Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1878-06-15
THE AGATE NECKLACE
Or, Wauban, the Rose Of Rock River.

Some years ago a young gentleman Of
Chicago was invited to attend the we'd
ding of young Scotch lass, to be mar
ried at the seat Of her famiiy--a branch
Of the Grahams--in the highlands of
Scotland. He wished to take with him
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,
and believing that it was still in exist
ence, and might be procured, the writer
suggested to the gentleman that he
should try to obtain it, and present it as
a wedding giit to the bride, This was
done the legend am now about to rea
was read at the wedding dinner, giving
8 history Of the necklace. Imagine
yourselves, therefore, in Scotland in an
ancient cas,ellated hall at a wedding
party
A hundred miles west of Chicago,
across the rolling praines oi northern
Illinois, run the clear waters of Rock
river. From rocky bluffs, rising from
fifty to one hundred eet above the river,
issue innumerable 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 intesJersed with many
park-ike and grand old 1orest trees, some
Of them Of a dignity and antiquity which
date far earlier than any existing mnnu-
ments Of human sEill--among them the
rock maple, the fir, the elm aud the oak.
OF such magnificent proportions az TO
rival or suTpass the largest trees of the
old world An eIm il still standing not
tar from the scene of our legend which
measurasthirty FIVE Ieetin circumference,
and with branches creating q dense shade
a hundred feet or more in diameter.
Flowers in countless numbers cover the
prairie. Flowers in the words OF Bryant,
"Whose glory and whose multitude
Rival the consultations"
Ga the banks of this river. near grove
of oaks. which would SUGGEST some old
English park of more than medieval
antiquity, long, yerv long, before CHICAGO
existed even a. a hamlet there had
settled the family sta British emicrant a
retired British effiesrol Scotch aucest.rs
Attracted, doubtless. by the park.Gke
scenery. the general beauty of the land.
sc2pe. and the facility OF obtaining "a
much land AZ he migbtcboose to occn1v
this soldier whom I shall call Cantair
Graham. had consrructed COTTAGE and
BROUGHT with him his family consistinr
OF his wife sons and An only dauyhtar
now lust opepinr into the mll bjoom nj
early womanhood.
The cottage which he built fronting
the river and at The edre Of q grove he
called lockwood =" and here be at.
temnted 10 live as near as rirrnmstonres
" Md admit. the country life ~ Old
England. Wild yipes-fhe VIRGINIA
creen4r. the. American ivv. the bitter
sweet and the lovely Micbigan rnseN
soon covered the evterior of L;s cot,oco
With An unlimited range of nostnraSe
and gra-s ior hav he soon became ON az,
tensive stock.oTower and 6nd;ng
market for his cattle in snnnivirr tba
frontier military nosts with bset WV
North and west of Rock river roou
inc and hunting over What now conapi
tntes NorrherS illinois end Soutborn
Wisconsin were hands ~ the Pottswat,
or,ie and 0Itewo InJ;ors so,ao W. .i,o
same tribes that pnder The issdorsbin Sio
Of the celebratei ohiet RIack HswF
woced the last Indian war in Tlinois
and in which The Iate pres;dont I;no,Ir
when vonng man served "a a nrIvat9
soldier and lieutenant One of tbaso
hands ot indians had thor oon.r W. '"," and
viiIoro % near haautignI rrovo o 20 p ,in,Sn. Tuu
a III e1istinc caIIed SrSar p'T CO. ~ .aH'o
tho 40 baad -, tb!, hond ,rSs u."no' ,,, ~ ~
cnIIeJ % NV Wenomob % T Hi+Io~,'h stT"s .t;, lso vn'e'
h. ras tared irom, Iata snnar;a. 49,, youps ny,
NJ son; as tba MOST svcoats,nI i'p' hWntn5 .ao
onS tbs fnast borsanosn y in olI tbo "uH. ,r;bea
wbich yoamed hetwaen Tata W;ch;aon
snd AZ The falls of Mip.ns bs.bs tp o5'fr" snS bis