Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1884-02-14
Captive Apaches.


Captive Apaches.
The scalp-bearers had hardly passed
at Chihuahua, Mex. before there came
the squaws who had been taken. The
minute these bare-healed. dirty, home
ly, hard.faced women were seen, the
cheering and the excitement increased,
while the boys in the street pressed
hard against the guards and tried to
strike at the wives Of those who had
killed and tortured their parents. broth
ers and sisters. Some OF the prisoners
held their nursing babes in their arms
and needed only them. The biggest
nurselings, held as lovingly by their wild
mothers az ever the women of civil.
ization hold their young in times Of dam
ger, cried with fear, and even the food
their mothers offered them so piteously
did not serve TO comfort them. 1t was
enough TO make the heart ache to see
these ignorant mothers, hated and struck
at because born III II wilderness, and
wives OF sayages, press their children to
their breasts and hold them awav from
the cruel hands outstretcbed to strike.
And yet SO hated is an Apache that
every wall was hailed with 10Y by the
friends of the victors. saw not one
face among all the mothers there that
had pity written ON it. Women held
their children up to see the ragged
squaws and laughed at the unhappy
wives and cursed them. Chihuahua for
90. IFS Sunday and the people forgot
their religion. The spectacle was as bar
barous as that which must have been the
oaaOYo NO nipnnn M Goa5oN ju atafru sAfn
Rome, with the bleeding captivcs from
Gaul following his victorious chariot.
Did any Of those who looked upon these
poor women, who were doomed to live
hereafter in dreary prisons far away and
who marched now within hearing of the
bells which only O few hours ago had
called the people to mass, stop to think
what their religion taught, or did the
ciamor of the Epanish brass up there in
the graceful towers only serve to drown
the:- reason and infiame their hate2
The cathedral stood near by, the air was
soft and beautiful, and still not one
mothers heart apparently pitied o
| prayed for the unfortunate who marched
to a living death with the scalps of their
husbands swinging before them.
The spectacle was barbarous and in
human, and Taught ono more that vic.
tory knows nc pity and unchecked
| hatred rules the day in times of val
Later on. VIXEN the procession had
reached the plaza, the Mayor meets the
city and co~ngratulates them on their
| victory. AT the end OF this speech the
band plays a march again; the bells are
rnng louder than ever, the dust is raised
| in perfect clouds, and after circling once
around the square the pageant passes
out Of sight up the street. An hour
later, when the city was enjoying ita
Sunday evening quiet, | met the Consul
| of the United States and asked him what
became of the captured women.
They are confined in the fort at Vera
Cruz for life," he said.
"And the children?n
"They are given to whoever wants
them, and are brought up as servants"
"Slaves, then, you niean?" / said.
Hardy .L:. They will be paid wages
when they earn them, and such lives
will be better for them, far better, than
itthey bad never been captured"
"The scalps-whatis done " igh them?h
| asked.
'ihe scalps2 Why. the government
buy S them. Every one brings $500.
The Apache have long been the sccurge
Of Northern Mexico"
Later still and / heard the bells calling
for prayers. Entering the dimly-lighsed
church, where patches ofyellow light
fell upon the bare floor of the place, !
saw the Bonded forms ofthose who were
lisping their prayers, and / wondered il
they, 30 quiet now and so deyout, could
be the same whom / had seen so short
a time ago shouting with delight at the
sight OF a few bloody scalps and a dozen
.footsore women, who had never seen a
church nor had been allowed to worship
anything but a crying baby.-Corres-
pondence San Francisco Chronicle.