Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-04-24

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skins he revealed to the astonished
Texans the neck, throat and breast of
woman, and, though she was Drowned
by exposure, they Immediately saw that
she was undoubtedly of white parent
age She was dressed as were the other
warriors, and was fiercer and more skill
full than any of them. Colonel Ross
sent her with the other prisoners to the
capital of the State. The Legislature
was in session. | was then serving my
first term as legislator, and was put on
the committee to make disposition Of
an interpreter had an interview with
the captured squaw, as / imagined she
must have very interesting history.
What was my surprise and sorrow to
learn that she was my little sweetheart
of earlier days, Cynthia Ann Parker,
who had been captured seventeen years
before. She was recognized by her
uncle, Hon. Dave Parker, then and for
nearly thirty years afterward a member
OF the Legislature. She was taken to
his home, which is still near Palestine.
There were no railroads then in Texas,
all travel being by horseback or wagon.
Cynthia Ann made repeated efforts to
escape from her white friends and it re-
quired their utmost vigilance to take
her to her future home.
Gradually recollections of her early
life, which had been obliterated by her
savage surroundings, came back to her.
Her memory was aided more by the
woodland scenes around her old haunts,
and more especially by the rude school
house surroundings than by any thing
that could be drawn from or impaired
to her in tho way of conversation. She
then gave an account of her life among
the Indians. She loved to tell of their
uniform kindness and tenderness to
her. After growing to maturity she
was made The wife of the old chief, by
| whom she had one son, whom she
named Quanah. She constantly grieved
for her son and her dusky husband and
for the old Indian life, and made fire.
quent efforts to escape and return.
| Every thing possible was done for her
| by relations and friends, and she had
every comfort and every luxury; yet
1t was plain to all that under the re-
straints and restrictions of civilization
she was fretting and pining her life
away. She told them that her captivity
among her own people was worse than
her captivity among the Indians. The
| burden of her longings, her sighs and
| her plaintive songs was for the old In
dian life and for her absent husband
and child.
She was ever gentle and loving; but,
like a tender flower transplanted from
balmy atmospheres and soft skies to
uncongenial climes, keen air, gray skies
and chilly Winds she dropped and died.
She survived her return home about
seven years.
Her warrior husband, Big Buffalo, be-
came fiercer and bolder in his forays
from New Mexico down into Texas, try
ing to recapture his wife and avenge
himself on the pale face. He was final
| ly killed in battle near Fort Worth a
few years after his wife's capture
Quanah, who was almost man, sue
ceeded his father as chief of the tribe,
under the name OF Quanah Parker. In
| April, 1885, was visiting my ranch in
| Archie County, near the South line of
the Indian Territory and stopped at a
hotel at Wichita Falls. / noticed among
the guests tall, well-dressed, graceful
and intelligent-looking Indian. His
complexion proclaimed him to be a half
breed. On inquiry, ascertained that
it was the celebrated chief of the Com
manches, Quanah Parker.
When introduced to him l told him
that l had known his mother in her
beautiful young girlhood; that l had
been a schoolmate Of hers, and had seen
her often in her last days. He showed
great interest and the delight of boy
at meeting some one who had known
her He said he had known his mothers
history from his boyhood, and he fell
he had no right TO attempt to get hol
back from her friends and relations
He thus early exhibited those noble
traits and high-minded characteristics
which have enabled him to lead hi!
tribe to the progress they are making
While he was talking he took me aside
that his friends might not see what they
would consider unmanly tears in hi
eyes.
Quanah Parker is one of the bes
known of the younger Indian chiefs
He is wealthy, owns large herds of cat
tie and horses, has immense pastures
and well-cultivated fields, and last, bu
by no means least, Ave wives an(
numerous children. l asked him abou
the personal appearance of his squaws
and he replied, with genuine Indial
shrug:
ugh! heap prettx-all sweet"
And then he smiled as if he knew tina
this was the Indian side of his nature
which l could neither appreciate no
approve. He gave me cordial invita-
ton to visit him in the Territory. H,
said that he could promise me an abun
; dance of game and fish and good tim
generally at his wigwam. l may remarl
that his ''wigwam" is very commodiou
and handsomely furnished house,
In December, 1885, Quanah's life cam
near terminating at the time his &C
chief, Yellow Bear, met his death
! They were at the Pickwick Hotel, il
Fort Worth, Tex, and occupied suit
J of rooms. Yellow Bear blew out his gas
and in the morning Quansh was foun
almost beyond recovery, while felio'
Bear, in the adjoining room, had entirel
} yielded up his ghost and gone direct I
the Indians happy hunting-ground. b
: was taken to the Territory and burie
by his tribe. His funeral is said t
! have been the largest and most affect
'lg that has ever been in the Terrific
The grief of his tribe was probabl
test that he met his death by tn
lmon practice of pale-faeed' Cor