The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-09-22

Geronimo and his band of savages have
attracted great attention here. The cap
tive chief wore white straw hat, gray
alpaca coat, white trousers and army
boots, brand new. He was evidently
much tickled with them. His black eyes
frequently wandered to them with a
glance of proprietary approval. He
moved around the tents given him,
quietly conversing with and directing his
men. He was not impressive, but he
was interesting. Flowing from under
his coat was piece Of white cloth,
alarmingly like shirt tail, of table
cloth proportions. It tapped wildly in
the warm breeze and beat against the
legs of the great chief IN emphasis of
the few things he had to say.
George Wratten, the interpreter, acted
as the medium Of communication be-
tween prisoners and captors. It was q
curious scene when Geronimo was as
sured of his safety. He and Natchez had
been suffering with the idea that they
were to be instantly executed. They
looked miserably at the shining weapons
of the sentries, and ever and again
glanced at their couchant braves with
kind of see-that-my -graYe-is-kept-green
gaze. General Stanley stood squarely
in front of the wholesale and retail mur-
derer. A little apart was crowd listen
ing to the queer language and its trans
lations. The interpreter, cartridge belt
crossing his broad breast, waited for the
general to speak.
''Tel him." said the commander,
''that when the white man makes peace
he makes peace. Tell him that I am now
his best friend. Let him go to his tent
and rest. Tell him that will be near
during the day. He and his friends
shall not be harmed"
The speech was slowly put into the
tongue of coughs and grunts. As its
meaning came to the bronzed band which
had gathered around, they broke into
chorus of grateful ''ugh hs'' and their
white teeth flashed.
Taken by and large, the hostiles are
queer gang. Their not intricate but
unique raiment, handkerchief head gear,
tawdy decorations, small figures and
long coarse hair looked STRANGELY, juxta-
posed to the white tents and trim figures
of the soldiery. A noticeable popularity
was the great development of their legs
and their slender arms. It is a NANTES
tation to see them walk. They move
with the ightness and springy grace of
the panther.
One of the women had no nose.
Another had very handsome face and
was dressed with more taste and cleanli-
ness than her companions. She sat in
front of Chief Nachez' tent Some said
she was a princess, but if so her domain
has gone from her. The females were
very small. They wore their hair parted
in the middle and the long elf locks fell
into their eyes. Chief Nachez' boy,
sturdy youngster of fourteen, was espe-
cially noticeable. He moved freely
about and laughed gaily at the curiosi-
ties of the whites. Around one of his
limbs was tightly bound a leathern
thong, so tightly, in fact, as to bury in
the flesh. It was probably an effort to
relieve strained tendon. He was scared
in several places, and when asked what
caused it, picked up small stick and
intimated that he had been hurt in riding
through underground.
On the very dsy of Geronimo's surren-
der he became a grandfather, and next
day the mother of the papoose was
trudging along the rough valley with the
other captives, her infant strapped upon
her back. This hardness is character
istic Of the squaws of the Apaches per-
haps to o greater degree than of any 9TH
er Indian women. The whirlwind of an
Apache flight carries with it the women
and children of the tribe as long as the
pursuing foe is imminent. When the
mountain Businesses are reached the non
combatants are secreted and the braves
begin their murderous retreat from the
avenging troops.
The wife whom Geronimo rescued
from Fort Apache at the risk of his own
liberty and life is one of the many who
contribute to make his wigwam happy or
otherwise, as the case may be. She is
said to be woman of rare intelligence,
great courage and entire devotion to her
savage lord, accepting with thankfulness
her fraction of his affections and giving
in return an absolute allegiance.
Captain Lawton gives it as his opinion
that Geronimo is 50 years Of age, though
the old reprobate will confess to but IS.
He is purely self-made man. That is,