Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-06-18
HALF-A-D0LLAR ISLAND.
The story of How Uncle Sandy
Hughes Made am Island.
Elberton ga ) Leader.

Many years ago, by an unsuccess-
ful attempt to divert the water in a
large bend of Coody's creek into a
straight channel, an isolated piece of
land was found which goes by the
name of Half-a-Dollar island. It's
name originated from this GIrcum-
stance:
Old "Uncle Sandy" Hughes once
had it planted in cotton, and having
been to look at it one day told his wife
il was so gooG that 1t was worth half
dollar Just TO see it. On this piece
of land there is a raised spot about
half an acre ia area, which is suppos-
ed to be an Indian nound. Some
years ago boor had this spot planted
IN corn. It proved we'll adapted the
corn thrived and bade fair to turn out
a handsome harvest. AS soon as the
corn thrived, however, the boor took
to boasting, and the more it thriyed
the more he boasted, till at length his
neIghbors became heartily wearied
and disgusted 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 lmprecatlons on the head
of the one who was desecrating that
| sacred ground. To this rumor were
added wild c0nJectures, such as that
spells would be practiced OH the boor;
he would be caught and beaten by
witches, his corn Or himself be spirit
ed away, or some such sad fate would
befa0 him. These rumors and CON
lectures being every day exaggerated,
filed his mind with dread and appre~
| hension so great that he grew afraid
to go near the mound. Having ar
ranged everything in readiness for
their scheme, however, our friends,
some Of his Deighbors, one evening.
by taunts or cowardice, succeeded in
getting the boor TO 60 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 linb as if in real
ity 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
descreate this sacred ground with your
accursed corn?" The beor vouch>
ssfed no reply, nor waited to hear
more, but turning on his heel fed as
fast as 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 been conjectured The boor was
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 bOaStinp