Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-12-01
MONETA'S GRATITUDE.
An Incident of vlotorio,sI Raid.

If you.eyer visit Presidio County, Tex,
YOU will be sure to hear of Lone Cotton
woodeRancb and its hospitable owner,
Mr.. James Daulton. 1t is more than
likely that some one will tell you this
story, for. it is q favorite. tale on the
frontier, and has been re'ated around
tie campfire hundred times by all
sorts of frontier people-soldiers Maxi7
cans, hunters, Indians, cowboys, miners
and contrabandists. Presidio is a great
stock county--the second largest in the
State. Thousands of cattle. sheep and
goats roam about its fertile cany ons and
broad llanos. Two years ago there were
livingoutside of Fort Davis, the county
were made to settle this rich country,
but the Indians were hostile, and the
adventurous pioneers were either mur-
de.eds or driven back TO the post. In
the winter of 1879 a company of rangers
were sent to Presidio 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, abhck 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 neara large
water-hole. He saw no signiof 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 q large bog
thickly covered with high reeds. Along
alittle .branch'' or creek which bisected
the cane-bralSe, there grew great punches
of water-cress. Although forbidden to
stray -farfrom, camp, the little Daulton
children used to 70 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, 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
brother hand and started in pursuit of
butterfly. Willy soon lost sight of her.
The chase was fruitless one, and when
the bright-winged insect rose high
above her head Alice gave little sigh
of disappointment and turned to hunt
up her brother. Mot finding him along
the branch she got frightened and be-
gan to cry, at tho same time calling
WHY Willyr'
The cliffs threw back the sound of her
voice as if in moekery. There was,no
response from the'ldst child. - The little
girls frantic cries were heard in camp,
and snatchihg Up his Winchester her
brother Jackranl up tho creek. When
he reached point where the tall reeds
nearly met over the bed of the branch he
gave sharp cry and cooked his Win
ehesteA Before him, in the soft mud,
was the print of n 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. Ina few words he
made known his discovery, and led the
party to the seepage spring. His
father examined the trail care fully.
This trail goes up the cliff, - he said,
and started toward the top OF the
mountain csisssasE --rz-s' ''-s'l .7il
A few yards back from the edge of the
cliff they found "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 1t for several miles.
The country grew rougher and rougher,
and it was a difficult matter to follow
the trail. Finally Mr.. Daulton, practiced
frontiersman that he was, was obliged
to stop. fH7" '' p
II can follow the TRAN no farther,
men, he said. Poor little Willy"
He sank down upon a rock and
buried his face in his hands. He was
a strong, brave man, who never quailed
in the face of danger. Now the thought
of his little son. iii the hands of ruthless
and bloodthirsty .sayages. completely
unnerved him. and he groaned aloud in
his agony. ~ MEf 81
II tell you what. Cap'n JIM" said
the black herder Madison, "dat yer
child is sure nuff los. 7Dere's only one
man KIN fin him. a-sfsI .tiia'
llA nd that ,,,ap pit ,,;ad ti,o. sf.+l,o.,
starting up "speak! Who can find
"Dat yere ranger man, 'Pache
George!'' IG NJ NJ p.
The words of the black man and his
confidence in the ability of Apache
George to find little Willy put new life
into the whole party.
Madison IS right, father" cried
Jack. r"Apache George can follow the
trail oyer hard rock as easily as we can
through bog" ,.sS
Kun back to camp, son. as fast
you can" commanded Mr.. Daulton, and
Jack started
Hold ON one minute" continued
his father, and the impetuous boy
stopped Saddle the gray pony and
go TO the ranger camp. Tell Captain
Neyill what has occurred. and then hur-
ny bacISn
{" AN l'rightr' cried Jack. and he again
started on run. AssS,
The fsmainder Of tllenarty went more
slowly, II was hard matter 10 com
fort the grief-stricken mother, mourn
ing for The loss OF her baby. All had
confidence in Apache Georges ability
70 follow up, the Indian trail and re-