The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-17
SAM HOUsTON's WIFE.
Tho Romantic Story Related by q
Venerable SQuaw.
How the Great Hunter TricIlcd an Indian
Rival In Order to Secure Ills Indian
Bride - His Royalty to
tho state.

tho state.
A correspondent Of the st. Louis
Globe-DcmOcrat, who has been making
n tour of the reservations of the Kiowas,
Comanchcs and Wichitas III that part of
the Indian territory adjacent to tho
Panhandle, made the acquaintance of
Granny Houston" n venerable Indian
woman who claims to be the widow of
Gen. Sam Houston, the Texas patriot.
'INc We're ushcrcd," says the CORE
spondcnt, Into n small wigNvam, in the
center of which sat the oldest living
representative of the southwestern
tribes, small, shrivclcd creature,
whose skin rcscmblcd n bag of leather,
but whose eyes contained surprising
luster, considering that she had reached
her one hundred and ninth year. She
extended her hand when we entered,
but did not attempt to rise from the
wcll-worn panther hide upon which she
rested. Granny Houston is influential
among the Wichitas, and makes heap
good mcdiciuc,' although it is pretty
generally believed that She is Cherokee
by birth, and was adopted i'll her youth
by the hostile Wichitas, who carried
her off on one of their raids.
''At my desire, Cora Cnruth, IL full
bloodcd Wichita maiden who had been
educated iii the east, piled the old lady
with questions and interpreted the an
swcrs for our benefit. From Cora's inter
probation we framed the following
story, commencing from the time that
White Moon, as she was then called,
says She met the Texas patriot, when
camped with the tribe on the Canadian
river, close to the present site OF Web
bcr's Falls
The braves were over in Texas on u
big hunt. and White Moon was in front
of the old chiefs wigwam stretching
and otherwise curing 4 various assert
lHent of hides and furs for her father.
The head chief was Il great hunter, and
kept his only daughter in constant en-
ployncnt- One forenoon when thus
engaged, large white boat, contain
ing one white man and three Chcrol:ccs,
landed within Il few PAGES of White
Moon. The former was dressed in buck
skin, and Ind long hair and bright eyes.
When he observed the girl he left his
companions, and, smiling upon her, adj
dressed her in Cherokee.
1.-THE other squaws then came for
ward to greet the strange Indians, and
soon cooked large meal of turtle and
deer meat which the visitors appeared
to thoroughly enjoy. After eating,
White Canoe, as he was called by his
Cherokee comrades, placed gold chain
around White Moons neck and called
her his little wife. Two days after
ward the white man took the Indian
girl in his boat on n hunting and fishing
trip
But there was a rival to White
Moons hand il the person of Little
Wolf, an INSCRIPTIONS savage. The
old chief, to settle the dispute in
pcaccablc manner, and anxious to keep
on friendly terms with the young war
rior who had great influence in his
tribe, made the following proposition,
which was in every respect uniavorablc
to White Canoe.
each contestant was to go to war
alone against the Chcycnncs, with
whom the Wichitas We're 1T variance,
and the first who returned with the
cncmy's scalp and arrows would then
and there we'd the chicftain's daughter
Little Wolf yelled with triumph he
knew that White Canoe would not be
likely to take scalp even under the
circumstances White Canoe rcmcm-
bered to have passed through q settle
ment of Chcrollecs some weeks prcv-
Gus, among whom he had observed
various war trophies captured from the
Cheycnnes and Arapahocs. He rode
directly to the point and purchased n
full parapheinalia, including what he
aftcrward represented to the old chief
as dead Indians war horse. Before
the return of Little Wolf, White Moon
and White Canoe danced on the bull
hide and were united.
Granny Houston then told the story
of their wooded bliss how they passed
many moons togcthcr-White Canoe
hunting and fishing, while she made
home for him in their wigwan. But
this Eden was suddenly broken into
by white strangers, who came 20 tell
Houston OF the outragcs of the McXicans
on his people, and leaving his cattle
and skins in her possession, he rode
sonth to fight in The war of Texas indie
pendcnce."
a Kings bravery.