Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-01-26
COLONEL PELT0N'S WIFE,
THE ROMANTIC STORY OF An APACHE
RAID.


RAID. q
Narrseo Bea altfal SpanAoh Giel and while
Batting fhey are Attacked ~ lsAia.s
-becomes Her Ave1ser-Asw They
I1sa1iy Met.
Colonel Albert G. Pelton, whose
beautiful $4,000 acre .ranche is out
toward the Rio 6rande, near Laredo,
has been the Peter the Hermit of the
Texans Tor years. He has believed that
he has held divine commission to kill
Apache Indiana Colonel Peltop came
to Texas in 1874, . common soldier.
By talent and courage he rose to the
rank of colonel, and finally, in ls47.
commanded Fort Macrae. That wear
he fell in love with q beautiful Spanish
girl at Albuquerque, n. n. Her
parents were wealthy, and would not
consent to their daughters going away
from all her friends to 1.-Two IN sgarrison.
The admiration Of the young couple
was mutual, and parental objection only
intensified the affection of the lovers.
The Spanish girls nature is such that,
once in love, she never changes. Final
~, after two years entreaty and devo-
tion, Colonel Pelton won the consent Of
the parents of the beautiful Spanish
girl, and they were married and re.
moved to Fort Macrae.
Then commenced q honeymoon such
as only lovers. shut up in beautiful
flower -environed fort, can have. The
lovely character of the beautiful bride
won the hearts of the soldiers of the
fort, and she remained queen among
these rough frontiersmen. One day,
when the love of the soldier and his
lovely wife were at its height, 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. While In the bath, which is
near the Rio Grande, An Indians arrow
passed over their heads. Then q shower
of arrows fell around them, and band
Of wild Apache Indians rushed down
upon them, whooping and yelling like a
band Of demons. Several of the SOL
diers fell dead, pierced with poisoned
arrows. This frightened tho rest, who
fled. Another shower of arrows, and
the beautiful bride and her mother fell
into the water, pierced by the cruel
weapons Of the Apaches. With his wife
dying before his eyes. Colonel Pelton
leaped up the bank, grasped his rifle and
killed the leader of the savage flends.
But the Apaches were too much for the
colonel. Pierced with two poisoned
arrows, he swan into the river and hid
under an overhanging rock. After the
savages 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
blasted nfe-without love, without
hope, with vision Of his beautiful wife,
pierced with poisoned arrows, dying per-
petually before his eyes.
After the death Of his wife q change
came to Colonel Pelton. he seemed to
think that he had sacred mission from
Heaven to avenge his young wife's
death. He secured the most unerrine
rifles, surrounded himself with brave
companions, and consecrated himself te
the work of revenge. He was always
anxious to lead any and all expeditions
against the Apaches. Whenever any o1
the other Indians were at war with the
Apaches, Colonel Pelton would soon be
at the head Of the former. One day hs
would be at the head Of his soldiers, ano
the next day he would be at the head d
band Of Me1icans Nothing gave hu
pleasure but the sight OF dead Apaches
| He defied the Indian azrcws and courtei
death. Once, with band Of the wildes
desperadoes, he penetrated 100 mile,
into the Apache country. The Apache,
never, dreamed that anything bat an en-
tire regiment would dare to follow then
90 their camp in the mountains. 81
when Colonel Pelton svooped dow
into their lodges with ten trusty follow
ers, firing their Henry rifles at the rat
Of twenty times = minute, the Apeche'
fed in CONSERVATION, leaving their vo
men and children behind. It was the,
that there darted out pf lodge q Whit
woman.
Spare the womepr' she cried. ana
tainted to the ground.
When the colonel jumped from hi
saddle to lift up the woman he founf
she was blind.
"How came you here, woman, viii
these Apaches :" he asked
II Vas wounded and captured. sh
said, "ten years ago. Take, oh, TAX
me back again r
Have you any relations in Texas !:
asked the colonel.
NO. my father lives in Albuquerque
Ny husband. Colonel Pelton. and n.
mother ~ere killed by the Indians"
Great God, Bella II it YOU, q,
viier'
"Oh. Albert, I knew you woul,