The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-27

ing out OF the very centre Of a well-shaded and
grassy slope which shelves gently down to the
river only a few hundred feet away. Tho
dipped up In n glass 1t is found 20 he clear and
sparkling as n diamond. From the snrinT the
water hnrries way 20 sn %, T nrc,,v tnm r .
ana at last losing its tiny flood In tho larger
stream. just here the river Is swift and tho
seen. The rude masonry and parts Of the
heavy woodwork romnin. moss covered. crum
when i Is considered that they are ROLES, OF
old Spanish o,cgpati9p,, built by Spanish
hands 400 Your g n,5 guide ~ s Tl,, ss'i p99I Ep h 5has 2 l Set.
they sank their shaft. and they built the mill
men we're ut work In the mine n mighty roar
was heard and 2 tremendous column OF water
S SISt from in 1bt the shaft u sSSE1inF n m a resis sRs '9 fSre
rent TO the river the nngrv waters carried
away every soul in the settlement, the old mill
ton ton nv" By means Of anviIs the spring has been
sounded 70 n depth OF l.20O feet. but nc. bot
had cut into n subtorraneaD river.
The legend which hangs about q mysterious
cave, n the very heart Of the ozark region
as those which Rider HagGard writes down In
lis pages. In Stone county, Arkansas. eighth
a lV sort T'' 81 i bSUcibono q the Sherman range Of
the Ozark Mountains, running from Big Flat.
In Baxter E@S,. Sonnty' to Sycain" re q boat o,nD1G
road runs along the crest OF this ridge. south
and east. through n magnificent forest of state
X white oak, hickory and pine Until 1t reaches
river by q series of long. sweeping curves. For
annie or more on either side ,of, this road be-
fore the level fiat on The river Is broken by the
hundreds OF little canons and gulches run
ming north and south, the grass grows shout
der high, and deer and timber wolves, turkeys
and quails. and countless squirrels enjoy inn
munity here from the pot hunters who fire.
uuent the domains nea to civilization,
About midway, between Big Flat and Syca-
more. an unusually large canon makes of tow
The leyel plateau of the great ridge and the occa-
sionaf hunter whoflnds his waydown the gulch
pushes through a tangle OF hazel, giant grape
the mountains Of northeast Arkansas. Ii is
on the east side Of the lonely gulch, about $50
yards below the head. that the low, narrow
SRidfdiiinnss silence 1.-THE intruder. But The legend;
Fancy, II you can. a vast tract OF fertile .coun-
try centuries before Colum bus. A race of stur-
dy people dwelt here; They titled the soil,
their pride was In their health and strength, and
in all the wide domain there were fewer sick.
halt and blind than might now be found In a
small city. Once in every 1--WE years these I'M
fortunates set out.upon a Journey. they knew
not to what bourne. Guided by their holy
men. the melancholy procession wound over
gloomy and almost impenetrable forests. until
some evening when the sun paused on the
western horizon for a last look they arrived
and hard by in the cave burned the deyour-
ing fires eternally attended by the priesthood.
One by one little parties were led away. the
the army OF the doomed disappeared. and now
in these latter days. as the intruder pushes his
way into the cave. lie sinks to his knees in
race. Such is the legend which the Indians
have handed down to the present day, and
who shall say that 1t is entirely ~fanciful?