The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-08-26
A Romantic Story.

COl. ALBEIT ". IelUOu, WuOo0 Dceubi-
full 10000 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, a COM
mon soldier. 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 beautiful
Spanish girl at Albequin, New Mexico.
| The admiration of the young people was
mutual, aud parental objections only in
| tensified the affection Of the lovers FL
nally, alter 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 and 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,
IN Indian arrow passed over their heads.
! Then O shower OF arrows fell around
them, and q band of wild Apache In
dians rushed down upon them, whooping
and yelling like band of demons. Sew
eral of the soldiers fell dead, pierced
with poisoned arrows. This frightened
the rest, who fled. 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, Col.
Peiton dashed up the banks, grasped his
rifle, and killed the leader OF the savage
6ends. But the Apaches were too much
for the Colonel Pierced with two poi
soned arrows, he swan the river and hid
under an oyer-hanging rock. After the
savages had left, tie Colonel swan the
river and made his way back to Fort
Macrae. Here his wounds were dressed,
and he finally recovered, but only to live
blasted ite-without love, without hope
with vision of his beautiful wife,
pierced with poisoned arrows, lying per-
petually before his eyes.
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, surrounded
himself with brave companions, and
consecrated himself TO the work of re-
venge He was always anxious to lead
any and all expeditions against the
Apaches. Whenever any OF the other
Indians 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 ne would be Mt the head OF a
band of Mexicans He defed Indian
arrows and courted death. Once with a
band of the widest desperadoes, he
penetrated 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
Col. Pelton swooped down into their
camp with ten trusty followers, firing
their Henry rifles at the rate of twenty
times minute, the Apaches fled in con
sternaiion, leaving their women ano
children behind. 1t was then that there
darted out of lodge a white woman.
"Spare the omen" she cried, and
then she tainted and fell to the ground
When the Colonel jumped from the
saddle to lift up the woman he found SHE
was blind
Chow came you here, woman, will
,, these Apache ?" he asked.
CT was wounded and captured" sh'
said, "ten years ngo. Take, oh, taxi
me back again p
!. "Have you any relatives in Texas !?
asked the Colonel.
"No. My father lives in Albequin
Ny husband, Col. Peton, and m.
mother were killed by the Indians.
"Great God, Bella is it you-m.
wife?"
! "Oh, Albert | 1 knew you woul'
come" exclaimed the poor wife, Blind.
reaching her hands to clasp her hus
: band
When saw the Colonel he was read
ing n newspaper TO his blind wife, Will
, in her hand she held bouquet of fra
grant jessamines which he had gathered
. Chicago Tribune.
Il 4