River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-12-11
A SUWANEE ROMANCE.
The Story of a Florida Girl.
from the Philadelphia Times.


The Suwanee river, curving Ike a
horseshoe, makes some strange indent-
ares IN its banks, forming wooded pools
redolent of romance and song. Many
are the myths and legends connected
with this river. which ON three sides
bounds the county that bears its name,
and one in particular deserves to be
rescued from oblivion.
Riding out there the other day
Twelve miles jaunt brought me to low
pied by an old bachelor friend of mine,
whose memory is perfect encyclopedia
Of scenes and times in Florida for fifty
years past. failed to find him at home,
but with the perfect freedom born of
long acquaintance / took possession of
his place at once, turned his mule into
the adjacent lot and ensconced my tired
horse IN the stall erstwhle occupied by
the long cared basso profundo of the
cotton patch. Then, lighting my favor
tie pipe, / started for stroll along the
banks of the dear old river. 1t was in-
deed lovely day. Not a cloud OBJ
scured the sky and the wind, blown
from off the stream, was cool and de-
tightful to the senses.
The steep, precipitous banks were
lined with briars and bush; strange
,olored glimpses of light betokened the
presence of bud and flower.
From swaying limbs and pendant
5wigs the mockingbird futtered his
quaker garb and poured out his heart
in sweetest melody. The drone of in
sect life fell family on the air, rent and
torn at times by the wild scream of the
hawk, that pirate of the air.
The path / pursued was new one to
me, but as it followed the river bank
closely and always in sight l had no
fears of going astray,
-Four miles of this half-dreamy wan
dering brought me to strange, wild
spot. pool of water curved in the NV
or bank about forty feet in extent, al
most hidden from sight by immense
trees, whose branches twined and in
terlaced made canopy through which
no light could enter.
+ Between two of the largest of these
+ trees an open path led to the pool,
whose waters were as black as ink,
dark, gloomy and forbidding. To my
surprise, although it was evident that
my feet were the first to tread this path
in many days, no grass grew thereon,
no weed or briar or bush found foot
hold there. 1t was bare and smooth, a
sandy clay, hardened almost to stone.
Around the pool the underground
was wild and dense, but there was no
sign or trace of any life; all was quiet
and motionIess, no hint of strolling bird
or beast The ground was dark and
damp, the waters still and fathomless,
no ripple or simmer of light upon its
surface.
( Unaccountably depressed, / turned
away and sought the sunlight again.
This feeling of gloom and depression
chung to me all the way on my return
to my friends house, and he, noticing
this, inquired the cause, as he hustled
around preparing the bachelors dinner.
[ briefly acquainted him with the facts
Of the strange discovery [ had made.
I "Oh" said he, "you have been to the
Lovers Pool. There is strange and
pathetic history connected with that"
he continued, musingly, "and it seems
to have been cursed ever since that I'M
happy day. F"
4 A romance; that was enough for me,
and I besieged him at once for all the
! particulars.
Well" said he, control your eager
ness until after dinner, and then I'll
tell you the tales as it was told to me-"
There was a heapiDg platter of cold
I chicken, huge pile of roasted sweet
I nj
some delicious coffee-all the work of
/ his own fair hands-aheml
/ After dinner we lit our pipes and adj
/ iourned TO the wide, roomy piazza, where
my host proceeded to fulfill his prom
Use.
at happened thirty years ago, and
Belle Norton was one of the prettiest
girls in Florida. She was tall and
/ slender, but exquisitely formed, and of
an unusually sunny temperament. Her
hair was q golden brown, her eyes were
like pansy blossoms and her lips were
twin buds, just ripen1hg into bloom.
Her father, old Abel Norton, was
one of the richest planters. in these
parts, and fairly worshiped his one
child: but he had the temper of a de-
mon when aroused and knew neither
law, gospel or reason. His house was
about mile from the pool. You can
see the ruins now. The house was fred
by the negroes during the war, and the
whole place has gone to ruin and decay.
about four miles off lived old Squire
Griffin and as he had houseful of little
children he imported a Yankee from
Massachusetts to teach them. He was a
right handsome young fellow, this
I teacher, a graduate of one of the best
colleges, and very gentlemanly and re-
/ fined in all his actions His name was
Harry fisherman and he became quite
a favorita in the neighborhood.
/ Harry ana Belle met at a ball given
by one of the planters and the usual re-
4 suits followed at first sight and
all that sort of thing. / don't believe
in love myself, but these young people
did. and terrible tragedy followed.
/ sold man Norton had never liked
/ Harrv-in fact the old fellow, even in
those DAYS. was rank believer in Sc
cession and hated everything of North
ern origin He had tolerated the Young
/ teacher at first out of respect for South
ern hospitality and the opinions of his
/ old friends, but when he discovered
! that Harry had fallen in love with his
/ daughter and she was guilty of the
same footishness he was furious, raved
like devil and swore by all the gods
+ that ne wonld shoot "the id Yankee"
I if he ever caught him on ms place again.
/ He had stormy scene with his daugh
| ter, but she chung to her faith and re-
/ fused to give her lover up.
/ But henceforth the lovers were more
careful, and were obliged to conhne
their love making to stolen interviews
! and this pool was selected as the tryst-
/ ing place. 1t was then a beautiful
spot. The underground was tangled
/ mass of flowers, the trees allowed the
moon to drop through their green
/ branches and battle in the water that
was then as clear as crystal. The stol
en- interviews Of these happy lovers did
not long remain a secret. They were
| betrayed by negro and old Norton's
| revenge was an awful one.
] Belle had been in the habit after all
the house had retired of leaving her
room and spending a happy hour with
her young and rdent lover at this spool.
1t was beautiful nightin June; the
moon was at ITS full and the heavens
were clothed in splendor. A cool
| breeze swept over the swaying trees and
| from the shadowy copse the whip poor
viii kept up hisplaintive calling. Dur
Z