The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1878-07-13
Why IN Indian Princess was Returned
to Her Tribo-A Texas Story.

An Austin, Tex, correspondent of the
st. Louis Globe Democrat says:
Among the old settlers of Texas
those who were here at the time of the
revolution of 18S5-there are Indian
legends and stories of the gentle red
skins enough still af1oat to make vol
umes OF matter, more sensational than
all the imaginary fiction of yellow-cov-
cred dime novels. One of these is con-
nected with the early history of the now
thriving interior City of Waco, central
Texas. In 1884 it was but a small
frontier hamlet, still subject to incur
sions of the red barbarians, Just as Ban
dera and Mason counties are at the
present day. While the settlement Of
waco County was going on, and in one
OF the frequent skirmishes between the
whites and their copper-colored breth-
rem, there fell into the hands of the
"pale-faces - an Indian Princess.
1t turned out she was the daughter of
the old chief, or Big Medicine, of the
Comancbes, then as now, the most war
like of the rowing tribes of the star
Southwest. In the Indian tongue her
name was Na-ho-ta-ish, but the very
respectable family of white settlers re-
siding in the neighborhood Of the pres
ent City of Waco bestowed upon the
little waif the more civilized appellatiOn
of Maria. At the time of her capture
she was but Z years of age, that event
having occurred in 1888, two years after
the battle of San Jacinto, so celebrated
in Texas history and Texas tradition.
The family with whom the little Indian
girl found home was one of some re-
tinement, if not wealth. While under
the protecting shadow of its roof Ma
hO-ta-ish forgot her native tongue, learn
ed that of her captors, and grew up in
all the ways, habits customs, manners,
knowledge, and tastes of the white peo-
pie. At the date to which this brief
notice refers, and at the age of II, the
lost Comanche Princess displayed all,
the characteristics of face, form, and
disposition that belongs to her race. OF
figure slight, yet graceful; the coal.
black tresses in wild profusion, and
tossed by the gulf winds, floated over her
childish shoulders, shading girlish but
imperial brow; her eyes were dark as
midnight, and in their depths still slept
something of the savage ferOcity of her
proud ancestry; an aquiline nose over
looked lips beautifully curved as those
OF statues. Hers was the glance of the
eagle, the scowl of the savage, and the
loneliness of the Venus de Medicis
blended. She became strongly attached
to the family in which she was raised,
and was by her white friends treated as
a sister. But the ties of friendship had
to be broken and forever.
Gen. Sam Houston, the old hero of
San Jacinto, the father of Texas, and
her Governor at the time indicated,
found it necessary, as matter of State
policy, in some way or other to appease
the ruthless Comanches, who were then
quite troublesome to the young and
short-lived republic. Gen. Houston,
who had himself passed much of his life
among the Indians, with his usual sa-
gscity, hit upon the expedient of return
ing the lost Indian Princess to her
father, who still lived as the chief of his
tribe, the Comanches. Col. Eldridge,
"A prominent citizen of the republic, was
selected as Commissioner to carry out
the design and thus propitiate the red
skins. Col. Eldridge selected such as
sistants Us ne deemed necessary, and,
seating Na-ho-ta-ish on beautiful little
pony with elegant saddle and trappings,
procured especially for the occasion, the
party of pale faces and their hitler pris-
oner set out on their errand. But it was
with great grief and many tears she
quilted the home of her youth. Com
ing into the tribe of the 4" Wacos, more
friendly than the Comanches, an escort
and guides were obtained from the
former.
After a journey of two weeks the par
ty arrived at the camp of the Comanche
chief on the great plains bordering on
the Rio Pecos. Col. Eldridge, having
in view the object of the expedition,
caused the prisoner to be attired as ele-
gantly as possible in a calico dress,
while her face was stained with red
paint and a tiara of prairie roses sur
rounded her fair young head. 1t was
State occasion, and council was held
in the wigwam of the old chief, who, ar.
rayed in all the solemnity of moccasins,
silver earrings, snake-bone necklaces,
feathers, tattoo, and paint, sat amid a
circle of grim-visaged warriors. Tie
pale-faced chief, through an interpreter,
informed the august assemblage of his
purposes and presented to the chief his
own long-lost daughter. But Ma ho-ta-
ish, who, like her white sisters, had
been raised up to fear and dread the In
dams, shrunk from her savage parent
with deep, childish, and unfeigned hor-
ror. She shrank back behind Col.
Eldridge, screamed, with the tears roll
ing down her girlish cheeks, and be-
sought the Colonel to take her back to
her home among the pale-faces. The
old chief leaned up against the poles of
his lodge, his brow like thundercloud,
while his warriors shrugged Their shoul-
ders, and grunted with stoical indiffer-
ence to the evident distress of the daugh-
ter of their chief.
The old Comanche chief informed |
Col. Eldridge he had better take Na-ho-
ta-ish back with him if she did not want !
to stay. But the commissioner knew
that would defeat the designs of Gen.
Houston, and he informed the chief he |
must and would leave the girl, as such |
had been his instructions from the big
white chief. The old Indian then STEP
ping forward, while his warriors gave
another simultaneous grunt, took hold
of the trembling girl roughly. She
screamed, and imploringly stretched
out her arms to Col. Eldridge. The
old chief, however, slung her around as
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