Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-07-09
A TEXANS REVENGE.
The Determined Warfare Made
by Col. PeItOn and Its Hap
Ply Result.

DAu hutoh'O NOrs NnlchBO 1rlDuno.I
Colonel Albert G. Pelton, whose
beautiful 10000 acre rancho is out
toward the Rio Grand near Laredo.
has been the Peter the Hermit of the
Texans for years. Iye has believed
that he held a divine commission to
kill Apache Indians. Colonel Pelton
came to Texas in 1874, common SOL
der. By talent and courage he rose
to the rank of Colonel and finally, In
1856, commanded Fort Macrae. That
year he fell in love with a beautiful
Spanish girl at Abequin, New Mexico.
The 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, Colonel Pelton
won the consent of the parents of the
beautiful Spanish girl and they were
married.
One day, when the love of the SOL
der and his lovely wife was at its
severest, the two, accompanied by the
young wlfe's mother and twenty SOL
diers, rode out to the hot springs, six
miles from the fort, to take bath.
While in the bath, which is near the
Rio Grand, an Indian arrow passed
over their heads. Then a shower of
arrows fell around them and band Of
wild Apache Indians rushed down
upon them, whooping and yelling like
a band of demons. Several Of the
soldiers fell dead, pierced with pois-
Oned 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 weapons of the
Apaches. With his wife dying before
his eyes, Colonel Pelton leaped up
the banks, grasped his rife and killed
the leader OF the savage fends. But
the Apaches were too much for the
colonel. Pierced with two poisoned
arrows he swan the river and hid
under an overhanging rock. After
the savages had left the colonel swan
the river and made his way back to
Fort Macrae. Hero his wounds were
dressed and he finally recovered, but
only to live a blasted life-without
love, without hope-with a vision of
his beautiful wife, pierced with pois-
oned arrows, dying, perpetually before
his eyes.
After the death of his wife change
came to Colonel Peton. He seemed
to think that he had sacred mission
from heaven to avenge his young
wife's death. He secured the most
unerrring rifles, surrounded himself
with brave companions, and conse-
Grated himself to the work of revenge.
He was always anxious to lead any
and all expeditions against the
Apaches. Whenever any of the other
Indians were at war with the Apaohes
Colonel Pelton would soon be at the
head of his own soldiers and the next
day he would be at the head OF band
of Mexioans. He defed Indian ar
rows and coUrted death. Once, with
band of the widest desperadoes, he
penetrated a hundred miles into the
Apache country. The Apaches never
dreamed that anything but an entire
regiment would dare to follow them
to their camp in the mountains, So
when Colonel Pelton swooped down
into their camp with ten trusty fol-
lowers, firing their Henry rifles at the
rate of twenty times minute, the
Apaches fed in CONSERVATION, leaving
their women and children behind. It
was then that there darted out of
lodge a white woman.
Spare the women she cried, and
then she tainted to the ground.
When the colonel jumped from his
saddle to lift up the woman he found
she was blind.
How came you here, woman, with
these Apaches ?" he asked.
II was wounded and captured, she
said, ten years ago. Take, oh, take
me back againl
Have you any relatives in Texas?"
asked the colonel.
mo, my father lives in Albequin.
My husband, Colonel Pelton, and my
mother were killed by the Indians"
Great God, Bella Is it yOu-my
wife 2"
Oh, Albert, | knew you would
come exclaimed the poor wife,
blindly reaching her hands to clasp
her husband.
Of course there was joy in the old
rancho when Colonel PeltOn got back
with his wife. The Apaches had
carried the wounded woman away
with them. The poisoned arrow
caused Inflammation which finally de-
stroyed her eyesight.
When | saw the colonel he was
reading newspaper to his blind wife,
while in her hand she held bouquet
of fragrant cape jessamines which he
had gathered for her. 1t was a pic
ture IF ahsolute hann;naes