The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-11-10


tribes against whom Van Dorn's campaign was
directed Ross had hard time to make him
trust the word Of his scouts. AT last, he per-
suaded Van Dorm to make forced march with
his dragoons against the village.
The sun was just rising on the first day OF
October. Van Dorm, with his dragons, and Sui
Ross with his 1856 redskins, struck the Wichita
village like thunderbolts out of clear sky. Buff
falo Hump and his powerful band were almost
wiped of the face OF the earth In the first assault
Van Dorn's command fought like demons, for
they saw afresh the scenes Of old Fort Parker.
Many prisoners were taken. Among them was
il Lizzie. She was a white girl for whom no rel
atiye was every found. nor solitary soul that
could give the faintest recognition. Sui Ross
adopted, educated and reared her with all the
tenderness OF father She reached q graceful
womanhood. married and died among the flowers
and sweet perfumes of California The next
great epoch In frontier history was the battle of
Pease river, where, after the dragging years OF
q quarter of century had gone by, Cynthia Ann
Parker lifts her form above the horizon of u
civilization from which she had long since faded
away.
When the leaves began to fall In $780, power
ful band OF Comanches made terrible raid
through Parker and adjacent counties Under
the leadership OF Chief NOcona they spread ruin
and disaster along the war trail Sui Ross, now
captain OF the Texas Rangers, with force of
forty Rangers twenty dragons from the regular
army, and seventy citizens out Of Palo Pinto
County, took the Indians by complete surprise at
their camp near some cedar mountains on the
headwaters or Pease river. They were packing
horses preparatory to breaking up camp when Sui
Ross ana his command swept down upon them
like whrlwind. In less than q halfhour he had
killed or captured everything in sight except No
coma who. with an Indian behind him, broke for
the mountains, six miles away. On swift pony,
the chtefs sguaw, with baby In her arms rode
beside him. Ross and Fdlliher pursued them like
devils. Ross soon came within range and killed
the Indian riding behind Nocona It proved to be
woman, hidden by great buffalo robe. In her
fall she endorsed her chief by death-grip A
deadly combat was drawn between Sui Ross and
the Comanche chieftain AT last shot from
his revolver broke the arm OF the Indian so that
ne could no longer pull the, bow string The
Ranger then shot him through the body. Walk
Ing deliberately to tree he leaned against II
and began his death chant. the only privilege
savage ever begs OF his foe. Rangers having ar
rived Nocona was commanded to surrender He
answered by a vicious thrust with his lance A
rifle ball brought the death song to an abrupt
close. And Noconas lance, shield, culver and
war bonnet were hung among many trophies In
the State capitol. f3 tf38aa
The squaw and the child captured by Lieuten.
ant Killiher proved to be Noconas. The trained
frontiersmen at once discovered that she was
white woman bronzed by the suns and winds OF
the plains, that her eyes were blue, and that she
was weeping. They told her not to cry for they
would not hurt her. For twenty-five long years
an unDroken search had been made for the miss
ing girl Of old Fort Parker Somehow IL dawned
upon them that they had found the white s0uaw
In the fallen cheftain's wife. The Indian neither
weeps nor laughs. He Is stolidy Indifferent to
any emotion that stirs the white mans breast.
Hut she said she was crying not for herself but ~
for her two boys. as she thought slain in the bat
tie She was carried to the settlements and read
lily Identified as the long lost Cynthia Parker A
quarter OF a century In the wigwams OF the Co
manches had made her as perfect an Indian az
though she had been born around their camp
nres. She had forgotten every English word.
Oiviiization was 80 unbearable to her that she
sought every chance for escape. A close watch
had 70 be kent over her for days and DAYS. Slow
ly the recognition OF childhood scenes stole IN
upon her savage sense. At last she became con.
tented In her brothers. house I'm Anderson County
Her little Prairie Fower'-the baby that rode
with It's mother alongside Noconas fatal flight
died In less than two years Cynthia Ann par
ker was tenderly laid beneath the flowers that
bloomed on the grave Of her little barbarian.
Continued On Pare Thixtaan. y