The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-10-06
MINNEsoTAs THURSDAY, OCTOBER s, 1904.

farther west, and never rises more
than Thousand feet above sea-level.
But there are beautiful wales and hol-
lows on its sides, and picturesque ra-
vines, and rocky lodges without num-
ber. One of the valleys they called
"Indlan Hollow" and a spring that lay
at it's farther extremity, "Indian
Spring." Each child in the village
numbered among its early fears the
utmost terror of being found alone in
Indian Hollow or anywhere in sight of
Indian Spring; for was it not known
how ghostly warrior seated on q fiat
rock nearby the little stream that here
had its source, charmed all little chill
dren to him, by playing on chestnut
whistle tune that they could not
withstand2 When once they reached
his side that was the last of them. Not
only children but older people believed
this tale, and thcfsme of Indian Spring
was known far and wide. Undoubted-
ly this legend is but the "Pied Piper of
Hamelin" in local guise, and as such IS
but another evidence of tenacious
clinging to native tradition.
The physician ain their midst" had his
own troubles. Not the least of them
was the grandmother or 'Gross Frau"
of the village, whose special forte lay
in "pow-wowing. Every German child
before it reached the age Of two was
necessarily brought to her to be "pow-
vowed" Its usual complaint was des-
ignated as silver groEn, hut this COW
cred any or all fhfantile ills. At any
rate, its little back and belly were
thoroughly rubbed and stroked and
the colicky pains were charmed away
1 by the old woman's power. Perhaps q
little incantstion entered into it, but
be that as it may, the doctors practice
among the elders languished as we'll
for the old wife held sovereign remedies
for everything baleful from bone felon
to erysipelas.
The pride of the housewife lay in hel
kitchen aud her garden. The former
served the double purpose of kitchen
and living room, and the great oper
fireplace is still to be seen In the Older
houses, tho it is more than probably
occupied today by modern anthracite
burner, radiant with nickel and brigh
with polish. No good gardener wouIt
challenge fate by planting seeds OF
other than LADY days." these to b.
found wherever in the almanac th'
sign of the Virgin was attached to tn
date. And the garden was also tn
scene Of the fall apple butter boilings
which often attained the proportion
of New England quilting party.
But the old days are passing ant
compulsory education in the Englisl
language is making rapid inroads il
Pennsylvania Dutch. The words o
the latter are mainly German, but Gel
man changed somewhat by long sepa
). ration from the mother country. Th
, original bore greater resemblance t
,, the dialect of the Bavarian Tyrol tha
!, it did to the mediaevaI German. How
: ever, the newly arrived emigrant of tt
day has no difficulty in carrying on
conversation with q Pennsylvani
Dutchman.
In this short and very imperfet
! sketch, no mention can be made of tn
: many individual instances of those me
among these frugal people who hav
q risen to more than local fame. The
a brought with them to their places
y the country's history the same thril
q and honesty that they inherited frol
! their sires. Through colonial time
!. through the dark uncertain days {
= our early history as nation, and
J these later ones of pride and powe
: we may see their influence if we bl
look. Their very clannishness an
& lack Of progressive spirit seems but
: have added certain element /,
!. strength to their counsel. No sue
: other instance can ever occur In OF
: history sgain, and the study of this p
= culiar isolated colony in the very CO.
ter Of the most advanced civilizatit
4 and progress is filed with particul
: and remarkable interest.
i 4 a sc. H.
,f
l. A belief prevails in China that W
q. men who wear short hair will, in &