Wichita eagle., 1890-03-05
HOW THE MOON CAMEDOWN
THE LEGEND OF THE ORIGIN OF
LAKE CONWAY, FLORIDA.

SsN A@'AoO oisA uiS consuming IkTco-I sbir
Chita Sends Her 0uenchng Rains-A
Conflict Between the Sun God and tho
Moon Queen.
have the facts about my lake from the
Indians who still fingered about its basin
when came to live by 1t. twenty years ago
| dislike the feats of Imaginative writers,
who, to show their skill or learning, patch up
a few facts Of observation to make a roman
tic story, when the plain, unvarnished facts
are very well known to them If they had the
honesty to confess, as do now.
In the dark before the morn, ere the bison
bull was calVed, there lived hard by this hill
on which the lake now lies acrusty, covetous
old Yahoo. Not the Yahoo Of Surfe story,
but that Wahoo, meaning holy, which gives
name to the Great Swamp, near the scene
of Dades massacre, Christmas eve Of fifty
odd years ago
The Yahoo lived in the old, old times of
the Behemoth mammoth n,astodon, whose
great bones are still found imbedded in the
mari Of Peace creek, close by. BE was Bit
terly religious, and worshiped the great fiery
god, OF Sun God. and kept his great herds OF
elephants buffaloes and other thick hded
LlOIIStSlo icCdlilS O1 dll tUe ILLS dtlu valleys
of the land. In order to keep them he kept
burning of-buIring off the grass and shrubs
SO that they could have the sweet, young
shoots. The smell of all this securing and
burning went up into the nose Of the Sun God,
and he liked it, and shone On the old Yahoo
prosperously.
But it was wretched for the land and his
neighbors; for either the great beasts would
come tramping over their corn and pump
kins, or the wretched fires would destroy all
they had, even the thatched huts Of Palmetto;
and the poor people were starving.
But there was one who disliked and resent
ed it, for, though there was no pretty moon
On tie earth in those days, still she had her
home in the sky like the sun god, and the
people looked up to her great deal, and
offered her fruits and flowers. OF course the
burning off stopped all that and the smoky
kitchen, right under her front parlor win
dow, vexed the Moon Queen constantly. at
last, out of patience, she sent shower and
put the fire out
The Yahoo was astonished, for there had
never been such thing as rain before, as if
he had seen his COWS turn upside down and
walk up the sky, like flies But he was too
vain and bigoty to think it was meant for him
and went roaring his prayers and building
more fires than ever. This nettled the Fair
Chita, as the Indians called her, and she sent
the winds, her messengers, from the Dog
Star to the Dipper, and gathered up all the
clouds over the wide world and emptied their
pitchers on the Yahoo's ground, rinsing out
like grand washday in heaven
The foods came, and the hungry sea cry
ing to swallow up the shore, and the waters
rose over the bottoms, over the hills and over
the heads of rivers in the mountains, and all
the great brutes were drowned. This hap
pened, said Chipeo, the old chief of the Sem
inoles, who died a few years ago, aged 9S,
counting on his fingers, "nine ages" or cen
turies ago.
Come" cried the Sun God, shivering in
the cold after the foods; "who upset the water
pot"
But the clouds hurried out of his way, and
the stars skipped off TO hide in the night. even
to this day.
Come" he roared louder than ever, "who
put the fires outi'
Il did" said the Moon Queen. "Yahoo was
burning the world up"
"What else was it made forg" roared the
king. But I'll send you to put it in again"
He caught her by the heels and sent her spin
ming like new silver dollar down, down,
down till her head and shoulders struck
through the Great Beaver dam.
But Serope, the great beaver hunter. saw
Der and pulled her out, and she rinsed off in
fresh water, and said, Now, what you want
you shall have: speak,
Always to be young and hunt beavers"
said Serope, ''ia my lake here"
Good, said the queen. when age comes
with its rheumatism, at midsummer moon
rise, put your body in the moon hole and
leave ii to soak till moonset. Take il and Set
it against tree TO dry, and when IL is right
crisp it viii split open down the spine and
you may step out, brand new, like chestnut
from burr. "
'All right" said serope, ''and you, ma
iamg'
''Ohl an glad came. It's too cold spend |
Ing the nights UP north, and I'll stop and win |
ter in Florida"
Now it IS ali true. and anv one that looks |
II the proper hour can see the moon in the !
water as wei as IL the SKY, just as she prom |
Sed.
This may rot be altogether credible, but |
after all it Is about as likely as anything sci |
---Se 1913 ~ - LGi<.O- D oa1N
The advantage OF herself as preseut witness. /
As for Serope, | am inclined TO think he |
got tired beaver hunting, and as the mocn \
hole was very comfortable ne crept into it /
and drew the lake water over him ike
blanket. Rather selfish to cork Up the famous /
ountain of life in Florida: but it explains 1
he loss Of il 70 poor Ponce de Leon as We'll
Is that pine stub story of nina.
The year has been fruitful and bountiful |
The rainy season was very abundant, the
moisture painting the skies in tnat splendor
4 Transparent color which is one Of the pa
'uliar beauties Of the climate; and the latter /
ssson. though injurious 70 truck gardsasrs.
as been full q PLACID beauty Sweet and
resh as tas morning Is, there is quiet love
iness in the rIghttsil Of tles- dry, brigh.
laws - delicious color and calm The dew
all which clothes the morning in white,
1onssrvsS tia oder of resin ana aE1Dar1T2s IN /
ne elr.
The broad mellow belrs Erslt into cool !
rays, and, as me shadow oarkeJs. the broad
'ands O. the zcdlaccl ign. a-a s--'uls enCosa
o css- fam: SHADOW, likc = 5e>eptlve young
noou. In that shcetay radiance. toe CON
.susing aswfaA lies N ih~<e TF1.C s1ld wells
( snow vni.e vapor The ar Is sweet vita
surgeon II ffe S-ring mixed -1,a tne dry
p.cs of re .lead summer s2F- among rs
risp ieavos- Tie s1s- iacezsanr -se1 o. t1s
ra-e-. JEs sGse VIVID th.s rsoTT- a. o1gn5
ron ire Atian;4c. max. iuilahf g. raus1cal.
~ -. = .