Chapter VI: Cynthia Ann Parker.--Quanah Parker

From May 19th, 1836, to December 18th, 1860, was twenty-four years and seven months. Add to this nine years, her age when captured, and at the later date Cynthia Ann Parker was in her thirty-fourth year. During the last ten years of this quarter of a century, which she spent as a captive among the Comanches, no tidings had been received of her. She had long been given up as dead or irretrievably lost to civilization.

Notwithstanding the long lapse of time which had intervened since the Capture of Cynthia Ann Parker, Ross, as he interrogated his “blue eyed” but bronzed captive, more than suspected that she was the veritable “Cynthia Ann Parker,” of which he had heard so much from his boyhood. She was dressed in female attire, of course, according to the custom of the Comanches, which being very similar to that of the males, doubtless, gave rise to the eroneous statement that she was dressed in male costume. So sure was Ross of her identity that, as before stated, he at once dispatched a messenger to her uncle, the venerable Isaac Parker; in the meantime placing Cynthia Ann in charge of Mrs. Evans, wife of Capt. N. G. Evans, the commandant at Fort Cooper, who at once, with commendable benevolence, administered to her necessities.

Upon the arrival of Col. Parker at Fort Cooper, interrogations were made her through the Mexican interpreter, for she remembered not one word of English, respecting her identity; but she had forgotten absolutely everything, apparently, at all connected with her family or past history.

In dispair of being able to reach a conclusion, Col. Parker was about to leave, when he said, “The name of my niece was Cynthia Ann.” The sound of the once familiar name, doubtless the last lingering memento of the old home at the fort, seemed to touch a responsive chord in her nature, when a sign of intelligence lighted up her countenance, as memory by some mystic inspiration resumed its cunning as she looked up, and patting her breast, said, “Cynthia Ann! Cynthia Ann!” At the awakening of this single spark of reminiscence, the sole gleam in the mental gloom of many years, her countenance brightened with a pleasant smile in place of the sullen expression which habitually characterizes the looks of an Indian restrained of freedom. There was now no longer any doubt as to her identity with the little girl lost and mourned so long. It was in reality Cynthia Ann Parker,--but, O, so changed!

But as savage-like and dark of complexion as she was, Cynthia Ann was still dear to her overjoyed uncle, and was welcomed home by relatives with all the joyous transports with which the prodigal son was hailed upon his miserable return to the parental roof.

As thorough an Indian in manner and looks as if she had been so born, she sought every opportunity to escape, and had to be closely watched for some time. Her uncle carried herself and child to his home, then took them to Austin, where the secession convention was in session. Mrs. John Henry Brown and Mrs. N. C. Raymond interested themselves in her, dressed her neatly, and on one occasion took her into the gallery of the hall while the convention was in session. They soon realized that she was greatly alarmed by the belief that the assemblage was a council of chiefs, sitting in judgment on her life. Mrs. Brown beckoned to her husband, Hon. John Henry Brown, who was a member of the convention, who appeared and succeeded in reassuring her that she was among friends.

Gradually her mother tongue came back, and with it occasional incidents of her childhood, including a recognition of the venerable Mr. Anglin, and perhaps one or two others.

The civil war coming on soon after, which necessitated the resumption of such primitive arts, she learned to spin, weave and to perform the domestic duties. She proved quite an adept in such work, and became a very useful member of the household.

The ruling passion of her bosom seemed to be the maternal instinct, and she cherished the hope that when the war was concluded she would at last succeed in reclaiming her two children who were still with the Indians. But it was written otherwise, and Cynthia Ann and her little “barbarian” were called hence ere “the cruel war was over.” She died at her brother’s in Anderson county, Texas, in 1864, preceded a short time by her sprightly little daughter, “Prairie Flower.”

Thus ended the sad story of a woman far famed along the border.

* * * * *

How fared it with the two young orphans we may only imagine. The lot of these helpless ones is too often one of trials, heart-pangs, and want, even among our enlightened people; and it would require a painful recital to follow the children of Peta Nocona and Cynthia Ann Parker from the terrible fight on Pease river, across trackless prairies, and rugged mountain-ways, in the inhospitable month of December, tired, hungry, and carrying a load upon their hearts far heavier than the physical evils which so harshly beset them. Their father was slain, and their mother a captive. Doubtless they were as intent upon her future recovery, during the many years in which they shared the vicissitudes of their people, until the announcement of her death reached them, as her own family had been for her rescue during her quarter of a century of captivity. One of the little sons of Cynthia Ann died some years after her recapture. The other, now known as Capt. Quanah Parker, born as he says in 1854, is the chief of Comanches, on their reservation in the Indian Territory.

Finally, in 1874, the Comanches were forced upon a “reservation,” near Fort Sill, to lead the beggarly life of “hooded harlots and blanketed thieves,” and it was at this place that the “war-chief” Quanah, learned that it was possible he might secure a photograph of his mother.[9]

[9]--Mr. A. F. Corning was at Fort Worth in 1862, when Cynthia
Ann Parker passed through there. He (Mr. C.) prevailed on
her to go with him to a daguerreotype gallery (there were no
photographs then) and have her picture taken. Mr. Corning
still has this daguerreotype, and says it is an excellent
likeness of the woman as she looked then. It is now at the
Academy of Art, Waco, and several photographs have been taken
from it, one of which was sent to Quanah Parker, and another
to the writer, from which the frontispiece to this work was
engraved.

An advertisement to that effect was inserted in the Fort Worth _Gazette_, when General Ross at once forwarded him a copy. To his untutored mind it seemed that a miracle had been wrought in response to his “paper prayer;” and his exclamations, as he gazed intently and long upon the faithful representation of “Preloch,” or Cynthia Ann, were highly suggestive of Cowper’s lines on his mother’s picture; and we take the liberty of briefly presenting a portion of the same in verse:

My mother! and do my weeping eyes once more--
Half doubting--scan thy cherished features o’er?
Yes, ’tis the pictured likeness of my dead mother,
How true to life! It seems to breathe and move;
Fire, love, and sweetness o’er each feature melt;
The face expresses all the spirit felt;
Here, while I gaze within those large, dark eyes,
I almost see the living spirit rise;
While lights and shadows, all harmonious, glow,
And heavenly radiance settles on that brow.
What is the “medicine” I must not know,
Which thus can give to death life’s bloom and glow.
O, could the white man’s magic art but give
As well the happy power, and bid her live!
My name, me thinks, would be the first to break
The seal of silence, on those lips, and wake
Once more the smile that charmed her gentle face,
As she was wont to fold me in her warm embrace.
Yes, it is she, “Preloch,” Nocona’s pale-faced bride,
Who rode, a matchless princess, at his side,
’Neath many a bloody moon afar,
O’er tortuous paths devoted alone to war.
Long since she’s joined him on that blissful shore,--
Where parting and heart-breakings are no more,--
And since our star with _him_ went down in gloom,
No more to shine above the blighting doom,
’Neath which my people’s hopes, alas, are fled,
I, too, but long that silent path to tread,--
A child, to be with her and him again,
Healed every wound an orphan’s heart can pain!

Quanah Parker is a Nocone, which means wanderer, but on the capture of his mother, Preloch, and death of his father, Quanah was adopted and cared for by the Cohoites, and when just arrived at manhood, was made chief by his benefactors on account of his bravery. His name before he became a chief was Cepe. He has lived among several tribes of the Comanches. He was at one time with the Cochetaker, or Buffalo Eaters, and was the most influential chief of the Penatakers. Quanah is at present one of the four chiefs of the Cohoites, who each have as many people as he has. The Cohoite Comanches were never on a reservation until 1874, but are to-day further advanced in civilization than any Indians on the “Comanche reservation.” Quanah speaks English, is considerably advanced in civilization, and owns a ranche with considerable live stock and a small farm; wears a citizen’s suit, and conforms to the customs of civilization--withal a fine-looking and dignified son of the plains. In 1884, Quanah, in company with two other prominent Comanche chiefs, visited Mexico. In reporting their passage through that city, the San Antonio _Light_ thus speaks of them:

“They bear relationship to each other of chief and two
subordinates. Quanah Parker is the chief, and as he
speaks very good English, they will visit the City of
Mexico before they return. They came from Kiowa, Comanche
and Wichita Indian Agency, and Parker bears a paper from
Indian Agent Hunt that he, Parker, is a son of Cynthia
Ann Parker, and is one of the most prominent chiefs of
the half-breed Comanche tribe. He is also a successful
stock man and farmer. He wears a citizen’s suit of black,
neatly fitting, regular “tooth-pick” dude shoes, a watch
and gold chain and black felt hat. The only peculiar
item in his appearance is his long hair, which he wears
in two plaits down his back. His two braves also wear
civilization’s garb. But wear heavy boots, into which
their trousers are thrust in true western fashion. They
speak nothing but their native language.”

In 1885 Quanah Parker visited the World’s Fair at New Orleans.

The following extract from the Fort Worth _Gazette_, is a recent incident in his career:

“HE BLEW OUT THE GAS”

* * * * *

AND ON THAT BREATH THE SOUL OF YELLOW BEAR FLEW TO
ITS HAPPY HUNTING GROUNDS.

* * * * *

_Another Instance in Which the Noble Red Man Succumbs to
the Influence of Civilization!_

* * * * *

“A sensation was created on the streets yesterday by the news of
a tragedy from asphyxiation at the Pickwick hotel, of which two
noted Indians, Quanah Parker and Yellow Bear, were the victims.
* * *

“The circumstances of the unfortunate affair were very difficult
to obtain because of the inability of the only two men who
were possessed of definite information on the subject to reveal
it--one on account of death, and the other from unconsciousness.
The Indians arrived here yesterday from the Territory, on the
Fort Worth & Denver incoming train. They registered at the
Pickwick and were asigned an apartment together in the second
story of the building. * * Very little is known of their
subsequent movements, but from the best evidence that can be
collected it appears that Yellow Bear retired alone about 10
o’clock, and that in his utter ignorance of modern appliances, he
blew out the gas. Parker, it is believed, did not seek his room
until 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning, when, not detecting from
some cause the presence of gas in the atmosphere, or not locating
its origin in the room, he shut the door and scrambled into bed,
unmindful of the deadly forces which were even then operating so
disastrously. * * * *

“The failure of the two Indians to appear at breakfast or dinner
caused the hotel clerk to send a man around to awake them. He
found the door locked and was unable to get a response from
the inmates. The room was then forceably entered, and as the
door swung back the rush of the deathly perfume through the
aperture told the story. A gastly spectacle met the eyes of the
hotel employes. By the bedside in a crouched position, with his
face pressed to the floor, was Yellow Bear, in the half-nude
condition which Indian fashion in night clothes admits. In the
opposite corner near the window, which was closed, Parker was
stretched at full length upon his back. Yellow Bear was stone
dead, while the quick gasps of his companion indicated that he
was in but a stone’s throw of eternity. The chief was removed to
the bed, and through the untiring efforts of Drs. Beall and Moore
his life has been saved.

“Finding Quanah sufficiently able to converse, the reporter of
the _Gazette_ questioned him as to the cause of the unhappy
occurrence, and elicited the following facts:

“‘I came,’ said the chief, ‘into the room about midnight, and
found Yellow Bear in bed. I lit the gas myself. I smelt no gas
when I came into the room. When I went to bed I turned the gas
off. I did not blow it out. After a while I smelt the gas, but
went to sleep. I woke up and shook Yellow Bear and told him ‘I’m
mighty sick and hurting all over.’ Yellow Bear says, ‘I’m mighty
sick, too.’ I got up, and fell down and all around the room, and
that’s all I know about it.’

“‘Why didn’t you open the door?’ asked the reporter.

“‘I was too crazy to know anything,’ replied the chief.
* * * * *

“It is indeed, a source of congratulation that the chief will
recover, as otherwise his tribe could not be made to understand
the occurrence, and results detrimental to those having interests
in the Territory would inevitably follow.”

The new town of Quanah, in Hardeman county, Texas, was named in honor of chief Quanah Parker.

We will now conclude our little work by appending the following letter, which gives a true pen portrait of the celebrated chief as he appears at his home on the “reservation:”

“ANADARKO, I. T., Feb. 4, 1886.

“* * * *

“* * * *

“We visited Quanah in his teepe. He is a fine specimen of
physical manhood, tall, muscular--as straight as an arrow; gray,
look-you-straight-through-the-eyes, very dark skin, perfect
teeth, and a heavy, raven-black hair--the envy of feminine
hearts--he wears hanging in two rolls wrapped around with red
cloth. His hair is parted in the middle; the scalp-lock is a
portion of hair the size of a dollar, plaited and tangled,
signifying: ‘If you want fight you can have it.’

“Quanah is now camped with a thousand of his subjects at the foot
of some hills near Anadarko. Their white teepes, and the inmates
dressed in their bright blankets and feathers, cattle grazing,
children playing, lent a wierd charm to the lonely, desolate
hills, lately devastated by prairie fire. * * * *

“He has three squaws, his favorite being the daughter of Yellow
Bear, who met his death by asphyxiation at Fort Worth in December
last. He said he gave seventeen horses for her. His daughter
Cynthia, named for her grandmother, Cynthia Parker, is an inmate
of the Indian Agent’s house. Quanah was attired in a full suit
of buck-skin tunic, leggins and moccasins elaborately trimmed in
beads--a red breech-cloth, with ornamental ends hanging down. A
very handsome and expensive Mexican blanket was thrown around
his body; in his ears were little stuffed birds. His hair done
with the feathers of bright plumaged birds. He was handsomer by
far than any Ingomar the writer has ever seen--but there was no
squaw fair enough to personate his Parthenia. His general aspect,
manners, bearing, education, natural intelligence, show plainly
that white blood trickles through his veins. When traveling he
assumes a complete civilian’s outfit--dude collar, watch and
chain--takes out his ear-rings--he of course cannot cut off
his long hair, saying that he could no longer be ‘big chief.’
He has a handsome carriage; drives a pair of matched grays,
always traveling with one of his squaws (to do the chores).
Minna-a-ton-ccha is with him now. She knows no English, but while
her lord is conversing, gazes, dumb with admiration, at ‘my
lord’--ready to obey his slightest wish or command.”

Transcriber’s Note

The following changes to the original publication have been made:

Page 46
GENERAL L S ROSS _changed to_
GENERAL L. S. ROSS

Page 56
in all thingss ave _changed to_
in all things save

Page 57
Vide “Ross Texas Brigade _changed to_
_Vide_ “Ross’ Texas Brigade

Page 75
civilization--withal a fine-looklng _changed to_
civilization--withal a fine-looking

Page 79
Quanah is how camped with a thousand _changed to_
Quanah is now camped with a thousand

The following issues were noted when transcribing from the original publication but have not been changed. The first line is as the text appears in the original publication; the second as it might have been intended.

Page v
columns of the Forth Worth _Gazette_
columns of the Fort Worth _Gazette_

Page 10
give the reader a glimps of
give the reader a glimpse of

Page 13
pretented that they were looking for
pretended that they were looking for

Page 14
with all the servile sicophancy
with all the servile sycophancy

and intented to fight
and intended to fight

Page 17
each unconcious of
each unconscious of

Page 18
meadly of sounds
medley of sounds

Page 19
now living near Graesbeck
now living near Groesbeck

Page 20
shreads, their bodies lacerated
shreds, their bodies lacerated

A burrial party of twelve men from
A burial party of twelve men from

went up and burried the dead
went up and buried the dead

Page 23
involentarily hastened to the
involuntarily hastened to the

Page 25
but litterly torn to shreds
but literally torn to shreds

Page 24
who treated her in a most bruatl manner
who treated her in a most brutal manner

Page 27
indellible while life continued
indelible while life continued

Page 29
have been recieved of her
have been received of her

Page 30
and by a stocial effort
and by a stoical effort

Page 31
bazars of Paris, or the half
bazaars of Paris, or the half

of Pata Nocona, performing for her
of Peta Nocona, performing for her

the slavish offices which savageism
the slavish offices which savagism

Page 33
discomfited Comanches up the Gaudaloupe
discomfited Comanches up the Guadaloupe

they flount the blood-drabbled scalps
they flaunt the blood-drabbled scalps

Page 34
with the gallaxy of the
with the galaxy of the

Page 35
punishment of Prometheas is not
punishment of Prometheus is not

Page 37
Peta Nocono, the young and daring
Peta Nocona, the young and daring

against the maruding Comanches
against the marauding Comanches

Page 38
He was wholly unconcious
He was wholly unconscious

Page 40
yell of their red allys greeted the
yell of their red allies greeted the

Page 43
semi-civilized congeners, the Tonchua. The Tonchuas
semi-civilized congeners, the Toncahua. The Toncahuas

“georgeous” display incident to savage
“gorgeous” display incident to savage

Page 46
in recognition of which he never recieved
in recognition of which he never received

Page 47
to confine ourself to
to confine ourselves to

author of “Ross’ Texas Brigade,” counts
author of “Ross’ Texas Brigade,” “counts

the names of many heros, living and
the names of many heroes, living and

high prerogative of the State to enbalm
high prerogative of the State to embalm

Page 49
greatness and glory.--_Vide_
greatness and glory.”--_Vide_

Page 50
Major Earl Van Dorn, in a compaign against
Major Earl Van Dorn, in a campaign against

Page 51
reconnoissance showed that the wily Comanches
reconnaissance showed that the wily Comanches

Page 53
warrior, siezed Alexander’s rifle and shot Ross
warrior, seized Alexander’s rifle and shot Ross

Page 58
to their inaccessable deserts
to their inaccessible deserts

Page 59
The “Reservation Policy,”--necesessary
The “Reservation Policy,”--necessary

Page 61
left their dedefenseless
left their defenseless

Page 62
to my inexpressable surprise,
to my inexpressible surprise,

Page 63
while Lieut. Tom. Kelliheir and I pursued
while Lieut. Tom. Killiheir and I pursued

Page 64
wierd song. At this time my Mexican servant
weird song. At this time my Mexican servant

Page 66
she could recieve the attention her situation
she could receive the attention her situation

Page 67
decisive one; as sudden and irresistable
decisive one; as sudden and irresistible

Page 69
doubtless, gave rise to the eroneous statement
doubtless, gave rise to the erroneous statement

Page 70
dispair of being able to reach a conclusion
despair of being able to reach a conclusion

Page 75
civilization, and owns a ranche with
civilization, and owns a ranch with

Page 77
and were asigned an apartment together
and were assigned an apartment together

gastly spectacle met the eyes of the
ghastly spectacle met the eyes of the

Page 79
visited Quanah in his teepe
visited Quanah in his teepee

white teepes, and the inmates
white teepees, and the inmates

Page 80
lent a wierd charm to the lonely
lent a weird charm to the lonely

End of Project Gutenberg's Cynthia Ann Parker, by James T. DeShields