The Opelousas courier., 1886-05-01
Captured By Apaches,
A woMAE's STORY.

80 bAO - Atgk4
train n day last week a short, fair
haired woman, of perhaps So years. Her
features were wrinkled and
though, and gave evidence that their
owner had seen more than her share of
mental suffering and anguish. The
woman was Mrs. Rosina Layton, and she
had come direct from New Mexico to this
city, where she had a married sister living.
During the past eight years of her life
she has lived through what few members
of her sex have been called upon to un-
dergo. Each one of those wrinkles
which now mar what was once a hand
some face was gathered while she was a
suffering captive in the hands Of the
cruel Apache Indians. To a Call report
or who visited her in her sisters cosey
little cottage in the Mission, Mrs. Layton
related the story of her life, the terrible
trials and pains borne through eight mis-
cradle years, and the details of her final
escape from her british captors.
ssIn 1872 said Mrs. Layton in a sub
dued tone Of voice, which occasionally
auiyercd as if recalling the past awoke
emotions which she could hardly restrain,
'tJohn, that was my husband, and |
moved from Leavenwerth, Kansas, to
Santa Fe. John worked there for a long
time, and we were very happy. He then
got an idea in his head that he could do
better if he struck out for himself and
went into stock-raising. He had some
money, and 1 thought with him that it
would be a good move. So VIC packed
up all our things in . big prairie schooner,
and in this, with two children, / rode,
while John and a scout, who kindly vol
unteered to see us fixed in some place,
drove the cattle. Our march was a long
and weary one, and Icannot remember
how we went, but know that we at last
stopped at place the guide said was
called White Water. All around was
short stubble grass, and where we were
camped some had dug q well. The
guide said we would have to stop here
for at least two weeks. as he did notcare
to push on until he had heard from the
fort whether theIndians were off their res
eryation or not. I did not ike the place
at all. It was so dreary, and when the
guide left III to gain the information he
wanted ! felt very nervous indeed. John,
however, said the guide had assured him
that we were in the safest place in the
Territory at White Water.
Three days passed away, and we had
heard nothing from the absent guide.
On the evening of this day, John, who
had taken a long tramp, came home look
ing quite furried, and after repeated
questions he at last told nc that he was
afraid Indians were near, as he had OBJ
served . stray mustang roaming over The
plain grazing on the bunchrgrass. | adj
viscd him to harness up the horses at
once and drive on, but he said that would
be q sure way to run into them. Oh,
how well I reccollect John saying that to
me. I folded the children up in their
blankets that night and over their SUM
lering forms I prayed that We might mo-
TALL victims to the blood thirsty Indians.
| could not sleep and lay tossing about,
up at every moan of the night
wind that swept over the prairie. John,
100, wa wakcful. 1t must have been
midnight when orr dog began to
bark, and VIC could hear the cattle NOV
| was paralyzcd with terror, but
John sprang up and looked out. In
moment he gave agrasping CRY,
md said to me-
Ellen, the Indians are upon u.s.
sOh, God how can | relate. Whit fol
owed. There were dcmoniac shrieks
that seemed to rend the atmosphere.
John fred his pistols and there were re-
turn shots, and III the blaze of fire I fell
over my children in Il faint"
The recollection was toe vivid, and
Mrs. Layton leaned her head upon the
table By which she was sitting and Wept
piteously. After d few moments she com-
posed herself and resumed, in 4 broken
When / came to ] was in the
arms of a horrible brute of an Indian,
and around mo we're 8 score more. Our
wagon was . blazing mass, which lit up
the scene with its light. The Indians
hastily gathering our cattle together,
! knew they were going 10 leave. 4
cried out aloud for John and the child
rem, but the beast that held me only
jeered at me and shook me. Then
| struggled to get away from
him n doing % turned around,
and beheld oh, God It il hor
rible-my dear husband and children
They were lying On the ground
dead, dead, dead yes, and bleeding
ana scalped. From the belt Oh the
wretch TINT held me daugIed the white,
hair 81 nv little gill and brown
locks Of my loved boy. That was All !
recollect. became q n,aniac be
lieve, and dashed rny ist ageaiin and again
81 the lace Of my captors until ] sank nj
conscious from exhaustion.