Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-05-03
APIDS, WIS, THURSDAY, MAY 3, 1883.

sent OF the parents OF Il6 O6autlIuI
Spanish girl. and they were married.
Then commenced a honeymoon
such as only lovers shut up in beau
tiful flower -environed fort can have.
The lovely character of the beautiful
bride won the hearts of all the soldiers
of the fort. and she reigned 81 queen
among those rough frontiersmen. One
| day, when the love Of the soldier and
his lovely wife was at its severest, 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 a bath. While in the bath,
which is near the Rio Grande, an In
dams arrow passed over their heads.
Then shower of arrows fell among
them, and band Of wild Apache In
dians rushed down upon them, whOop-
ing and yelling like band of demons.
Several of the soldiers fell dead, struck
by poisoned arrows. This frightened
the rest, who fed. Another shower of
arrows, and the beautiful bride and her
mother fell into the water, pierced by
the cruel weapons of the Apache,
With his wife dying before his eyes,
Colonel Pelton leaped up the bank.
grasped his rife and killed the leader
of the savage fends. But the Apaches
were too much for him. Pierced with
two poisoned arrows, he swan into the
river and hid under an overhanging
rock. After the sayages had left, the
Colonel swan the river and madc his
way back to Fort Macrae. Here, his
wounds were dressed, and ne finally
recovered, but only to live a blasted
life-without love, without hope-With
vision of his beautiful wife, pierced
with poisoned arrows, dying perpet-
ually before his eyes.
After the death of his wife change
came to Colonel Pelton. He seemed
to think that he had a sacred mission
from Heaven to avenge his young
wlfe's death. He secured the most
unerring rifles, surrounded himself
with brave companions, and consecra.
ted himself to the work of revenge. He
waJ always anxious to lead any and all
expeditions against the Apaches.
Whenever any of the other Indians
we're at war with the Apaches, Colonel
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 he would be at the head of q band
of Mexicans. Nothing gave him pleas
ure but the sight of dead Apaches. He
defed Indian arrows and courted
death. Once, with band of the wild
est desperadoes, he penetrated hun
dred miles into the Apache country.
The Apaches never dreamed thst any.
thing but an entire regiment would
dare to follow them to their camp in
the mountains. So when Colonel Pei
ton with ten trusty followers, firing
their Henry rifles at the rate Of twenty
times a minute, swooped down into
heir camp, the Apaches fed in con-
sternation, leaving their women and
children behind. It was then that
there darted out of a lodge white wo
man,
"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,s
Glow came you here, woman, with
these damned Apaches?' he asked.
g was wounded and captured" she
said, "ten years ago. Take, oh, take
me back again!"
Have you any relations 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?'
"Oh, Albert, I knew you would
conner" exclaimed the poor wife blind
ly reaching her hands to clasp her hus-
band.
OF course there was Joy in the old
rancho when Colonel Pelton got back
with his wife. The Apaches had car
ried the wounded woman away with
them, The poison caused irA4mma
ton, which finally destroyed her eye.
sight.
When l saw the Colonel he was read
ing newspaper to his blind wife, while
in her hand she held q bouquet of fra
grant cape jessamines, which he had
gather for her. 1t was q picture of ab-
solute happin ess. Cor. of Chicago
Tribune.