The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-08-15
THE BOILING POOL
Written for the Democratic Advocate,
BY MARIE sHRIvER

written Tor the DeinOcratlC AuhotAtSs
BY MARIE sHRIvER-
In the western part of Maryland there is a
long, narrow valley enclosed, not by moun-
tains, but by high hills Ia the eastern end Of
this valley they are higher and sleeper; look
like small mountains, and the valley scarcely
more shan a few hundred feet wide. through
which runs the railroad and a tiny stream.
One of the knobs is called The Ivies.
At the western entrance of The Ivies lies
a pool of water still and black. Ii Is a
source of great wonder to the people of the
surrounding country side.
Nearly two hundred years ago this valley
was not as i is now, cultivated and dotted
here and there with farm houses, 1t was Gov
cred with woods There was not an inhAbi
tant, except a tribe of Indians who bad their
village in the beautiful valley. for the pale
faces had not penetrated so far into the iuie
nor The Red Skins roamed over these hills
and the country beyond, but they never APP
preached the dreaded pool at the entrance Of
which is now known as the beautiful Avondale
Valley. For then the waters Of the pool were
not rs they are aow still and black. but as
wild as the waves of the ocean. they boiled.
they Kissed, they lashed the banks with fury
untold. Not a human, no, an animal dared
90 near the place. The savages wondered
and feared and named the place Wahowin,
meaning cursed. When the boiling waters
sounded louder than common. one Indian
said to another. The Great Spirit troubles
the waters more than usual. For they
thought that the Great Spirit commanded the
waters TO act so.
But there was one in the Indian village who
loved the spot, she sat within safe distance
from the waters, but she mounted rock that
she might gaze into their troubled depths.
There she would remain for hours until some
pairiarcha chief would send her away. telling
her il was wicked to watch the doings Of the
Great Spirit Then she would sigh and wsik
slowly back to the village. She was Mjnoia.
q little Indian girl, the terror of the village.
though only child she could endure more
pain and out strip any Of the Indian boys IA a
race. When she was reproved she showed
her white teeth, clinched her fists and walked
sullenly away.
Long after the tribe had left their old vil
lage and found new place far awAy, there
came one day a solitary Indian maiden, beau
tiful and graceful IS a young fawn, she psssed
on through the old village and made her way
straight on TO the banks, the very banks Of
the terrible Wahowin, here she paused and
leaned against a tree. 1t was Minoia. the
little terror, now grown TO beautiful woman
She shook her black hair aud clinched her
little fists and said, as il to The waters, "Hal
they thought to keep the prisoner in that
hot, sluffy tent, mel mel me, = aud with
every repetition Of the word she buried her
nails into the delicate flesh OF her liIIle brown
palms. 'No." she continued, ''0f course ]
would not marry that horrid old chief, so old.
so ugly. When they told me | should have
to marry him rebelled and thea they knew
would ran away, so they shut me up. Ha,
ha, ha, they thought ] would be safe there
How easy il VAS When all the braves were
on the war.path and all the old squaws were
asleep around the FIRE lifted the curtain aud
ran softly away. How could marry him,
when | love another? Ali Idaho, Idaho"
and the beautiful eyes became tender and
there was a little culver around the lips. for
she remembered the day Idaho had told her
words that made her eyes sparkle. then she
continued, my hope Is that ne will seek me
here, he knew how loved this place and will
think first came here. All, how grand, how
noble he isl But hark-I hear footsteps
it Idaho? It's getting nearer. will he dare
come so near the pool? There!---0 Great
Spirit she exclaimed and sunk against the
rocks, covering her face with her hands, for
at that moment the bushes parted and dis
closed the form-not Of her lover, but the
dreaded chief.
She had no time to fee indeed, she coui
not move. The chief saw her Immediately
and coming towards her said in Il voice Of
thunder, ''You dewitt You thought TO escape
me did your Now you shall go back with
me, or I'll kill you! Do you hear, I'll kill
you here.
Minota did hear but she had recovered her
self and showed not an atom of fear, and her
voice did not tremble as she answered. mo,
| never will be your wife, for hate you, hate
you.
The old braves face was now of an ashen
hue and he raised his axe in the air to strike
her, but the blow never fell. for suddenly
through the air few an arrow and the old
chief fell, pierced through the heart. Down
be fell, down into the boiling abyss below.
and bounding down the bank came brown
form agd Minota found herself clasped to the
breast of her lover,
Suddenly they became aware that the wa
tiers were still, and peering into their depths
they saw it to be as still and black as at pres
eni.
''Hark,'' said Idaho, and through the trees
above there came a moan and these words
came distinctly to their ears.
1.-THE Goddess of the Pool will reward you
for giving her victim, for thus only she
could be released from a cruel spell under
which she had been placed for hundreds OF
years. Go and live in peace and plenty,
and the voice died away in a sweet strain of
music.
Thus it was that the pool of water at the
entrance of the Iyies became SO still and
black.