The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-06-11
SAM HoUsToN'S WIFE.
The Romantic Story That Was Told by .
Venerable Squaw.

A correspondent of the St. Louis
Globe Democrat. who has been making
n tour of the reservations of the
Kiowas. Comanches and Wichitas in
that part of the Indian Territory adj
jacent to the Pan Handle, made the
acquaintance of Granny Houston"
venerable Indian woman who claims
to be the widow of General Sam
Houston, the Texas patriot.
I'VE were ushered," says the CORES
pondent into a small wigwam. in the
center of which sat the oldest living
representative of the southwestern
tribes. small. shriveied creature.
whose skin resembled Il bag of leather.
but whose eyes contained Il surprising
luster. considering that she had reach
ed her 109th year. She extended her
hand when we entered but did not at
tempt to rise from the well-worn
panther hide upon which she rested.
Granny Houston is influential among
the Wichitas. and makes heap good
medicine. although it is pretty gen.
orally believed that she is Cherokee
by birth. and was adopted in her youth
by the hostile Wichitas, who carried
her off on one OF their raids.
AT nv desire Cora Caruth, a full
blooded Wichita maiden who had been
educated in the East. piled the old lady
with questions and interpreted the an
swers for our benefit. From Cora's
Interpretation we framed the following
story, commencing from the time that
White Moon rs she was then called,
says she met the Texas patriot. when
camped with the tribe on the Canad dian
river. close to the present site of Web
ber's Falls.
THE braves were over in Texas on
a big hunt, and White Moon was in
front of the old chiefs wigwam stretch
ing and otherwise curing Il various as
sortment of hides and furs for her fa-
Their The head chief was Il great
hunter, and kept his only daughter in
constant employment One forenoon,
when thus engaged, large white boat.
containing one white man and three
Cherokees. landed within Il few PAGES
of White Moon. The former was dress
ed in buckskin. and had long hair and
bright eyes. When he observed the
girl he left his companions, and smil-
ing upon her, addressed her in Chero-
kee.
1.-The other squawS then came for
ward to greet the strange Indians. aud
soon cooked Il 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 a gold
chain around the White Moons neck
nj a,,linI littln
days afterward the white man took the
Indian girl in his boat on Il hunting
and fishing trip.
But there was rival to White
Moons hand in The person of Little
Wolf, an Inscriptions savage. The
old chief, TO settle the dispute in 4
pcaceabe 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 unfayorable to
White Canoe.
Each contestant was TO 90 to war
alone against the Cheyennes, with
whom the WichltaS were at variance.
and the first who returned with the
enemy's seal p and arrows would then
and there we'd the chieftain's daughter.
Little Wolf yielded with triumph; he
knew that White Canoe would not be
likely to take scalp even under the
circumstances. White Canoe remem-
bered to have passed through a settle
ment of ChUrokees some weeks pre-
vious, among whom he had observed
various trophies captured from the
Cheyennes and Arapahoes. He rode
directly to the point and purchased a
full paraphernalia, including what he
represented to the old chief as dead
Indians war horse. Before the return
of Little Wolf, White Moon and White
Canoe danced Oh the bull-hide and
were united.
Granny Houston then told the story
of their welded bliss, how they passed
many moons together-White Canoe
hunting and fishing while she made a
home for him in their wig-wam. But
this Eden was suddenly broken into by
white strangers. who came to tell
Houston of the outrages of the Mcxi-
cans on his people and leaving bis
cattle and skins in her possession he
rode south to fight i'll the war of Texas
independence.