The Evil They Do

Posted on by Chris Enss
An e-newsletter announcing the upcoming launch of the Elizabeth Custer book entitled None Wounded, None Missing, All Dead will be sent out tomorrow morning. I’ll be in Missouri by the time the particulars of the tome reach readers, which is just as well because I’ve done nothing but worry about the material for months now. I’ve spent years working on the book and enjoyed getting to know Elizabeth Custer. It was amusing to learn how unimpressed she was with the Boy General when she first met him. “I don’t care for him except as an escort,” she wrote one of her friends. “He just passed the house and I couldn’t forbear making a sketch of him for you.” Of course, her feelings changed as time went on. Elizabeth was a great champion of his always, but I believe George did break her heart on more than one occasion. As I mentioned, I won’t be in my office this week to receive any comments that might come in about the book. I’ll be in Missouri visiting family and sorting through the most recent information discovered about my brother. After more than six years, people are coming forward to say what they know. It grieves me that this news has come so late, but most everything about this situation has grieved me. It will ultimately help Rick and that’s the goal. My heart rejoices in the information while my mind is thinking, “My Heavenly Father, what evil people there are in this world. What kind of mind could construct such  lies and continue on?” T.S. Eliot has the answer. “Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don’t mean to do harm – but the harm does not interest them.” I believe those that have caused such harm will be interested enough in the weeks to come. I believe Elizabeth Custer felt the same way about the women she knew George had been involved. Those ladies didn’t mean to do harm – but the harm did not interest them. Elizabeth made sure that at the very least it made them uncomfortable. I hope for that concerning my brother – a good man in a cell suffering with tremors brought on by Parkinson’s, brought on by a violent act that left him near dead. But wait…I almost forgot…there’s no interest in the harm they do. I shall try to avoid these soulless creatures the entire time I’m the area. It’s what Elizabeth would have done and I think it was a wise decision. Please do let me know your thoughts about the upcoming title I’d like to hear from you. My email address is gvcenss@aol.com   And please give a listen to the interview I did for the syndicated radio show Chronicle of the Old West about the Elizabeth Custer book. You can access the show on the home page of my site.