Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-04-13
Minne- AVA.
An Indian Legend Of the Sour
Spring.


that portion of Western Pennsylva.
MIA now embraced by Butler and We
mango counties. In the former. where
the pleasant town of Butler is now
found, the CLASSY Compromising
then wandered through hoarY for.
est. In its mesndering the stream
did not touch q grander scene than
that opposite the present mill site In
the southern precincts OF thai town.
The abrupt hill rested its foot upon
the rocks which lined the stream and
formed q wall just wheIe the water
went leaping over precipice and
kept singing neYer-dying anthem to
the Most High. The beauty of this
sequestered spot-the grandeur of the
rock-ribbed hill, and the magniicence
of the forest, with their mirrored
countcrparts in the placid water; ere
it went dashing and crashing and
splashing over the stony abyss-must
await description from more plas-
tic pen.
The pale-face stepped upon the
scene and it was changed.
The mutilating hand of that prog
ress which has no eye for beauty nor
care for old landmarks, has spared
but three of the historic rocks on the
stream. and has made two of them
pay tribute from their massive pro-
portions Here Massey HARRISON, so
celebrated in the annals of Pennsyl-
vania pioneer history, crossed the
chasm on log with her babe in her
arms, captive to the willy savage
The central and largest one rises high
aud perpendicularly from the water.
1t has large, fat top, easily accessi-
BILE from the hillside, and is promi-
nently connected with this romance.
1t is known as the Lovers Rock,
probably from this incident. How
ever, the most remarkable object in
the locality is spring of sour water
in the midst of numerous freshwater
springs. No natural reason has ever
been given for this phenomenon, and
for these facts the writer is indebted
to the time-stained pages of diary
which he found in a rickety old gar
ret. 1t was ensconced among the
dusty papers of an old and somewhat
eccentric lawyer, who has long since
mouldered to dust.
So much by way of prelude or ex-
planation. To proceed, the scene is
shifted to the depth OF forest which
fiourished q century since in Fenango
county.
1t was beautiful spring afternoon.
a. limpid stream meanders through the
TO rest, and where the genial rays of
the, sun fell through the Interviewing
foil ege upon its surface, it sparkled
like a thread of silver. A little canoe
Hoat ed almost Doiselessly on its
boso n. The trio it carried were on
their pilgrimage to q religious cere-
mony of the Seneca Indians. and all
maintained an oppressive silence
such as proceeds from heavy hearts.
A large. swarthy savage stood in the
middle with a paddle; the other pas
sengers occupied seats. In one end
sat his daughter, Minue-wa-wa, "belle
of the Senecas, pride of the forest, "
in the other, an adopted son, whose
complexion and features, despite his
gay Indian trappings, disclosed his
descent. This was the German cap,
49, E,;t1 Soh hloiormapn
Only the occasional dash of the pi-
lots paddle broke the monotonous
silence. The captive gazed thought
fully into the water and recalled the
past; to the sky and traced a horo-
scope of his future. Each cruel Incl
dent of ten years of captivity-from
his kidnapping on the Susque hanna
river to the last punishment for at
tempted escape-was reproduced In
his mind. His breast rose indignant
fell respondent. Impulsively he
grasped his tomahawk. His captor
stood with his back toward him, and
one blow would put him out of the
way forever. One blow-it was
never dealt; the cruel red-skin was
Minne-wa-wa's father.
This maid of the forest was known
far and wide for her exquisite physic-
al beauty, of which no description
has been left to US; but, what is far
better, we get an occasional glimpse
of the beauty of her character. Amid
the darkness and frigid atmosphere
of barbarism she bloomed rare. pure
and pretty flower. She heard with
the greatest interest the Biblical story
Gods mercy and Cnrist's beautiful
life and great sacrifice-as it fell from
the lips of the captive. Many moon
found them hid beneath the trees;
the captive giving the gist OF the
scripture passages he had learned
from the Catechism, and Minne-wa-
wa committed them to memory. Soon
the God of the captive was Mime
wa.wa's God; and his prayers were
her prayers. Secretly she befriended
him-lightened his burdens and in
creased his joys. Her feeble arm pre-
vented cruel blows, and her influence
frequently stayed acts of bloody vio-
lence. Many braves of distant wig
vans aspired to her hand. She re-
jected the famous, the influential, the
honored, for one poor, disgraced, and
oppressed. Fritz, the German cap
tive, was the choice of Minne-wa. wa,
"belle of the Senecas; pride of the for
est"
The Indian hater can find in the
pure love and fidelity of this child of
the woods an exception to his pessi-
mistic rule. Perhaps, if he makes an
unprejudiced examination, he will
discover that the Indian is linked to
his white brother by more sympa-
thies and affections and fewer vices
than are usually ascribed to him.
After all, we are creatures of the self
same God, and all aspiring to an i'm
mortality in which our ideal of hap
piness will be perfected.
But, while we have been moral
izing, the canoe has pulled up among
some blooming laurels and our loiter-
ers have joined the worshipers who
preceded them. 1t was q motley
gathering, full of life and talk. Lazy
old braves lay stretched in the sun on
their blankets. Here and there sat
a group of idle warriors smoking,