Lancaster High School - Mirage Yearbook (Lancaster, OH)

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)t plue Jflotoer Ax Okigxal Story nv Virginia Blackman (Cranetown was formerly Lancaster) More than a hundred years ago the Wyandotte Indians, then living at Cranetown, ceded all their property along the Hock-Hocking river to the United States. Soon after the treaty, the Crane chief with many of his tribe, mi- grated northward and settled at Up- per Sandusky. Others remained be- hind, as if unable or unwilling to tear themselves away from their familar hun- ting grounds and the graves of their forefathers. Were it not for these re- maining Indians the events of the story which I am about to relate would never have occured. Among the first white settlers who had come to this territory were many of the sturdiest and bravest pioneers who had ever faced the dangers of the West. One of the most active of these was Charles A. Tracy, who, with his wife and two children settled at Crane- town. Mr. Tracy was bold and self-reliant and although he was warned and even entreated not to isolate himself and fam- ily from the other settlers, he fearless- ly took up his abode in the beautiful valley about five miles South-east of Cranetown. Here, in the midst of won- derful natural beauty and tranquility lie built his cabin; here he planted bis crops: and here he and his ever faith- ful helper instructed their children to the best of their ability. These children, the younger a girl of four, and the elder a boy of six, grad- ually became accustomed to their new invironment and with the curiosity and love of adventure characteristic of child-hood, made frequent brief explor- ations, always keeping within easy ac- cess of the cabin. One day, while leading an imaginary expedition into an imaginary wilder- ness, they discovered, not far from their own roof-tree, a wonderful little cave which filled their souls with awe. Af- ter many daring attempts they entered the cavern band in hand, fearing at every step that some dreadful monster might devour them. However, they found nothing to harm them. Instead, they were charmed by the music of the little spring which bub- bled from between the rocks and fell in a silvery stream to the floor of the cave, whence it flowed to the creek beyond. The first adventure was followed by many more and soon the children had transformed this barren cave into a veritable palace. It was their nursery, their school, their place of entertain- ment, their all. On the sides of the cave the rocks protruded in several places, like shelves, and here the children had placed pine cones and hung in fantastic festoons strings of acorns and roselips. One of these shelves was the especial property of the little mistress, for it. held a small piece of looking glass, a wee bracelet, made of snail shells, and a bit of broken plate. The latter occupied a conspicu- ous place near the middle of the shelf and as it leaned against the rock a ray of light from a crevice above fell upon it, revealing distinctly its decorations of tiny blue flowers.