Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-15
THE STORY OF A WOODEN CROSS.
Brave and Faithful nIehawanta Met His
Death While Doing His Duty.


Brave and Faithful nIehawanta Met His
Death While Doing His Duty.
A party Of Minnetonka explorers land
ed on Crane island, and in the course of
their peregrinations ran on to pecu-
liarly shaped mound. The elevation
would have attracted no attention prob
ably but for moss covered and worm
eaten wooden cross that surmounted it.
The cross bore every evidence of great
age. 1t was formed of two rough
branches solidly mortised together. That
others had found it was plain from the
carvings it bore. There was some specu-
lation as to the origin and intent of this
rough hewed emblem. Some insisted
that it had served pious hermit as an
altar before which to repeat his prayers;
others claimed to have discovered le-
gend inscribed on the time worn stump,
and to these the cross denoted grave
probably the last resting place of some
early pioneer.
The truth is even more romantic and
interesting. That cross has stood the
ravages of time and the vandal hand Of
the tourist visitor since 1851. 1t was
built by Frenchman named Edmond
Dornier to mark the last resting place
Of an Indian. The Indian had rendered
Dornier . great service. He was shot to
death by the Frenchman while in the
very act of serving him. 1t was mis-
take, and one which Dornier regretted
to the day when he himself died vio-
lent death in the Indian war of 1861.
Dornier lived on the lake shore. He was
one Of the first settlers. The log house
he built has long since been replaced by
. pretentious house, now occupied by
Minneapolis man as his summer resi-
dence. Dornier had wife and two
daughters. The hitter were slillful in
navigation Of the bark canoes made by
the tribe of Sioux then resident in that
region.
One of the Oldest and wisest Of the
Sioux tribe was Mehawanta, a friend Of
the whites and q conservative adviser OF
his tribe. One day Dornier's Oldest
daughter, then q handsome girl Of nine
teen, was fishing in a canoe off Crane
island, when the crazy craft capsized as
the result of her attempt to land a large
fish. The girls clothing had become
caught in the little canoe, and although
an expert swimmer she was drowning
rapidly. 1t was then that with tremen-
.dous strides old Mehawanta came crash
ing through the underbrush. The old
Indian could swim like duck, and in a
trice he had rescued the French girl
from her dangerous position. There she
lay on the grassy bank insensible. The
Indian was not used to formality. Sans
ceremony he tore open the bodice Of his
charge.
Then he proceeded to apply all the
remedies nature had taught him. Thus
he was employed when from the tim
bered hillside rang out the sharp crack
of q rifle. Mehawanta started, stood
bolt upright, and then fell slowly for
ward across the prostrate form of the
girl he had rescued--stone dead. A
moment later Dornier appeared. A rifle
still smoked in his hand. He kicked the
dead body Of the old chief aside, and by
hard work brought his daughter back to
life. Her first inquiry was for Meha-
wanta. The face Of the Frenchman
darkened as he pointed sternly at the
silent corpse. The terrible truth then
burst upon her. Her preserver had been
slain by the very hand that should have
.clasped his in warmest friendship.
For years until the Indian wars broke
out this girl visited the old chiefs grave
and placed choicest wild flowers upon
it. II was the most she could do Dornier
was frantic when he discovered his mis-
take. He built the crude cross and buried
the dead chief with his own hands.
Every prayer the holy fathers had taught
him in his native Quebec was said over
the old hero's grave, but the reproach
would not die. 1t haunted the French
man to bis dying day.
Thus is told the story of the cross Of
Crane island by one who has heard il
from Dornier's own Hps.-Minneapolis
journal.