The Osceola times., 1883-02-10
A TEXANS REVENGE.
Colonel Fcnton, the Slayer of the Apaches.
Chicago Tribune.

Colonel Fcnton, the Slayer of the Apaches.
Chicago Tribune.
Colonel Albert C. Pelton, whose beau-
tirul twenty thousand acre rancho is out
toward the Rio Grande, near Laredo, has
been the Peter the Hermit of the Texans
for years. He has believed that he held
a divine commission to kill Apache Indi-
ans. Colonel Pelton came to Texas in
lS4i, common soldier. By talent and
courage he rose to the rank of Colonel,
and finally, in 1927, commanded F.rt
AIacrac.
That year he fcllin love with beauti-
ful Spanish girl at Abequin, New Mexico.
Her parents were wealthy and would not
consent to their daughters going away
from all her friends to live in garrison.
The admiration of the young couple was
mutual, and parental objections only in
tensifed the affection Of the lovers. The
nature Of the Spanish girl is such that
once in love she never changes. Finally,
after two years Of entreaty devotion,
Colonel Pelton won the consent Of the
parents of the beautiful Spanish girl, and
they were married.
Then commenced a honeymoon such
as only lovers shut up in a beautiful
aforementioned fort can have. The
lovely character of the beautiful bride
won the hearts of all the soldiers of the
fort, and she reigned aqueen among these
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 bath. Whiie
in the bath, which is near the Rio Grand,
an Indians arrow passed over their
heads. Then shower of arrows fell
around them, and a band Of wild Apache
Indians rushed down nupon them, whoop-
ing and yelling like a band of demons.
Several of the soldiers fell dead, pierced
with poisoned arrows. This frightened
the rest, who fled. Another shower of
arrows, and the beautiful bride and her
mother fell in 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 fiends. But the Apaches were
too much for the colonel. Pierced with
two poisoned arrows, he swan into the
river and hid underan over-haneing rock.
After the sayages had left The Colonel
swan the river and made his way back
to Fort Macrae. Here his wounds were
dressed, and he finally recovered, but
only to live a blasted lie-without love,
without hope-with vision of his beau
tiful wife, pierced with poisoned arrows,
dying perpetually before his eyes.
After the death of his wife a change
came to Colonel Pelton. He seemed to
think that he had a sacred mission from
Heaven to avcnge his young wiic's death.
lie secured the most unerring rifles. sur
rounded himself with brave companions,
and consccrated himself 10 the work of
revenge. He was always anxious to lead
any and all expeditions against tnc
Apaches. Whenever any of the other
Indians were 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 soldiers and the next day
he would be at the head Of band of
Mexicans. Nothing gave him pleasure
but the sight ofdead Apaches He deiied
Indian arrows and courtcd death. Once,
with band of the widest desperadoes,
he penetrated a hundred miles into the
Apache country. The Apaches never
dreamed that anything but an entire reg
imert would dare to follow them to their
camp in the mountains. SO when Colonel
Pclton swoaped down into their camp
with ten trusty followers, Gring their Hen.
~ rifles at the rate of twenty times q
minute. the Apaches fed in CONSERVATION
leaving behind them their women and
children behind. 1t was then that there
darted out Of a lodge white woman.
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 Dllnd.
"How came you here, woman, with
these damned Apaches 2" he asked.
"I was wounded and captured" she
said, "ten years ago. Take, oh, take me
back again ~
"Have you any relations in Texas u
asked the Colonel.
"No my father lives in Albequin. NV
husband, Colonel Pelton, and my mother
were killed by the Indians"
"Great God, Belle Is It you my wife %
"Oh, Albert, Lnew you would Gomez
exclaimed the poor wife blindly reaching
her hands TO clasp her husband.
Of course there was Joy in the old
rancho when Colonel Pelton got back
with his wife. The Apaches had carried
the wounded woman away With them.
The poison caused inflammation, which
finally destroyed her eyesight.
When | saw the Colonel he was read
ing newspaper to his bind wife, while
in her hand she helda boquet OF fragrant
cape jessamines which he had gathered
Cor her. 1t was picture Of absolute hap
piness.
The doctors never enjoy good health.