Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-07-27
A ROMANTIC STORY.

Col. Albert G.. Pelton, whose beauti-
full 90, 900 acre ranch is out toward the
Rio Grande, near Laredo, has been the
Peter the Hermit of the Texans for
years. He came to Texas in 1874, q
common soldier. BY talent and cour-
age he rose to the rank of Colonel, and
finally, in 1856, commanded Fort
Macrae That year he fell in love
with beautiful Spanish girl at Albe-
quin, New Mexico. Tho admiration
of the young people was mutual, and
parental objections only intensified the
affection of the lovers Finally, after
two years of entreaty and devotion,
Col. Pelton won the consent Of the
parents of the beautiful Spanish girl
and they were married
One day the two, accompanied by
the young wife's mother aud twenty
soldiers, rode out to the hot springs,
six miles from the fort, to take bath
While in the bath, which is near the
Rio Grande, an Indian arrow passed
over their heads. Then shower of
arrows fell around them, and band Of
wild Apache Indians rushed down
upon them, whooping and yelling like
baud of demons. Several OF the
soldiers fell dead, pierced with poisoned
arrows. This frightened the rest, who
fed Another shower of arrows, and the
beautiful bride and her mother dropped
into the water, pierced by the cruel
of the Apaches. With his wife dying
before his eyes, Col. Pelton dashed up
the banks, grasping his rifle, and killed
the leader of the savage fends. But
the Apaches were too much for the
Colonel. Pierced with two poison ed ar
rows, he swan the river and hid under
an overhanging rock. After the sava-
ges had left, the Colonel SWAN the
river and made his way back to Fort
Macrae. Here his wounds were Dress
ed, and be finally recovered, but only
to live a blasted life--without love,
without hope-with o vision of his
beautiful wife, pierced with poisoned
arrows, lying perpetually before his
eyes. .t
After the loss of his wife change
came over Col. Pelton. He seemed to
think that he had sacred mission
from heaven to avenge her death. He
secured the most unerring rifles, sur
rounded himselfwith brave companions.
and consecrated himself to the work Of
revenge. He was always anxious to
lead any and all expeditions against
the Apaches. Whenever any OF the
other Indiaps were at war with the
Apaches. Col. Pelton would soon be
at the head Of the former. One day
he would be at the head of his own
soldiers and the next day be would be
at the head of baud OF Mexicans. He
dc6ed Indian arrows and courted
death. Once. with oand of the wild.
est desperadoes, he penetrated .
hundred miles into the Apache country.
The Apaches never dreamed that any
thing but an entire regiment would
dare to follow them to their camp in
the mountains. So when Col. Pelton
swooped down into their camp with
ten trusty followers, firing their Henry
rifles at the rate Of twenty times min
ute, the Apaches fed in CONSERVATION,
leaving their women and children be-
hind. 1t was then that there darted
out Of loge white woman.
Spare the womenv she cried, and
then she tainted aud fell to the ground.
When the Colonel jumped from the
saddle to lift up the woman be found
she was blind.
How came you here, woman, with
these Apaches p he asked.
Il was wounded and captured, she
said, ten years ago. Take, oh, take
me back again y
Have you any relatives In Texas y
asked the Colonel
No. My father lives in Albequin.
My husband, Col. Pelton, and my
mother were killed by tho Indiana
Great God, Bella! is It you--my
wife p
oh, Albert I knew you would
come exclaimed tho poor wife, blindly
reaching her hands to clasp her bus
band.
When | saw the Colonel te was
reading a newspaper to his blind wife,
while In her hand she held boquet Of
fragrant jessamines which ho had gath
cred.