The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1892-07-23
GRAVE OF TAHLI-HIN A
THE SAD ROMANCE OF SAM Hous-
TONS INDIAN WIFE.
The Simple Stone That Marks Her Last
Resting Place on the Road From Mus
kogee to Fort Smith--Primitive Hap
piness Cut Short by Death.

there by the creek ~ asked my com
panion, pointing to small patch
of sagebrnsh bordering little
stream to our right.
"That,' he continued, ''is the
grave of Sam Houston's Cherokee
wifel' said |, not a little surprised
at the revelation. "And is it fact
that Houston married a Cherokee
woman while living in the Cherokee
Nation ~
Yes, it's a fact" continued my
friend, "mOst certainly it is
though I'VE been told that Hous-
TOMS descendants have always de-
MED it aud successfully kept this
nnwritten chapter out of the life
history of the great statesman and
patriot. just why they have per
sisted in doing this | could never
quite understand, for could thel
have seen thus fair maiden Of the
Cherokees, whose dark locks bad
never been stirred by any ruder
air than the breezes of Providence,
and whose rich, transparent beau
ty, peculiar to the mixture of eau.
casian and Indian blood, was I'M
rivaled even by the fair daughters
of Vienna, they would not have
denied her potlce III the biography
OF the Texas hero.'
We had by this time reached tie
little patch OF sagebush wherein
the grave had been pointed out ta
me, and | proposed that we dis
mount aud examine the premises.
! had before heard the story Of
Houston and his romantic marriage
to pretty Cherokee woman, but
had supposed it mere myth. Now
to he brought face TO face with
this convincing proof Of the story
aroused my curiosity to such an
extent that / was glad of an oppor
tnnlty to find out all that | could
about the matter.
My companion was an intelli-
gent, well-lead halfbreed Chero-
kee, who had already Degnied
some three hours Of our tiresome
ride from Muskogee that morning
with his entertaining stories Of
Indian life. He was an ex-.ludge
Of The Supreme Court Of his nation,
with mind stored with much OF
the unwritten history of his coun-
try. His gray locks indicated that
lie had already lived rams allotted
three-score years aud ten, and.
possessing none of the reticent
characteristics peculiar to many Of
his race, lie was always ready when
an opportunity offered itself to rc-
late some Of the interesting incl
dents which happened in the early
days OF the Cherokee Nation.
After dismOunting and hitching
our horses to some scrubby black
jacks that stood by the roadside we
walked down to the moss-grown
mound. Implanted at the head OF
the grave stood roughly hewl
tombstone of native marble, upon
the face Of which was carved III
an irregular manner the simple
inscription;
Tahlhina Sleeps Here.
That was all. Why a more com
prehensive epitaph bad not beer
inscribed my friend could not eX
plain.
Near the neglected grave were
the deeaying logs and tumbled
down climney Of an old house sur
rounded by briers aud shumacl
bushes. Less than dozen yard,
to the east babbling brook acei
playfully on its downward course
TO the Arkansas River a half mile
below, blending It's cheerful music
with the song Of the birds ana the
melancholy sigh of the tall cotton
wood trees that skirted its banks
oil either side
s'And there" said my friend after
few moments of silence, point
ing to the heap Of decaying tim
bers, s'are the remains of Sam
HousiOn's house. 1t was there
that Houston and his little wifi
with laughing eyes spent one briri
year of unall 'yed happiness. Yes,
one snort year, lot IN Tue laH lp4-
lowing their marriage, when the
forests had shed heir robes of sum
mrr green aud the praincs we {
brown and dry, the yonng wiz
sickened aud died. Houston laid
her to +, st by the brook and Oh
the eve of his departure for Texas
he PLACID that little tombstone al
the head of her grave.'
After little further examiua
tion of the lonely grave and its
surroundings, we remonnied oul
horses and CONTINUED our Journey
to Fort Smith. Before reaching
our destination, however, Judge
Brewer (far such was my fellow.
travellers name) told me the fol
lowing sadly romantic story o.
Houston's life, which he sad h'
had got from Houston him elf an1
from the near relatives ofhis Cher