Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-06-12
HALF-A-DOLLAR ISLAND.
The story OF How Uncle sandy
Hughes Made an Island.
Elberton (tSa.l Leader

Many years sgo. by an unsuccess-
full attempt to divert the water in a
large bend of Coody's creek into
straight channel, an isolated piece of
land was found which goes by the
name of Half-a- Dollar ;sland. Its
name originated from this Llrcum-
stance:
Old Uncle Sandy" Hughes once
had it planted in cotton, and having
been to look at it one day told his wife
it was so good that it was worth nalf
dollar just to seeSis. Ga this piece
OF land there is a raised spot about
half an acre in area, which is SuppoS-
ed to be an Indian mound. Some
years ago boor had this spot planted
in corn. 1t proved we'll adapted; the
corn thrived and babe fair to turn out
a handsome harvest. As soon as the
corn thrived, however, the boor took
to boasting, and l.. more it thriyed
the more he boosted, till at length his
nelghbors became heartily wearied
and disguised with his song and set
10 devising schemes by which they
might silence him.
The result was report soon sprang
up that an old Indian chief had been
seen to come up out of the mound and
utter angry imprecations on the head
of the one who was desecrating that
sacred ground. To this rumor Were
added wild con lectures, such as that
spells would be practiced on the boor;
he would be caught and beaten by
witches, his corn or himself be spirit
ed away, or some such sad fate would
betall him. These rumors aud con
lectures being every day exaggerated,
filled his mind with dread and aprre>
hension so great that he grew afraid
to 60 near the mound. Having ar
ranged everything in readiness for
their scheme, however, our friends.
some of his neighbors, one evening,
by taunts or coward!ce, succeeded in
getting the boor to go and look after
his corn. AS he stepped on the island
he seemed as if on enchanted ground.
He looked about him wildly and pro-
ceeded slowly toward the mound,
trembling in every limb as if in real
| lty going to meet some supernatural
| being. How did it affect him, then,
when in the midst of his corn sudden
| ly from out of the ground arose .
painted old Indian chief before him
and confronted him with these words
How dare you, pale face, thus to
descrea e this sacred ground with your
accursed com!' The b9or vouch~
safed no reply, nor waited to hear
more, but turning on his heel he'd as
fast us his feet would carry him.
After this it was all our friends
could do to prevail upon him again
to visit the mound; it was only on
the promise to go along with him and
stand by him to the last in any mis-
fortune. When they reached there
they found the corn all vanished; no
sign remained but a pile OF shucks
and stalks over the hole out of which
the old chief had arisen. Thus had
his corn actually been spirited away,
as had Leen conjectured. The boor wss
now completely crestfallen but a
few days after, when these same
friends, sympathizing in his mis-
fortune, made him up a sufficient
purse to replace the corn spirited
away, and assured him that the ire OF
the spirits was now appeased, he be-
came again light hearted but was
cautioned never to assume the practice
! of hOaStinp