The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1890-03-28
LEGENDS OF THE WEST.
POETIC STORIES CONNECTED WITH
PLACES IN IOWA.

5a FLHSEo in IOWA.
Legends That Speak Well for tho Morals
OF the Early Western settIers-Th Birth
of the Lone Trec''-Two Incidents In
Which Providence Was Credited,
Inc legends of the west are as sturdy as in
dependent and as forcible as the men who
created them, and for this reason if no other,
deserve more than passing mention
What could, fpr instance, bo more poetic
than the story of the "Lone Tree" which was
related to the writer not long ago by one of
the oldest settlers Of Eastern Iowa? The
tale-or to speak more properly, the legend
is based on All oak tree, for many years the
only one standing within u radius of eight or
nlne miles. How did the tree come there!
That the unsophisticated pioneers could not
explain; 50 they resorted to invention, and
gave currency to story which will live
long after they have been forgotten. Early
IN the year 16i0 SO the report goes, soon
after the so-caled Blackhawk purchase had
been consummated, q young couple emf
grated from New York state to the west,
The man fI'ill brewster was his name) was
open hearted, hospitable and courageous,
and his wife was representative American
woman Of the middle class, Industrious kind
anu IilLIlui Alter their ARRIVAL III Iowa
the two young people went out ssprospect-
ing looking for suitable land) every day.
and finally reached a tract Of fat prairie land
which promised to yield rich crops Hero
they decided to take up their abode and the
woman, relieved Of all anxiety and worry,
then and there gave birth to son, and at
the same moment-to commemorate the
event--an oak sapling spranS up, which was
ever alterward called tho Lone Tree" The
sapllng IN course of time, became stout
oak tree, and stood for many years in It's iso-
lated position, mystery to the uninitiated,
an OBJECT OF never censlng curiosity to the
oid settlers, and monument OF interest to
tlie student OF American hle and manners,
"h'ii Fandai cutit down, four or five years
ago. to obtain Il supply of fire wood without
the necessity OF hauling it nine or ten miles.
Scarcely less Interesting is n bit Of lengend-
ary talk current in the region of the Wyom-
lrT Allls-'i' cham OF mound like elevations
located Oh the western shore Of the Missssip-
pippl river between the towns Of Davenport
ana Muscatihe, Ia. these hlils were once
upon q tlhlc Inc meeting place OF thousands
Oh lhd!ahs' ana hundreds OF their dead were
buried N gigantic mounds constructed on
the crests OF the elevations When the white
setAefa hfSt appeared they received a cold
welcome from the red men who wandered
through the country which vas once their
own, pnt had beeh ceded to the United States
government by Their chlels -..z.....-
The sava@es carried vengeance i'll their
hearts ard murder III their eyes; and many
bpia aSflcuituiibt, who had braved the
hartsin's OF pioneer life to acquire some
lahd l"f ms fanny, never returned from his
cofhllei,i, ana the "alilns and lamentations
% Witio""i women ana 1atheilesS children
were ctit"ei IRON one llfin TO the other III
hi'ISt every NeFh. one ci sheSa Went out
one sunday f'"fiilil5 TO collect his cattle.
~ 1AG&ha't oilsIoi ihc sippihs hllls, npf llo-
ticlh9 tue form OF hH indian who was lying
t"aGFtitE'i at aii@s!9 lhf iall &tGas growing on
the summit lie settler s ipot never crossed
W. thle7l1'Hl 81 TT lollAe AGAIN. i1e Was
truel'y 'liui}'ef'a py' the iilduen Zoe, and his
ho,iE lhloWn Y tlr waters IF the Mississippi.
iilS vile, growing ANXIOUS about his wei
hfs1, ~ noon Still otit her iltlie daughter to
hasten iief fathers return he Child, Injured
% danSer, undertook the task, bnt had not
pFoceeueu iaf "heh she hotcea red man on
lhe MI, itt1i, turning around, one behind
her. Escape Sefhlch lihposs!plei nut just at
lhat moment 2 citFlce large enough to con
ce'll Let opened N the slue OF tho hlll. she
sought theretuse thus provldentially offered,
hhN rs soon as She had concealed herself tho
opehlils closet, ana TO her startled sight WAS
revealed Il cavern OF large dimensions, rf
Whlcil she was the only occupant ..-
MOI until the following evening did the
creFice open aSal' The girl, almost fam
lshed by thls time, erept out OF her hiding
place, and, seeing that all danger was past,
ran nome, whore she related het strange
ab th@ Sa'tll ~ 7oiHr tile mystery OF her diS-
upi"H''a'ice Subsequent searcn la!let 70 re-
i'',' i'tsti ~ i'"c"otsis st'eti pu1 IL "euld,
iEFel '~1'e'tS9, ~ 'oe u uai2efouS thihg 70 ooupt
.,e ", Tetlc''y ol 1il'S tals III lhe presence OF
'HG 'tN suts'Vta q tlo9o stirring Nthes,
ana t"Il"i"i lnSte mas "Fpiea 10 'Le mn,
~ ~ e9oii9t " iitei pe 'llle iuhio''s
" 'i.S st''i . tHe n"t seiN ell'lollc p'.t very
oah'''tittt little VI ftoNiueilte i1ole.