The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1889-08-03
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LEGEND OF SUMMIT CAMP GROUNDS
BY JOHN G. DONALDSON


Among the hundreds of visitors who make their
homes during The summer at Summit Grove
camp grounds none perhaps have ever heard of
the beautiful Indian legend that is said to he
connected with spot within few yards of their
doors and very near indeed to the present pump
from which they have slaked their thirst and de-
rived both health and pleasure many and many
times in the past few years.
Naturally strong and possessing medicinal
properties of a marked degree, this well fur
nlshes almost the entire supply of water used for
dog-days, when drouths prevail and the earth's
vegetation is parched and other famous springs
In the neighDorhood decrease and SINK this glori-
Gus fountain Is undiminished in purity and Guan-
tity. Some Sundays alone ten thousand tired
and thirsty pilgrims have tried in vain to check
It's now, and it is about this spring that tradition
mas handed down this original and let us sup
pose true story. Listen while tell the legend
ana perhaps afterward you may tell or read it to
tne 6 cniioren Inat nightly gather at your knee.
over century and half ago, when settlers
were nrSt locating on KreutZ creek, this side of
tne Susquehanna river, farmer named Shaeffer
I0oK up claim from the heirs of William Penn.
His family consisted of himself, wife and beau
tiiuI tiiuI orphan girl who had been adopted while he
still lived in Saxony.
lodges near the head waters of the Codorus often
visited this section on fishing and hunting expe-
oltlons, ana 1t so happened that young son of
the chief met and loved this German girl Isola-
TED from society it was not strange in those
colonlal days that the dusky swain's advances
were rec1procated by the ight-haired maiden
and after number of clandestine meetings. She
eloped and followed her youthful chieftain to
his tribe.
The arrival of a stranger in the camn creatad
asensatfon and the matter was discussed bv the
old men in council assembled. After hours of
pnnd pslnI4i 1n0ught and smoky discussion it was de-
clared against law and order for the promising
young ruler to match himself with the fair pris-
oner The old chief gave his decision with the
majority for he had looked with an evil eve on
his sons action. The more the father areued
the more stubborn became his offsprinp and a
Dltfer enmlty arose between parent and son.
Hostile dQmnnct frat ions
Joining tribe on the Gunpowder river near
Joppa, and the old chief being two infirm the son
wa was @ cnosen 70 leaa against the enemy. At first
Jne Ve-slck youth refused to go. But the de-
cis1on OF the council being reversed against the
poor girl captive and she was to be liberated and
made one OF the tribe in case the attacking party.
was successful. This induced the young chief
tain and his friends to go on the war-path With
earnest and cruel determination the warriors
Salneo 10rth TO aid their brave and faYorite
leader. The father saw that success would be
attained and he determined to destroy the girl
9uIlng ms sons absence and make believe She
had escaped in the night.
The second day after the warriors departure
fearful storm swept over the wild forest and
the rain poured in torrents Late at night the
tempest passed by and the darkened ravs of the
moon sh0ne at intervals through the moving
ciouas. Long hours during the day the old
cnlertaln sat benumbing his mind with planning
scheme and hardening his conscience to carry
1t out. He resolved to put the girl to the stake
and thus by taking her life be revenged for the
trouble that had been caused in the tribe, be-
sides feel avenged for an insult given him by the
Virginian pale faces during late visit to that
territory.
Stealing softly into the wigwam where the can
tive was bound he unfastened the thongs by
which she was secured and led her dumb found
ed Dy fright into the night air. Onward they
went into the dark recesses of the wood until n
deep raV1ne was reached. AT the bottom end of
this dry water drain was spring of large dimen-
sions from which the natives drank with healing
erect when i'll from disease. This was the sec
ond time during the night that the inhuman and
revengeful old chief had been at the same place.
before rrlfyI of dxxV nod
which was piled carefully around the three
sides OF strong stake driven deeply into the
sort earth. To fasten the poor trembling and
terrified victim to the stake was the work of a
moment, and dropping on his knees commenced
the Indian plan of starting fire by friction of
WOOD. The extreme dampneSS for time pro-
longed the labor, but finally he succeeded and a
splinter became live coal across which num-
Der of twigs were deftly laid
The moonbeams escaped from the silver fringe
of the last dark cloud and fell in soft rays over
the terrible scene. The deathly pallor made the
fearless eye of the victim glisten in upturned
fright while the beautiful and youthful form
half kneeling, half suspended to the stake by the
encircled loop of the securely bound arms. The
cruel father chief regarded not the anguish of
his nearly new-made daughter, but gently emit
ted current of air from his puckered lips to
urge the sickly flame upward into the dry fagots
The flames, preceded by a cloud of smoke, arose
rapidly through the material and burst forth
near the lovely victims knees. She uttered a
swOOned away.
For moment there was low, rumbling, sub
terranean sound, and then great rush of water
leaping high into the air as roaring geyser
issued from the rocky crevice into which the
stake had been driven. The insensibIe form of
the girl, still fastened to the stake, was thrown
violently but safely beyond the rushing torrent
on the side of the gully. The full momentum of
the torrent struck the old chief, carrying his
lifeless body down the stream to the level below
The next morning the girl was found and care
fully nursed back to life and liberty. The brave
and handsome young chieftain returned safely
with his successful warriors and was shortly
married to his fair companion according to In
dian custom. 1t is further said they lived long
and happy life and left large posterity. The
Indians never understood the cause of this won
derful phenomenon until explained years after
by their white neighbors. 1t appears that the
outlet of the famous spring at the foot of the
ravine became smothered by debris and could
not escape. The accumulated water rushed
back into the assures of lime stone rock and
formed an underground reservoir. The old
chief unconsciously drove the stake into a
crevice, the force of which it could not resist
but broke forth in great geyser as described.
To-day only traces of the ravine exist and where
the early spring was is now deep and level soil.
A well is sunk that gives never ending stream
of healthful waters to the thousands who throng
the grounds. 1t is said after heavy rainfall the
rush of the subterranean waters can still be
heard if the is placed to the earth, and those
who doubt the tradition can have it verified.