St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-12-09
MONETA,S GRATITUDE.

-Robest j. Burdette. II Harpsr's Magazine.
MONETA'S GRATITUDE.
An Incident of Victories Raid.
If YOU ever visit Preside County, Tex,
you will be sure to hear of Lone Cotton
wood Ranch and its hospitable owner,
Mr.. James Daulton. 1t is more than
likely that some one will tell you this
story, for it is a favorite tale on the
frontier, and has been related around
the campfire hundred times by all
sorts OF frontier people soldiers, Next
cans, hunters, Indians, cowboys, miners
and contrabandists Preside is great
stock county-the second largest in the
State. Thousands of cattle. sheep and
goats roam about its fertile canyons and
broad llanos. Two years ago there were
not more than fifty people in Preside,
living outside of Fort Davis. the county
seat and military post. Several attempts
were made to settle this rich country,
but the Indians were hostile, and the
adventurous pioneers were either MUIR
sdered or driven back to the post. In
were sent to Preside County. and they
began to drive out the predatory bands
of red men. The presence of the rangers
-emboldened several reckless spirits to
again attempt the settlement OF the
country. James Daulton was one of
these pioneers Accompanied by his
wife, black herder, two Mexicans and
his nine children, he drove his cattle
and sheep into the canyon of the Lone
Cottonwood, about ten miles south OF
Fort Davis, and made camp near large
water-hole. He saw no sign of Indians,
and was not molested by the hostiles for
several weeks. He held his cattle and
sheep near camp. Game was abundant.
Above the water-hole was large bog
thickly covered with high reeds. Along
"a little t.branch'' or creek which bisected
the cane brake, there grew great lunches
of water-cress. Although forbidden to
stray far from camp, the little Daulton
children used to go up this branch and
pick water-cress. The branch had its
source at spring on the side of the
mountain. Near the spring was an old
Indian trail going up the cliff.
One morning two of the children
started up the branch. Alice, the oldest,
was seven, and she held her young
brother, Willy, by the hand. Willy
was the baby and just three years old.
He was petted by the whole camp, and
was the particular fayorite Of one of the
rangers, a famous scout and Indian
fighter, known along the frontier by the
nom de guerre of ''Apache George"
For while the children busted them
selves picking cress. Suddenly, with q
shout of delight, Alice dropped her little
brothers hand and started in pursuit of
"a butterfly. Willy soon lost sightof her.
The chase was q fruitless one, and when
the bright-Winged insect rose high
above her head Alice gave q little sigh
of disappointment and turned to hunt
up her brother. Not finding him along
the branch she got frightened and be-
gan to cry, at the same time calling
loudly: 8 K.
willy! Willyp' &. \, &. u Ed. H.
The cliffs threw back the sound Of her
voice as if in mockery. There was no
response from the lost child. The little
girls frantic cries were heard in camp,
and snatching up his Winchester her
brother Jack ran up the creek. When
he reached point where the tall reeds
nearly met ever the bed ofthe branch he
gave sharp cry and cooked his VIM
chester. Before him, in the soft mud,
was the print of a moccasin side by side
with the tiny tracks OF baby Willy. The
moccasin trail turned into the cane-
brake, and Jack, his heart in his mouth,
followed it. Near the seepage spring
he lost the trail and hurried back to
camp to get assistance. Alice reached
the camp before him, and her incoher-
,ent and fearful story started everybody
out in quest of the lost child. Jack met
the search party. In few words he
made known his discovery, and led the
party to the seepage spring. His
father examined the trail carefully.
This trail goes up the cliff, I. he said,
and started toward the top of the
mountain
A few yards back from the edge Of the
cliff they found s.horse sign. " The
ground was trampled as though by the
hoofs of score of ponies. The top
of the mountain was rough and rocky.
The search-party, led by the father OF
the lost child, took up the trail of the
ponies and followed it for several miles.
The country grew rougher and rougher,
and it was difficult matter to follow
the trail. Finally Mr.. Daulton, practiced
frontiersman that he was, was obliged
to stop.
II can follow the trail no farther,
men,, he said. Poor little Willy. = .
He sank down upon rock and
buried his face in his hands. He was
q strong, brave man, who never oualled