San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-06-14
NONETA'S GRATITUDE.
An Incident Of Victories Raid.


Ifyou ever visit Preside county Tex
YOU will be sure to hear of Lone Cot
tonwood Rancho and its hospitabl
owner, Mr.. James Daulton. 1t i
more than likely that some one vii
tell you this story, for it is fsvorit'
tale on the frontier, and has been re
lated around the campfire q hundred
times by all sorts Of frontier people
soldiers, Mexieans, hunters, Indians
cowboys, miners and contrabandists
Paesidio is a great stock county-tht
second largest in the state. Thous
ands of cattle, sheep and goats roam
about its fertile canyons and broad
llanos. Two years ago there were
notmore than fifty people in Preside
living outside of Fort Davis, the coun'
ty seat and military post. Several at
tempts were made to settle this rich
country, but the Indians were hostile,
and the pioneers were either murdered
or driven back to the post. In tho
winter If 1870 company of rangers
were sent to Preside county, and
they began to drive out the predatory
bands Of red men. The presence Of
the rangers emboldened several reck-
less spirits to again attempt the set
tlement of the country. James Daul-
ton was one of these pioneers. Ac-
companied by his wife, black herder,
two Mexicans and his nine children,
he drove his cattle and sheep into the
canyon of tho Lone Cottonwood, about
ten miles south of Fort Davis, and
made camp near large waterloo
He saw no sign of Indians, and was
not molested by the hostiles for sever
al 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
. Little "branch' or creek which BIZ
sected the cane brake, there grew
great punches of water-cress. The
branch had it's source at q spring on
the side of the mountain. Near the
spring was an old Indian trail going
W the cliff.
One morning two of the children
started up the branch. Alice, the old
est, xas seven, and she held her
Young brother, Willy, by the hand.
Willy was the baby and just 8 years
old. He was petted by the whole
camp, and was the particular favorite
of one of the rangers, famous scout
and Indian fighter, known alhng the
frontier by the nom do guerre of "Apa-
che George" For while the child
rem busted themselves picking cress.
Suddenly, with shout of delight,
Alice dropped her little brother
hand and started in pursuit of a but
tefiy. Willy soon lost sight Of her:
The chase was fruitless one, and
when the bright-wipged insect rose
high above her head Alice gave lit
tie sigh of disappointment and turned
to hunt up her brother. Not finding
him along the branch she got fright
ened and began to cry, at the same
time calling loudly:
Willy! Willy!"
The cliffs threw back the sound of
her voice as if in mockery. There was
no responce from the lost child, The
little girls frantic cries were heardin
camp, and snatching up his Winches-
ter her brother Jack ran up the creek.
When he reached the point where the
tall reeds nearly met over the branch
ne gave a sharp cry and cooked his
Winchester. Before him in the soft
mud, was the print of noccasin side
by side with the tiny tracks of baby
Willy. The moccasin trail turned in
10 the cane brake, and Jack, his
heart in his mouth, followed it. Near
the ssepage spring he lost the trail
and hurried back to camp to get as
sistance. Alice reached the camp be-
lore him, aud her incoherent and tear
ful story started everybody out in
quest Of the lost child. Jack met the
sesrch-party. In q few words he made
known his discovery, and led the
party to the seepage spring. His faith
er examined the trail carefully.
This trail goes up the cliff, he
said. and started toward the top ofthe
mountain.
Afev yards back from the edge Of