The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-01-12
A ROMANTIC STORY.

Col. Albert Ct. PeltOn, whose beautl-
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, common
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 Span
ish girl at Albequin, New Mexico. The
admiration of the young people was mu-
tual, and parental objections only inten-
sifed the affection of the lovers. Finally
after two years of entreaty and devotion,
Col. Pelton won the consent Of the par
ents of the beautiful Spanish girl and
they We're married.
One day the two, accompanied by tie
young wife's mother and twenty soldiers,
rode ont to the hot springs, six miles
from the fort to take bath. While in
the bath, which is pear the Rio Grande,
an Indian arrow passed over their heads.
lltH u StONSG VI bAiONo lCll ulcuL4ti
them, and band of wild Apache Indians
rushed down upon them, whooping and
yelling like band of demons. Several
of the soldiers fell dead. pierced with
poisoned arrows, This frightened the
rest, who fed. Another shower of ar
rows, 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.
Pelton dashed up the banks, grasped his
rifle, and killed the leader of the savage
iends. But the Apaches were too much
soned arrows, he swan the river ard hid
under an over.hanging rock. After 'he
savages had left, the Colonel swain the
river again and made his Wy pach 10
Fort 'Macrae Here his "ounds were
dressed, and he finally recovered, but
only to live blasted Afe-wlthout love,
without lope-witta vision Of his beau
tiful wife, piercgd With poisoned arrows,
living perpetpdlly before bis eyes.
| After tie loss of his wife a change
| came over Col. Piton. He seemed to
tb;,L that he hei a sacred mission from
beaven to avnlge her death. He secured
the most snerring rifles, surrounded him
self WIN brave companions, and conse
crs ed himself TO the work of revenge.
lAe 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 he would
be at the head of band of Mexcans.-
He detied Indian arrows and courted
death. Once with 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 fol
low them TO their camp in the mountains.
~ HAiN-i NC1s L CIbpA OMoSJSu oONl lItO
their camp with ten trusty followers,
firing their Henry rifles at the rate Of
twenty times minute, the Apaches fed
in CONSERVATION, leaving their women
and children behind. 1t was then that
there darted out of q lodge white
woman.
''Spare the womenl" 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.
''How came you here, woman, with
these Apache2" he asked.
81 was wounded and captured" she
said, ''ten years ago. Take, oh, take me
back again?"
"Have you any relatives in Texasi'
asked the Colonel.
''No. Ny father lives in Albequin.
Ny husband, Col. Pelton, and my moth
er were killed by the Indians"
Great God, Bella! Is it you-my
wife?"
COB, Albert! knew you would come"
exclaimed the poor wife, blindly reaching
her hand to clasp her husband.
When / saw the Colonel he was read
ing a newspaper to his blind wife, while
in ,,er hand she held a bouquet of fra
grant iessamines which he had gathered.
Chicago Tribune.
I1n,r, fDr hrnir, nr,H r,arvaS khnt nil