Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-01-23
THE INDIAN CApTivES.
Mexican Methods Applied TO the Apaches
A EiS Price FOR scalps.

Mexican Methods Applied TO the Apaohes
"A Big Price for scaips.
A Chihuahua letter TO the San Fran
cisco ChyoniGle thus describes an in
cident in Mexican town.
"There they come" said little fel-
low, as he raised yell that fairly |
made my throat ache to'hear,
"And what are 'thcy'?' l asked, still |
ignorant of the cause of all the up
r0ar
"Why the rancheros and the In
dians," he said. "Come to the tower,
scnor, and soc the grand sight," he
continued, darting away toward the
cathedral. But needless of the inyi-
tation, though Still excited, pushed
my way along to the wall in front of
the church, and, crawling to place
made for me, looked a. directed, and
caught sight of a slow-moving body of
men, horses, flags, and women coming
down the street A band leading the
procession was performing some sort
of wild, sOul-stirring march, but the
music was hardly audible above inces-
SAINT cheering by the people lining tho
streets. Marching steadily toward me,
soon saw the composition of the
strange army. Directly behind the
band came some thirty horsemen, each
man carrying the gun he had used,
while his pistols hang from his well
worn saddle. OF all the swarthy, hea
vy-bearded, and tan-brownel faces
which looked upon the cheering mass
es, not one wore an expression other
than stolid Indifference. The furious
welcome, manifested in 4 hundred dif
ferent ways, never drew even a smile
from the set lips Of the bravc-hearted
fellows who had riskei their lives for
the peoples safety. Calmly loo'.tng
upon tho upturncd faces, thr, rode
slowly along, as immovable and undis-
turbed as the white walls Of the h0us-
es they passed. Behind the ranchmen,
who rode two abreast, came eight men
on foot, who held long poles, and fas-
tened to them were eight long-haired
dark, blood-stained scalps, the proofs
among the people Of the death of so
many hated Apa,hes. When these
hdeous trophies were seen, the people
grew frantic with joy. Braves re-
sounded on all sides; men shouted un-
til hoarse; women waved their shawls,
and the excited gazers applaudcd.
But the scalp bearers hal hardly
passed before there came the squaws
who had been taken. The moment
these dirty, bare-headed, homely, hard
faced women were seen, the cheering
and excitement increased, while the
boys in the streets pressed hard
against the guards and tried to strike
at the wives of those who had killed
and tortured their parents, brothers
and sisters Some of the prisoners
held their nursing babies in their
arms, and needed only them. The
big-eyed nurslings, held as lovingly by
their wild mothers as ever the women
of civilization hold their young in
time of danger, cried with fear, and
even the food their mothers gave them
so piteously did not serve to comfort
them. 1t was enough to make the
heart ache to see these ignorant moth
ers, hated and struck at because born
in a wilderness and the wives of sava-
ges, caress their children to their
breasts and hold them away from the
cruel hands outstretched to strike.
And yet so hated is an Apache that
every wall was hailed with joy by the
friends of the victors. | saw not one
face among all the mothers there that
had pity written upon it. Women
held their children upto see the ragged
squaws, and laughed at the unhappy
wives and cursed them chihuahua
forgot its Sunday and the people for
got their religion. The cathedral
stood near by the air was soft and
beautiful, and still not one mothers
heart apparently pitied or prayed for
the unfortunates who marched to a
living death with the scalps Of their
husbands swinging before them.
"An hour later, when the city was
enjoying its Sunday evening quiet, l
met the Consul of the United States
and asked him what became of the
captured women.
"They are to be confined atshe fort
at Vera Cruz for life"
"And the children?"
"They are given to whoever wants
them, and are brought as servants"
Slaves, then, you mean?"
Hardly that. They will be paid
wages when they earn them, and such
lives will be better for them than if
they had been captured"
"What is done with the scalps?" ]
asked.
"The scalps? Why the govern.
ment buys them, Every one brings
5000. The Apaches have long been
the scourge of northern Mexico.