedly arrives on their door step. They offer him charitable aid and as he slowly recovers they discover that he is a renegade derelict who has preyed upon helpless women throughout the South. It soon becomes obvious he has no inclination to leave or assist the women with the taxing manual labor required to keep body and soul together. They have become hostages in their own home.
A Union company arrives and sets up camp on their property to await joining General Sherman in his March to the Sea. Their leader, Captain Jeremy Campbell is smitten with the middle daughter, Celeste, who shows exceptional beauty, bravery and strength of character in helping his sharp shooters take out the deviant charlatan.
Although Celeste's head warns her against starting an ill-fated romance with an officer of enemy forces but her heart refuses to listen, and by the time the Union soldiers move on, the young Captain carries all the love of her heart with him. He swears to return for her at war's end.
When word of the end of the war comes, she anxiously waits for the love of her life to reappear. Finally he returns drastically changed from when she last saw him, but their feelings are as strong as ever. They quickly marry and he takes up residence in what remains of th eproud Conklin home. Ellen is a bitter widow, who has also lost 3 sons to the Yankees and she cannot abide a Yankee living under her roof, even if he is the one her daughter has chosen to love. They find it impossible to live in such hostile surroundings and decide their future lies in the wide open plains of the West.
A new set of problems and challenges find them their glorious hopes and dreams dry up and blow away in the ceaseless winds of the Kansas territory. Discouragement, drought, pestilence and plague, trememndous loss, even death assail them. These are the men and women who founded the area known as the 'Bread Basket of the World'. A stout-hearted people who braved Indians, the elements and unimaginable perils to create a life and livelihood from the stubborn sod of the Great American Desert.
In December 1864, Ellen Conklin and her three daughters are struggling to survive in war-torn Southern Georgia when a critically wounded Union soldier unexpectedly arrives on their door step. They offer him charitable aid and as he slowly recovers they discover that he is a renegade derelict who has preyed upon helpless women throughout the South. It soon becomes obvious he has no inclination to leave or assist the women with the taxing manual labor required to keep body and soul together. They have become hostages in their own home.
A Union company arrives and sets up camp on their property to await joining General Sherman in his March to the Sea. Their leader, Captain Jeremy Campbell is smitten with the middle daughter, Celeste, who shows exceptional beauty, bravery and strength of character in helping his sharp shooters take out the deviant charlatan.
Although Celeste's head warns her against starting an ill-fated romance with an officer of enemy forces but her heart refuses to listen, and by the time the Union soldiers move on, the young Captain carries all the love of her heart with him. He swears to return for her at war's end.
When word of the end of the war comes, she anxiously waits for the love of her life to reappear. Finally he returns drastically changed from when she last saw him, but their feelings are as strong as ever. They quickly marry and he takes up residence in what remains of th eproud Conklin home. Ellen is a bitter widow, who has also lost 3 sons to the Yankees and she cannot abide a Yankee living under her roof, even if he is the one her daughter has chosen to love. They find it impossible to live in such hostile surroundings and decide their future lies in the wide open plains of the West.
A new set of problems and challenges find them their glorious hopes and dreams dry up and blow away in the ceaseless winds of the Kansas territory. Discouragement, drought, pestilence and plague, trememndous loss, even death assail them. These are the men and women who founded the area known as the 'Bread Basket of the World'. A stout-hearted people who braved Indians, the elements and unimaginable perils to create a life and livelihood from the stubborn sod of the Great American Desert.
