The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-01-25


1t is, however, somewhat startling to
learn that legends exist in countless
numbers among the people of tho West
ern States. Portions of Illinois and
iowa, which fifty years ago were VIII
derness or prairie waste, to-day teen
with romantic stories, and scores OF OBJ
sects with which are connected strange
adventures or incidents are pointed out
to the traveller who has the fortune of
coming across one of those most indis-
pensablc members of Western society,
an old settler.
1t has been sold that legends reflect
the character of a people, and If such Is
the case, tho clrly Western settlers
must have loen sturdy men who saw
good in every thing, and opposed all
strictly vulgar superstition; for the
great majority of their Legendary stories
contain morals and poetic inspirations
of the highest order. They are free
from the dross of superstition found in
the tales of England, Germany and
France; they do not breathe the roman
tic but misleading spirit of occultness
which pervades tho fables of the Orient;
nor do they in any way resemble tho
weird, uninspircd sagas of the Morse
pensantry.
The legends Of the Westare as sturdy,
as independent and as forcible as the
men who created them, and for this
reason. If no other, deserve more than
passing mention.
What could, for instance, be moro
poetic than tho story of the "Lone
Tree" which was related to the writer
not long ago by one of the oldest settlers
of Eastern Iowa? Tho tale-or, to
speak moro properly, the lcgend-is
based on an oak tree. for many years
the only one standing within a radius
of eight or nine miles. How did the
tree come there? That the unsophisti-
Gated pioneers could not explain; SO
thew rcsorted to invention, and gave
currency to a story which will live long
after they have been forgotten. Early
in the year 1910, SO the report goes,
soon after the so-called Blackhawk
Purchase had been consummated,
young couple emigrated from New York
State to the West Tho man (Bill
Brewster was his name) was open
hearted, hospitable and courageous,
and his wife was representative
American woman of the middle class,
Industrious, kind and faithful. After
their arrival in Iowa the two young
people went out prospecting Cooking
for suitable land) every day, and finally
reached tract of fatprairie land which
promised TO yield rich crops. Here
thev decided to take up their abode,
and the woman, relieved of al anxiety
and worry, then and there gave birth
10 a son, and at the same moment-to
commemorate the event-an oak sap
ling sprang up which was ever after
ward called the "Lope Tree" The sap
ling. in course of time, became o stout
oak tree, end stood for many years in
its isolated position, mystery TO the
uninitiated, On object of never-ceasing
curiosity to the old settlers, and mon
umcnt of interest to the student OF
American life and manners, until van
dal cut it down, four or five years ago.
Scarcely less interesting is bit OF
Legendary talk current in the region of
the Wyoming Hills Ia chain of mound
like elevations located on the western
. shore of tho Mississippi river, between
the towns of Davenport and Muscatlne,
Ia.). These hills were once upon time
rho meeting-place of thousands Of In
dams, and hundreds of their dead were
buried in gigantic mounds constructed
ON tho crests of tho elevations. When
the white settlers FIRST appeared they
received q cold welcome from the rod
men who wandered through the country
which was once their own, but had been
ceded to the United States Government
by their chiefs. The savages carried
vengeance in their hearts and murder in
their eyes; and many bold agricuitur-
ist, who had braved the hardships OF
pioneer life to acquire some land Tor his
family, never returned from his corn
field, and the wailing and lamentations
of widowed women and fatherless chill
dren were echoed from one farm to the
other almost every week. one OF these
men went out one Sunday morning to
collect his cattle. Eic aScended one oi
the sloping hills, not noticing the form
of an Indian who was concealed among
the tall weeds growing on tho summit
The settlers foot never crossed the
threshold of his homo again. lie was
cruelty murdered by his hidden
foe and his body thrown into the
waters OF tho Mississippi. His
wife, growing anxious about his
welfare, Nv noon seat out her little
daughter TO hasten her fathers return
The child, Injured to danger, undertook
the task, but had not proceeded fai
when shc noticed red man on the hill
md, turning around. one behind her
Esca,c secmcd impossible; but just al
that moment q eroyioe large enough TX
conceal her opened In the sido OF Tho
Nil. she sought the refuge thus proyi
dentially offered, and as soon as She
aanenaled hcrseif lie opening closed
and to her startled sight was revealed
navcpn ot large diI1ensions, OF whicI
irhe war t.i" only occupant. Not unit
,hc following evening did the crevict
epen again. The girl, almost famished
by this time, crept out of her hiding
lpiace, and, seeing that all danger was
past, ran home, whore she related her
strange story to O npmber Of neighbors
who had met at the cabin to solve the
mystory OF her Disappearance. Subse-
aucnt search failed 10 reveal a cavern
anywhere near where tao girl had been
80 miraculously saved. but 1t would,
pevcrtholGas, be y dangerous Thing
TO doubt tho yeraclty OF this tale
In tho presence OF the few survivors
OF thoco Stirring i'm and popular
caste las applied 10 the In which wiii