The Opelousas courier., 1883-07-07

was an hour before the people at Lone
Cottonwood ranch sobered down sufi-
GENTLY to lear the scouts story. He
told it modestly and laconically. /
have heard him relate it a dozen times,
and give nearly his own words. It
was of little interest up to the time
of the fight i'll Sierra Diablo. He
followed the trail leading out of the
cane-brake until it was lost in the
broad road made by Victories war
riors, joined his company and was
with them down to the night of the
Sierra Diablo fight.
Il reckon I did my share of the
fighting, lie said: "The Indians made
but little resistance. I took after a
bu and q squaw who had q papoose
in cher rms My first shot brought
down the buck. fired at the squaw,
but the shot was a bad one. It struck
her hands and wounded the papoose
in the feet. She dropped the child
and ran into a little motte of timber.
The papoose was screaming at the top
of his voice. He was a little bit of a
follow, and for an Indian, pretty. He
had on a bright calico dress, and was
about two years old, I reckon. When
got close to him I pulled out my six
shooter to kill him. He looked at me
sort of p%itiful as l pulled down and
my heart failed me. I put back my
pistol and picked him up. His feet
were bleeding, and l wrapped them
up in my handkerchief. Then I took
after the squaw. She had hidden
herself under a ledge of rock. I sat
down the papooso and pulled her
out. | was just about to draw my
knife across her yellow throat when
the papoosc began to below. She
jumped up and ran toward it. The
little devil held out its arms and she
caught it up, and began to cry and
kiss and hug it. That touched me
right here" and the scout laid his
hand on his heart. Il speak Apache
tolerable well, and I told her that she
and the kid shouldn't be harmed
that they were prisoners. She seemed
grateful, that is if an Indian can be
grateful, and I took her back to where
the outfit rendezvoused. The boys
made fun of me for being SO tender
hearted, but I didn't mind that. I
wouldn't have killed hat squaw and
papoose for Il million dollars. She
knew that her buck had been killed,
and that night after we made camp
she asked me for a knife to cut off he1
hair. The Indian women do that as
a sign Of widowhood. I chopped of
her hair, and said something about
the papoose being pretty. She kissed
the kid and replied:
Eyes, and you are good. Moneta
is glad Moneta was her name,
reckon. 'Moneta will remember
When l go back to my people [ will
tell them the White Wizard is good,
and the young men will not try to kill
him. The Mescaleros call me the
White Wizard.
well what she said set me tc
thinking, and / began to talk to her,
Finally [ asked her il she would like
to go back to her people.
eyes shesaid, Mana is my father
He will be head chief now. .Victorit
is dead. Rain Cloud WILDE big chief
too She coddled up the kid, and
Judged from that his name was Rain
| Cloud.
Il told her then that the rangers
would carry her back to Fort Davis
and would not let her go back to he.
people; but that I could get the heat
chief (meaning the Captain) to let he
90 back if she would tell me what he:
people did with a little boy whom
they stole from camp in the canyon
of the Lone Cotton wood.
II will tell you,' she said. 'Befor
we went to the Great River (meanlns
the Rio Grande) some of my peopl
went back to the reservation. The,
were sick or old. Some were women
They carried the white boy. | say
him. He had blue eyes and cried
7 felt sorry for him. Yes, | know
The wife Of Bitter Water had him
Her husband was killed. He wa
with Victorio. If you will talk to tn
great chief good for me, I will hel
you get back the white boy, and | Wi
give him to you. I know the agen
and the great chief of the soldiers a
Fort Sill. Twill stay at the fort an
they shall watch me that | don't rul
away. When I give you the whit
boy I can go back to my people
What you say2
Il told the Captain what she said
and he gave me permission to tax
her back. I waited until the moo:
came up that night and then woke he
up and told her what he said. Sh
was mighty glad and helped me sad
die the ponies. We slipped out {
camp, and I don't think the guar
even noticed us leave. When we &c
to Fort Sill she sent out word to til
reservation by an Indian runner, an
, three days afterward an old squa'
came into the fort with Willy in he
arms. I turned Moneta loose an
/, started the same evening for Fo
Davis. Here I am"
: Little Willy was treated very kind
: by the Indians and was beginning
get used to his new life when tt
widow of Bitter Water carried hi