The Osceola times., 1878-06-15
THE AGATE NECKLACE; F;
Or, wauban, the Rose OF Rock River

Chicago was invited TO attend the wed.
ding of a young Scotch lass, to be mar
ried at the seat of her family-a branch
of the Grahams--in the highlands Of
Scotland. He wished to take with him
a present which should be unique in
character, and also should be suggestive
of the United States, from which he
came. The writer Of this legend was
asked what would be appropriate. Hav-
ing heard, while attending court on Rock
river, the legend of the Agate Necklace.
land believing that it was still in exist
fence, and might be procured, the writer
suggested to the gentleman that he
should try to obtain it, and present it as
wedding gift to the bride. This was
done the legerd am now about TO read
was read at the wedding dinner, giving
history OF the necklace. Imagine
yourselves, therefore, in Scotland, in an
ancient csstellsted hall at wedding
party.
A hundred miles west OF Chicago,
across the rolling prairies OF northern
Illinois, run the clear waters Of Rock
river. From rocky bluffs. rising from
fifty to one hundred feet above the river,
issue inuumerable springs which make
this the most beautiful river of the north
west, and as clear and cold almost as
mountain stream. The varied surface of
the country is inters2ersed with many
park-like and grand old Forest trees, some
of them Of dignity and antiquity which
date far earlier than any existing monu-
ments of human skill-among them ths
rock maple, the fir. the elm and the oak,
of such magnificent proportions as to
rival or surpass the largest trees of the
old world. IN elm is still standing not
far from the scene OF our legend which
measures thirty five feetin circumference,
and with branches creating dense shade
hundred feet or more in diameter.
Flowers in countless numbers cover the
prairie. Flowers, in-the wsrds OF Bryant,
"Whose glory and whose multitude
Rival the consultations"
On the banks Of this river, near grove
OF oaks, which would suggest some old
English park of more than medieval
antiquity, long, very long, before Chicago
existed even az hamlet, there had
settled the family Of a British emigrant, a
retired British officer OF Scotch ancestors
Attracted, doubtless, by the psrk-like
scenery, the general beauty of the land
scape, and the facility of obtaining rs
much land as he might choose TO occupy,
this soldier, whom shall call Captain
Graham, had constructed cottage and
brought with him his family, consisting
OF his wife, sons and an only daughter,
now just opening into the full bloom of
early womanhood.
The cottage which he built, fronting
the river aud at the edge of grove, he
called lockwood" and here he at
tempted 10 live, as near as circumstances
W uld admit, the country life OF Old
England. Wild vines-the Virginia
creeper, the American ivy; the bitter
sweet and the lovely Michigan rose
soon covered the exterior of his cottage.
With an unlimited range of pasturage,
and gras Tor hay, he soon becsme an ex>
tensive stock-grower, and finding a
market tor his cattle in supplying the
frontier military posts with beef.
North and west OF Rock river, roam,
ing and hunting over what now consti-
tutes Northern Illinois and Southern
Wisconsin, were bands of the Pottawat.
omie and Ottawa Indians, some OF the
same tribes that, under the leadership
of the celebrated chief, Black Hawk,
waged the last Indian war in Illinois,
and in which the late President Lincoln,
when young man, served as private
soldier and lieutenant. One of these
bands oil Indians had their camp and
village near beautiful grove OF timber,
sill existing, called Sugar Grove. At
the head OF this band was a young chief
nalla1 \Ap- tY-nah Atshnu..k
he was famed from Lake Superior to the
Missouri As the most successful hunter
and the finest horseman in all the tribes
which rosmed between Lake Michigan
and the falls of Minnie .hs.ha, and his
praises a. a warrior were already sound
ed around the council fires OF his people
This band had always been friendly
10 the few white settlers who had wan.
dered into this then wild country, and
the chic and his tribe were always wei
coined at the home OF the British sol-
dier with the kindest hospitality: food
and shelter were always freely offered
and many were the kindly offer
ings and courtesies exchanged between
the family OF Captain Graham and the
young chief.
We>no nah himself often visited Rock
wood cottage, and his eyes fingered with
respectful admiration upon the form of
the young British maiden. She was,
indeed, very beautiful, and of type
rarely seen on the prsiries of Illinois
with eyes as blue and dark as the sky at
sunrise her golden hair as bright as the
clouds FURNISHED by the rising sun, with
that rosy, transparent complexion,
variable aud delicate, 20 peculiarly
Scotch.
She had a smile, bright look, kind
word and graceful courteses for all and
all who saw could not help but love her
AT her coming clouds and shadows fed,
aud faces, careworn, anxious and sorrow
full, frightened into gladness. She had
that wonderful magnetism which at
tracted all who saw her; even the aui.
mails seemed glad at her coming and
the wild denizens of the forests and
prairie recognized in her instinctively a
friend, and were fearless of her approach
aud familiarity. When she walked
beneath the caks, the birds gathered
around her and filed the branches of tie
trees with their sweet music. Even the
wild 1.er, n she sat upon the rocks or
on the trunks Of fallen trees with her
boek, and with brisht-coiored Indian
shawl thrown around her shoulder,
fnselsated By scus stnngs influence, and
eenqe1lsd - curiosity, aad nade bold
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