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 ENTRANCE TO PENN'S CAVE 
 
Penn 's Grandest Cavern 
 
 The History, Legends and 
 Description of Penns Cave 
 In Centre County, Pennsylvania 
 
 ( Compiled by HENR Y wkSnOEMA KER) 
 
 There is <i cave 
 All overtp'owii with trailing, odorous plants, 
 
 Which curtain oat the day with leaves and Jiower.i, 
 And paved iviih veined emerald, and a fountain 
 Leaps in the midst with an awakening sound; 
 From its curved roof, the mount lin' s fmzen tears, 
 Like snow or silver, or long, diamond spires, 
 Hang downward, raining forth a doubtful light; 
 And there is heard the ever-moving air. 
 
 Whispering without from tree to tree, and birds 
 
 And bees; and all around are mossy seats, 
 
 And the rough walls are clothed ivith long, soft grass. 
 
 — Prometheun Unbaund 
 
 {THIRD EDITION— Illustrated) 
 
 Published by the 
 
 ALTOONA TRIBUNE CO.. Altoona, Pa. 
 
 Nineteen- Nineteen 
 
 COPYRIGHTED All Rights Reserrod 
 
If SI 
 
 e 
 
 . ^d ' ^ 
 
 o 
 
INDEX OF CHAPTERS 
 
 Pages 
 
 I. Preface and Introduction 7 — 10 
 
 11. Description 11 ig 
 
 III. History 19 9; 
 
 IV. The Legend of Penn's Cave 28 — 31 
 
 \^ Cave Panthers ?)2 39 
 
 VI. The Little Postmistress 10 — 57 
 
 VI I. Gov. Ciirtin's Visit .58 62 
 
 VIII. The Fountain of Youth 63 73 
 
 IX. Riding His Pony 74 78 
 
 X. Nita-nee 79 93 
 
 XI. A Visit to Howe's Cave, X. Y., 1919. .94 — 96 
 
I. PREFACE 
 
 PENN'S CAVE needs more panegyrics and panegy- 
 rists. Beautiful natural curiosity that it is, it 
 is hidden away among rolling hills and tower- 
 ing mountains, almost like "a flower to blush unseen". 
 The writer of these lines, having visited many of the 
 principal caves in the United States and in foreign 
 countries, and comparing them with Penn's Cave, has 
 come to the conclusion that something adequate should 
 be written concerning the great Central Pennsylvania 
 cavern. Though not having the spare time to go into 
 the subject in detail, he has compiled the following 
 chapters in the hope of filling the want until the 
 proper historian can take up the subject, using the 
 contents of this book as a foimdation for more solid 
 research and exposition. But this is sometimes a 
 difficult task, as history loves to follow beaten paths. 
 After much painstaking research and a world of care, 
 the writer prepared the first complete history of the 
 Pine Creek, or Fort Horn Declaration of Independ- 
 ence. It was a subject glossed over by most Penn- 
 sylvania historians, even by the immortal Meginness. 
 A week or so ago in the ''Romances of Pennsylvania 
 History" series in a leading Philadelphia newspaper 
 the old story was republished, just as it was given, 
 fragmentary and imperfect in every old history. 
 Either the compiler of the article disregarded a newer 
 and more complete version, or did not see it, or else 
 history is too dogmatic to leave its channels In the 
 
case of Penn's Cave, its amplified story appears in 
 these pages for the first time; it cuts out the channel, 
 as it were. Consequently the writer feels an added 
 responsibility, for here is a lack of the minuteness so 
 characteristic of some other specimens of cave lit- 
 terature, notably Hovey's works. But in lieu of other 
 treatises, these pages are presented to the public 
 in the hope that they may answ^er a few of the ques- 
 tions being asked about the Cave, and to preserve the 
 folk-lore clustered about it. To the writer these 
 pages have a deep import, as Penn's Cave determined 
 his course to collect and preserve, if possible, the 
 dying legends and folk-tales of the Pennsylvania 
 Mountains. Twenty-two years ago this month, as a 
 little red-headed boy, he made the acquaintance of 
 an aged vSeneca Indian, Isaac Steele, who was visit- 
 ing familiar scenes in the West Branch and Bald 
 Eagle Valleys. The venerable man sat on the trunk 
 of a felled Indian apple tree at the corner of the 
 old Quiggle orchard, at McElhattan, (Clinton County), 
 and recounted the "Legend of Penn's Cave.'' For 
 eleven years it tossed about in the writer's mind, until 
 a time came when he could contain it no longer, so he 
 wrote it down. It was first published in the "Centre 
 Reporter", at Centre Hall, (Centre County), and 
 became the nucleus of other legends, which came out 
 in book form in 1903, under the title of "Wild Life 
 in Central Pennsylvania". Later editions of this book 
 were published under the name of "Pennsylvania 
 Mountain Stories", the last in 1911. And from that 
 time on, when the writer had a little leisure, a little 
 chance to travel, he has been collecting and "writing 
 
 8 
 
down" more Pennsylvania legends. Therefore, it is 
 with more than the usual heartbeats that he is giving 
 forth his latest brochure on "Penn's Grandest 
 Cavern". The wn-iter wishes to extend his hearty 
 thanks to Mr. R. P. Campbell, one of the proprietors 
 of the Cave, for valuable assistance rendered in the 
 preparation of this book, and to Mr. S. W. Smith, 
 editor of the ''Centre Reporter", for furnishing some 
 of the most interesting illustrations. 
 
 Henry W. Shoemaker. 
 Altoona Tri])une Office, Sept. 28, 19U. 
 
INTRODUCTION TO THIRD EDITION 
 
 THE demand for another edition of this little 
 brochure on wonderful Penn's Cave is not so 
 much a compliment to the book, as to the 
 growing popularity and efficient management of the 
 Cavern. The inevitable destruction of Naginey Cave 
 by quarriers, and the artificial illumination of other 
 Pennsvlvania caverns, has made Penn's Cave in a 
 class by itself. This, together with the facility 
 of visiting it Ijy automobile, has made it the 
 mecca for all Pennsylvania travelers "Meet me 
 at the Cave" is a slogan famihar to all dwellers 
 in "Eldorado Found'', as Central Pennsylvania is 
 sometimes called. The register maintained at 
 the Cave office contains many noted names, and 
 one must argue himself unknown not to be recorded 
 upon its pages. The writer considers himself priv- 
 ileged to have figured as the humble chronicler of 
 this great natural wonder of his beloved State. But 
 even better days are ahead. More and more people 
 will visit Penn's Cave, until it will rank as one of 
 the best-known wonders of the American Continent. 
 Imperfect as the following pages are, the compiler 
 thanks readers, past, present and future, for their 
 consideration of his efforts. 
 
 H. W. S. 
 July 15, 1!»P). 
 
 10 
 
IL DESCRIPTION 
 
 THOUGH perhaps lacking in the exquisite stalac- 
 tite formations of the Crystal Cave at Virg-ins- 
 ville, or the huge "dragon" stalagmite at 
 Dreibelbis Cave, or the "Red Panther's Funeral Pyre" 
 stalagmite in the Caves of Coburn, or the symmetry 
 of the bush-hammered walls of the Naginey Cave, 
 Penn's Cave excels all other Pennsylvania caverns by 
 the vastness of its dimensions, its water trip, its 
 diversity of formations. While other caves in the 
 Commonwealth rely on one feature of commanding 
 interest, Penn's Cave has first-class attractions by the 
 score. It contains so much that is of interest that it 
 always gives fresh and absorbing pleasure, even to 
 persons who have visited it a dozen times — like the 
 writer of this article. First of all, let it be said that 
 the entrance is the most imposing of any cave in the 
 United States — maybe in the world. The flight of 
 steps leading down to the vast limestone arch with the 
 depth of green water beneath it is something never to 
 be forgotten. The boat ride, a quarter of a mile or 
 more, each way, is finer by far than the Echo River, 
 the Styx or Lethe in Mamm^oth Cave in Kentucky, 
 or the Lake in Cahow Cave, or the boat ride in Smug- 
 glers' Cave in Bermuda, where Annette Kellerman 
 posed for the great moving picture play, "Neptune's 
 Daughter". The mysterious abruptness with which 
 Penn's Cave ends adds greatly to its charm. The 
 
 11 
 
12 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 writer has crawled far into the labyrinths beyond the 
 ending of the "watery" part, been confused by the 
 multiplicity of passages, been lulled by the musical 
 echoes of countless subterranean waterfalls. The 
 Cave has three, possibly four or five, entrances. The 
 main entrance, already referred to, is like the door- 
 way to the Labyrinth of the Minotaur in Auguste 
 Gendron's famous painting, the entrance from the old 
 orchard into the dry cave, and another which can be 
 noticed by the ray of light which filters into one of 
 the hidden chambers at the rear of ''watery cave" 
 are curiously picturesque. Other cork-screw or 
 spiral apertures are observable in the ceilings at cer- 
 tain parts of the cavern, but as they admit no light, 
 they cannot be definitely called "entrances". In some 
 places the water attains a depth of forty feet, and is 
 of a peculiar transparent greenish color. Trout and 
 other fish find their way into the Cave, but do not 
 multiply, as there is no food of importance inside, 
 yet the earlier explorers reported that it was fairly 
 alive with trout. Daniel Ott, of Selinsgrove, who died 
 recently, aged 90 years, has stated that before the 
 dams were built in the Susquehanna River shad were 
 taken in Penn's Cave. In the coldest part of winter 
 screech owls take refuge in the cavern. Small cray- 
 fish, numerous insects, including white katydids, rats, 
 mice and bats, still inhabit it in considerable numbers. 
 Unfortunately, the bats do not hibernate in as great 
 quantity as formerly. The noises, the acetylene 
 lights, the inquisitive tourists, have driven these shy 
 
PENN'3> GRANDEST CAVERN 18 
 
 creatures to unknown hiding places, though their 
 desertion is not as complete as at the charming 
 Crystal Cave, in Berks County, where the proprietor 
 injudiciously installed a system of electric lighting. 
 x\t dusk in summer, beginning in May, numbers of 
 bats can be seen flitting about near the mouth of the 
 Cave and on the green before the hojtel, chasing insects. 
 Thanks to their tireless elYorts, there is an almost 
 entire absence of mosquitoes in the vicinity of Penn's 
 Cave. No wonder Texas has put a perpetual closed 
 season on our little satan-winged friends. It is said 
 that, their work done, the bats return to the Cave 
 through the small opening in the orchard, preferring 
 it to the larger, or main entrance. According to the 
 stories told by the first explorers the ''Dry'' Cave was 
 foVmerly much dr3^er than at present. In the old days 
 panthers, red bears, bob cats, foxes, as well as smaller 
 mammals, made it a headquarters ; the larger beasts 
 fought for its possession. Indians sometimes camped 
 in the Dry Cave in very cold winters. They would 
 find it uncomfortably wet now. The quality of the 
 limestone composing the walls of the Cave is very 
 unusual. It shades from whites to delicate greys, into 
 rich pinks and reds. It is the most gorgeously colored 
 cavern in the Eastern States. Itahans might almost 
 call it "the American Capri''. In some parts the deli- 
 cacy of the grey-green tones reminds one of the 
 famous French "art nouveau" introduced about the 
 time of the Paris Exposition in 15)00. En other places 
 the reds are reminiscent of the richness of the best in 
 
14 PBNN'S ORANDBST CiAVERN 
 
 Indian art. This is best seen in the curious, natural 
 mural painting called "Indian Riding Pony", which is 
 shown to visitors on the "return trip" in the Cave. It 
 is a "sumac" red which holds the attention just as the 
 primitive artists evidently sought, knowing that the 
 impressions must be given by only one color, f The 
 stalactites are not as numerous as in many caves, not- 
 ably Luray, the Endless Caverns near Newmarket, 
 Va., or the Wyandot Cave on the Rothrock estate in 
 Southern Indiana. Countless numbers were broken 
 off during the dark days when there was no absolute 
 rule in the Cave, when visitors did pretty much as 
 they pleased. The early explorers spoke enthusiasti- 
 cally of the stalactites, so we must blame the genera- 
 tion of vandals if our Cave is exceeded in this respect 
 by other American caverns. Some of the curious 
 stalactite forms, like "The Lancaster County Tobacco 
 Barn" and "The Lobster's Claw" are not to be 
 excelled anywhere. But there are few transparent 
 pendants, loveliest of all stalactites. The stalagmite 
 forms are hner and nrore numerous than the stalac- 
 tites, at least in their present-day condition. They rep- 
 resent a wide diversity of forms, some of them like 
 the "Giant Pillars" being of imjpressive proportions, 
 while others like. the "Prairie Dogs" are quaint and 
 amusing in the extreme. As a "freak" formation the 
 "Ruffles, Scalloped" is well worth a visit. There are 
 several places where the formations emit musical 
 sounds upon being struck. One great charm of Penn's 
 
 tSee Chapter IX. 
 
THE GARDEN OF THE GODS 
 
PENN'9 GRANDEST CAVERN 15 
 
 Cave is that the visitor never leaves disappointed, as 
 is the case with many caves. The imagination, it 
 would seem, cannot picture anything quite like it. 
 Many persons imagine Niagara Falls to be grander 
 sight than it seems to them on iirst glimpse, but on 
 subsequent visits it appears to grow to the propor- 
 tions of the preconceived mental image. Penn's Cave 
 comes upon the eye very different from any prior con- 
 ception ; any subsequent visits make it seem lovelier, 
 more weird, grander. Its situation in a picturesque 
 region adds greatly to its attractiveness. Sixteen 
 years ago, when the writer first visited the cave, there 
 was much original timber, white pine, white oak, hem- 
 lock, standing in the ravines adjacent to the property. 
 Now, alas, much of this is gone, but there is still a 
 quaint old-world, out-of-time atmosphere connected 
 with the region. At night to lie on the hillside by the 
 creek that runs from the covern, as the writer has 
 done, and watch the Brush Mountain above so immov- 
 able and vast, frowning like a tall sentinel upon the 
 Cave property, while down in somte sink a whippoor- 
 will is improvising, or a fox barking on a distant 
 "bench", is a rare treat to an impressionable soul 
 which seeks the infinite. The Cave is best visited at 
 dusk or after night-fall, if the full effect of the eerie 
 surroundings is desired. The formations appear 
 huger, the distances greater, the shadows more 
 impenetrable, after darkness outside. Then to emerge 
 again into the seemingly excessively warm air. into 
 darkness, and hear a distant kildeer's mournful note 
 
16 PBNN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 or to see a bat flit mechanically over one's head, are 
 experiences in keeping with one's bewitched mental 
 attitude. The glory of the autumn coloring in the 
 Cave woods, or on the adjoining farm, is very won- 
 derful. Fall is the best time of the year to visit the 
 great natural wonder. There are mlany hardwoods 
 still standing, the hickories in particular are radiantly 
 yellow in September and October. Blue jays, newly 
 arrived from the north, cry out buoyantly. In May- 
 time the orchard and fields about the Cave are a mass 
 of white and pink sweet-scented blooms. Bird songs 
 in the rising inflexion are everywhere. The very 
 earth smells sweet ; world hopes come into our breasts. 
 But there is a tang in the air in Autumn ; it comes 
 from the drying leaves, the cracking nut burrs, the 
 hardening earth, that gives us a stronger grip on life. 
 Nature is our friend in May-time, we understand her 
 mood, she seems helping us. In the Autumn she 
 appears to be drawing away, becoming more distant, 
 forgetful of us. We reverence her as more all-pow- 
 erful; we feel more self-rehant. Our imaginations 
 for these reasons are soothed in Spring, keenly awak- 
 ened in the Fall. Apart from Nature's grandeur, the 
 wonders of the Cave formation hold us. more "in chill 
 October". How great a joy if one could visit the 
 Cave on Hallowe'en! Care should be taken to have 
 every wonderful formation pointed out. They are 
 well-named, not one can we afford to miss. It is only 
 after seeing them that a correct estimate can be 
 formed of Penn's Cave, its position in relation to 
 
PENNIS GRANDEST CAVEIRN 17 
 
 Other caverns. We believe that the discerning 
 observer is bound to give it a very high place. 
 Although the lamented Rev. Horace C. Hovey omitted 
 mentioning it in his classic work, ''Celebrated American 
 Caverns", published in 1882, it is not too late to record 
 Penn's Cave in the "underground hall of fame". 
 Gradually its popularity is growing, its distinctive 
 marvels are showing out more boldly. Like a genius 
 half understood, modest and retiring, it is coming to 
 its own. The height of the roof in the highest part is 
 55 feet ; the water at its greatest depth 35 feet, at time 
 of high water. The temperature of the Cave, all the 
 year 'round, is 50 degrees, and the Cave property is 
 situated at an altitude of 1,200 feet above sea level. 
 The Cave received its name because John Penn's 
 Creek, rightly named the Karoondinha, rises in it. 
 Penn's Creek was named after John Penn (1729- 
 1795), grandson of the founder of Pennsylvania, Cap- 
 tain James Potter having given it this appellation in 
 January, 1764. It is stated that when the view of the 
 expansive plains of Penn's Valley first burst upon his 
 vision from the mountain above the present town of 
 Centre Hall he exclaimed : "I have discovered an 
 empire!" A legend of one of John Penn's visits to 
 Central Pennsylvania will be found in the compiler's 
 ''More Pennsylvania Mountain Stories", Reading, 
 1912, in the chapter entitled "Marsh Marigold". For 
 
18 
 
 PENN'S GiRANDEiSl CAVERN 
 
 the benefit of the intending visitors, below is appended 
 a list of the leading named formations, 36 in all, but 
 there are hundreds of others which await their "great 
 American identifiers", that are full of strangeness, 
 full of charm, tonics for the imagination. 
 
 SEEN AS YOU ENTER CAVE. SEEN AS YOU RETURN. 
 
 1 The Eagle's Wings. 
 
 2 The Lobster's Claw. 
 
 3 Statue of Liberty. 
 
 4 A BuncVi of Bananas. 
 
 5 Garden of Gods. 
 
 6 The Lace Curtain. 
 
 7 The Strait of Gibraltar. 
 
 8 Petrified Lion. 
 
 9 Coral Growths. 
 
 10 The Chimes. 
 
 11 Drop Curtain. 
 
 12 Prairie Dogs. 
 
 13 Snow Slides. 
 
 14 Pittsburgh Snow Drift. 
 
 15 Niagara Falls (Canadian 
 
 and American Sides). 
 
 16 Trout Colored Stalactite. 
 
 17 Turtle Shell. 
 
 18 Lancaster County Tobacco 
 
 Barn. 
 
 19 Hindoo Idols. 
 
 20 Giant Pillars. 
 
 1 Water Falls With Light- 
 
 house Above. 
 
 2 The Ruffles, Scalloped. 
 
 3 North Pole Scene. 
 
 4 Indian Riding Pony. 
 
 5 Leopard Skins. 
 
 6 The Billiken. 
 
 7 Lebanon Bologna. 
 
 8 Boy Driving Cow Across 
 
 Suspension Bridge. 
 
 Indian Woman Carryinc) 
 Paapoose. 
 
 Egyptian Woman Carrying 
 Jug of Water. 
 
 Dove Wing. 
 
 12 Angel Wings. 
 
 13 Silver Rock. 
 
 14 Shadow Statue of Liberty. 
 
 15 Elephant's Head. 
 
III. HISTORY 
 
 (From the Altoona Tribune) 
 
 IT is not genertilly known that the namesakes, or 
 perhaps distant relatives of America's greatest 
 poet, Edgar Allan Poe, were the first white men 
 to own Penn's Cave, in Centre County. These hardy 
 frontiersmen, who fought the Indians in the moun- 
 tains of Maryland and Pennsylvania, took up many 
 tracts of land in the Pennsylvania mountains and be- 
 came citizens of prominence. The original name was 
 spelled Poh, but became altered like so many other of 
 the old-time names, into its present form. The Penn's 
 Cave farm, or tract of land, as it was known in the 
 early days, was surveyed in pursuance of two warrants 
 granted to James Poh or Poe dated January 5 and 
 November 3, 17 73. A patent for these lands was issued 
 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to James Poe, 
 dated April 9, 1789. James Poe only lived on the 
 Penn's Cave farm a short time, spending most of his 
 days at his homestead in the valley bearing his name 
 in the southern part of Centre County. But he built a 
 substantial log house near the large spring where the 
 Karoondinha emerges from the cave, which was the 
 first improvement in that part of the valley. James 
 Poe at his death left the Cave farm to his daughter, 
 Susanna M. Poe, and his will is duly recorded in the 
 records of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Centre 
 County not yet having come into existence. The young 
 heiress became the wife of Samuel Vantries, and the 
 
 19 
 
20 PBNN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 Penn's Cave farm took the name of the "Vantries 
 Place", by which name it was known for many years. 
 Samuel Vantries lived formerly near what is now 
 Linden Hall, as the family name is still well known 
 in that locaHty. Dr. James \^antries, of Bellefonte, is a 
 direct descendant of Samuel X'antries and James Poe. 
 There is no record that Edgar Allan Poe, during his 
 famous visit to Central Pennsylvania in 1838, ever paid 
 a visit to his namesakes at Penn's Cave. Prior to the 
 time of this trip he was residing in Philadelphia, and 
 was on the staff of the ''Gentlemen's Magazine". He 
 was in need' of money, being heavily in debt, and 
 thought that doubtless his wealthy namesakes in the 
 mountains would help him. He visited Poe Valley, 
 and later crossed the Seven Mountains to Milroy and 
 Lewistown, from which latter town he returned to 
 Philadelphia. He was much impressed with the large 
 cave on the Naginey farm near Milroy, and at the 
 Mammoth Spring on the Alexander farm, not far 
 from Reedsville. Samuel Vantries rented the Penn's 
 Cave farm about 1855, as Jacob Harshbarger was 
 living there at that time. . Mr. Harshbarger used to 
 say that the first person to enter the cave was Rev. 
 James Martin, a Presbyterian preacher, who died 
 June 20, 1T95, and is buried on the Musser farm, 
 near Penn Hall. Rev. Martin was a native of Ireland, 
 an honor graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, and 
 pastor of the earliest Presbyterian congregation in 
 Penn's Valley. The old gentleman, it is said, caught 
 a cold in the cave, from which he never fully recov- 
 
PENNIS GHANDEST CAVERN 21 
 
 ered. Previous to Rev. Martin's adventure, Indians 
 of various tribes had frequented it, as numerous 
 souvenirs, like arrow-heads, pottery and l)eads, have 
 been taken out of it. Malachi Boyer, a young pioneer 
 from Lancaster County, was drowned in the cave 
 about 17-19. He had run away with Nita-nee, the 
 daughter of a powerful chief, Okocho, was captured 
 and paid the death penalty.* Beginning with 1845, 
 and continuing to 1860, people frequently went down 
 into the dry cave through the small entrance in the old 
 orchard. No guides accompanied the visitors, how- 
 ever, and on an occasion a pair of saddle horses were 
 found tied to the orchard fence at dusk one evening, 
 which bore the marks of having been tied there for 
 some time. A search was made in the dry cave and a 
 young man and his sweetheart were found close by the 
 water. Their lights had failed them and they were 
 afraid to move, and they lost all idea as to wdiich way 
 to get out. So they decided to wait and trust to the 
 presence of the horses to bring relief. f About 1860 
 a young Quaker named Isaac Paxton, who had resided 
 in Chester County, became a teacher at the public 
 school in Spring Mills. He was a nature lover and 
 fond of taking long tramps through the hills and val- 
 leys to study the birds and flowers, trees and geologi- 
 cal formations. Accompanied by his chum, Albert 
 Woods, a successful agriculturist residing at Spring 
 Mills, he walked to Penn's Cave and entered the dry 
 
 *See Chapter IV. 
 tSee Chapter VI. 
 
22 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 caA^e. The voung men became convinced that they 
 saw a light out in the direction of the water-course 
 entrance. Previous to this time there vv*is no knowl- 
 edge of the water in the ''dry" cave being the same 
 stream that rises at the main entrance of the cave, nor 
 that the two parts of the cave led into one another 
 Paxton and Wood's came out of the dry cave, went 
 down to the saw mill, which stood close to where the 
 water emerges from the cavern, and from which 
 water power it was run, and secured enough lumber 
 to build a raft. They carried this lumber to the mnin, 
 or present, entrance of the cave, nailed it together, 
 and, with the aid of a pine torch and a long pole, 
 traversed the water-course in Penn's Cave for the first 
 time. They found that the water-way led info the 
 dry cave, unearthed the skeletons of two huge 
 panthers, and made other interesting discoveries. t^ 
 Some of the heavy sawed logs now floating at the far 
 end of the cave are supposed to be remnants of the 
 first raft. Presbyterian preachers must have a fond- 
 'ness for visiting caves, as a few days after Pev. /. E. 
 Long, the Presbyterian pastor of the Valley. w!iOse 
 place of residence was at Hublersburg, in Nittany 
 Valley, came over and, hearing of the adventure of 
 Messrs. Paxton and Woods, persuaded them to repeat 
 the trip, so that he might accompany them. So the 
 three gentlemen returned to the cave, reconstructed 
 the raft into a small boat and traversed the gloomy 
 water-way. The news spread rapidly, and as the 
 
 tSes Chapter V. 
 
PBNN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 23 
 
 Fourth of July was approachin.s:, a small picnic of 
 meni!bers of "old-line" families was gotten up to spend 
 the holiday at the cave and make use of the boat. 
 Among those in the party were two aged ladies, Mrs. 
 Margaret Foster and Miss Sarah Vanvalzah. Because 
 of their venerable age the compliment was paid them 
 of having the boat named for them, the "Sarah-Mar- 
 garet". Among those in the merry party were Miss 
 Mary Wilson, Miss Lizzie Cook, Miss Mary Duncan, 
 Miss Mary Woods, Miss Ada Vanvalzah, Mrs. Robert 
 Duncan, John Foster, John Wilson, Frank Vanvalzah, 
 Harry Vanvalzah, Dr. John Woods, Robert Duncan 
 and Miss Mary Buchanan. Miss Ada Vanvalzah 
 later became the wife of Col. John A. Churchill, of St. 
 Louis, a distinguished officer in the United States 
 Army. Dr. John Woods practiced the profession of 
 medicine at Boalsburg, Centre County, for many 
 years. Miss Mary Woods, who is now living at 
 Spring Mills, furnished the list of names of the happy 
 party, rnost of whom are now enjoying their reward. 
 Miss Ada Vanvalzah and Miss Mary Woods were the 
 first ladies to enter the boat and go through the cave. 
 All during the day one load would be rowed back as 
 far as the dry cave in the rear of the cavern and left 
 to explore the dry rooms while the boat returned for 
 another load. For years following this picnic the 
 country became so excited over the Civil War that 
 little interest was taken in the cave until about 18C0, 
 when another picnic party visited the picturesque spot. 
 This time the boat was hauled on a wagon from 
 
24 PBNN'S GRANDEST OAVERN 
 
 Beaver Dants, below Spring Mills, which in those days 
 was a favorite spot for canoeists and boatmen gen- 
 erally. No signs were found of the old boat, the 
 "Sarah-Margaret." Previous to the last picnic, in 
 1868, Samuel Vantries sold the farm to George Long, 
 who, lived in the old farmhouse and used the water 
 from the "spring", which in reality is the overflow 
 from the cave. Mr. Long was a man of serious 
 nature and objected strongly to pleasure-seekers enter- 
 ing the cave. Furthermore, he did not want people 
 to contaminate what he now realized was his water 
 supply. During his regime few people visited the 
 cave. Upon his death, in 1884, the property passed 
 into the hands of his tw^o sons, Jesse and Samuel. 
 These two young men had traveled extensively and 
 realized the financial possibilities of the cave. It was 
 worth much more than the farm, in their estimation. 
 In their rambles they had visited the Mammpth Cave 
 of Kentucky, which they declared was in no way 
 superior to their own cavern. They built a larger boat 
 and began charging admission to the cave. About 
 1885 they constructed the handsome building now 
 known as the Penn's Cave Hotel. For a time they 
 prospered, and hundreds of people visited their unique 
 resort annually. In December, 1995, the farm was 
 sold to John x\. Herman, of Pleasant Gap, Centre 
 County. In January, 1908, the farm and cave again 
 changed hands and became the property of its present 
 owners, Dr. H. C. and R. P. Camipbell. Previous to 
 this, for several years, owing to financial embarrass- 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 26 
 
 ments, the Long- brothers had abandoned the hotel and 
 the place was deserted. The Campbell brothers, who 
 are graduates of the Pennsylvania State College, and 
 young men of education and foresight, improved the 
 property extensively, making it one of the most unique 
 resorts in Central Pennsylvania. To use the words 
 of Mr. R. P. Campbell, who is the active manager of 
 the cave, "Now has come the age of the automobile, 
 and the cave again has become a place of interest to 
 the tourists. The number of visitors has increased 
 steadily each year since we bought the place, and we 
 expect 1914 to be the banner year".t Penn's Cave is 
 easy of access to residents of Altoona, especially those 
 owning automobiles. Twenty years ago the Naginey 
 Cave in Milroy was visited by Altoonans every Sun- 
 day during the summer months. On several occasions 
 the Altoona P>and waked the echoes of its dismal 
 recesses. Now, since the automobile has come into 
 use, Penn's Cave, in Centre County, can be reached 
 as easily as was the Naginey Cave in the old days. 
 The best way to reach Penn's Cave by automobile 
 from Altoona is to follow the main road to Tyrone, 
 thence to Warrior's Mark, Pennsylvania Furnace, 
 Rock Springs and State College. From State College 
 it is only a short distance to the cave over first-class 
 roads. Those wishing to go by train can reach vSpring 
 Mills or Rising Springs Station, as it is called, on the 
 
 tThis prophecy proved correct, as twice as many persons 
 visited the cave as ever before. But all records were broken 
 in July. 1916. when a veritable army of persons visited the 
 cave; 1919 promises to 1)- the "1)ig-g-est" year of all! 
 
26 PBNN'S G^RANDHST CAVERN 
 
 Lewisburg and Tyrone Railroad, after changing cars 
 at Bellefonte. Conveyances cannot always be ob- 
 tained there, so that it would probably be better to go 
 by train to State College from Bellefonte. There are 
 several excellent liveries there, also automobiles which 
 can be hired. An admission fee, moderate when one 
 considers the uniqueness of the trip by boat into the 
 Stygian depths of 'he cave, is charged to all visitors. 
 This helps the upkeep of the establishment. But what 
 appeals mostly to tourists and automobile parties is 
 the air of courtesy and politeness which pervades the 
 place. Every one, from Mr. Campbell down, seems 
 anxious to please, and the tired traveler will find 
 nothing to ruffle his overstrained nerves. The scenery 
 about the cave is m.agnificent ; in fact, there is none 
 finer in Central Pennsylvania. The Brush Mountain 
 comes to an abrupt end east of the cave, while to the 
 south looms the high peaks of the Seven Mountains' 
 chain. Penn's Cave makes an ideal trip for Altoonans 
 and' gives them a chance to fully appreciate the match- 
 less beauties of their native state. Filled with historic 
 lore, it creates an impression never to be forgotten. 
 Ex-Governor Curtain called it "Pennsylvania's great- 
 est natural wonder".* Many distinguished persons 
 have been entertained there, including parties of for- 
 eigners, t All these traveled persons who ought to 
 know have been loud in their praises of this grand 
 spot. When the writer was there, in the month of 
 
 *See Chapter VII. 
 
 tAmong those registering- in July. 1919, wa.s Miss Dorothy 
 Spag-het. of Rome. Italy. 
 

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PENN-'S GRANDEST CAVERN 27 
 
 May, 1014, the new moon was shining brightly hii^h 
 , above the Seven Mountains. It cast a ghostly light 
 over the old orchard which surrounds the commodious 
 hotel. Down in the deep gorge, where the green lime- 
 stone water rushes from the cave, the whippoorwills 
 had begun their plaintive melodies. Never did nature 
 seem more beautiful than on this occasion. The entire 
 d'emesene seemed to radiate the spirit of long ago. A 
 mist was rising from the entrance to the cave, and as 
 night progressed it seemed to form into the figures of 
 the murdered Malachi Boyer and his sweetheart, 
 Nita-nee, surrounded by the hostile forms of the old 
 chief and his seven sons, who would not permit a 
 marriage between an Indian princess and a white ad- 
 venturer. Then these farms seemed to fade away, 
 and in their places came those of Rev. Martin, Rev. 
 Long, Paxton and Woods, the early explorers of the 
 cave. It was a night full of fancies and imaginings, 
 where one lives over his life in retrospect. It was a 
 place where one can find relief and rest from the 
 cares of the modern, complex life. If the fountain of 
 youth is in Pennsylvania, surely it must have flowed 
 out of the unsounded depths of Penn's Cave.i for all 
 who have been there have come away strengthened 
 and spiritually purified by its rare beauty and precious 
 flood of memories. 
 
 rSee Chapter VII. 
 
IV. THE LEGEND OF PENN'S CAVE 
 
 (Related by Isaac Steele, an Aged Seneca Indian, 
 in 1892.) 
 
 IN THE DAYS when the West Branch Valley was 
 a trackless wilderness of defiant pines and sub- 
 missive hemlocks, twenty-five years before the 
 first pioneer had attempted lodgment beyond Sunbury, 
 a young Pennsylvania Frenchman, from Lancaster 
 Couniy, named Malachi Boyer, alone and unaided, 
 pierced the jungle to a point where Belief onte is now 
 located. The history of his travels has never been 
 written, partly because he had no white companion to 
 observe them, and partly because he himself was un- 
 able to write. His very identity would no be forgot- 
 ten were it not for the traditions of the Indians, with 
 whose lives he became strangely entangled. 
 
 A short, stockily built fellow was Malachi Boyer. 
 with unusually prominent black eyes and black hair 
 that hung in ribbon-like strands over his broad, low 
 forehead. Fearless, yet conciliatory, he escaped a 
 thousand times from Indian cunning and treachery, 
 and as the months went by and he penetrated further 
 into the forests he numbered many redskins among 
 his cherished friends. 
 
 Why he explored these boundless wilds he could 
 not explain, for it was not in the inteiest of science, 
 as he scarcely knew of such a thing as geography, and 
 it was not for trading, as he lived by the way. But on 
 he forced his path, ever aloof from his own race, on 
 
 28 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 29 
 
 the alert for the strange scenes that encompassed him 
 day by day. 
 
 One beautiful month of April— there is no one who 
 can tell the exact year— found Malachi Boyer camped 
 on the shores of Spring Creek. Near the Mammoth 
 Spring was an Indian camp, whose occupants main- 
 tained a quasi-intercourse with the pale-faced stranger. 
 Sometimes old Chief O-ko-cho would bring gifts of 
 corn to Malachi, who in turn presented the chieftain 
 with a hunting knife of truest steel. And in this way 
 Malachi came to spend more and more of his time 
 about the Indian camps, only keeping his distance at 
 night and during religious ceremonies. 
 
 Old O-ko-cho's chief pride was centered in his seven 
 stalwart sons, Hum-kin, Ho-ko-lin, Too-chin, Os-tin, 
 Chaw-kee-bin, A-ha-kin, Ko-lo-pa-kind and his Diana- 
 like daughter, Nita-nee. The seven brothers resolved 
 themselves into a guard of honor for their sister, who 
 had many suitors, among whom was the young chief 
 E-Faw, from the adjoining sub-tribe of the A-caw-ko- 
 tahs. But Nita-nee gently, though firmly, repulsed her 
 numerous suitors, until such time as her father would 
 give her in marriage to one worthy of her regal blood. 
 Thus ran the course of Indian life when Malachi 
 Boyer made his bed of hemlock boughs by the gurg- 
 ling waters of Spring Creek. And it was the first 
 sight of her, washing a deer-skin in the stream, that 
 led him to prolong his stay and ingratiate himself with 
 her father's tribe. 
 
 Few were the words that passed between Malachi 
 
30 . PBNN'S GRANDEIST CAVERN 
 
 and Nita-nee, niany the glances, and often did the 
 handsome pair meet in the mossy ravines near tiie 
 camp grounds. But this was all clandestine love, for 
 friendly as Indian and white might be in social inter- 
 course, never could a marriage be tolerated, until — 
 there always is a. turning point in romance — the black - 
 haired wanderer and the beautiful Nita-nee resolved 
 to spend their lives together, and one moonless nigh^" 
 started for the more habitable East. All night long 
 they treaded their silent way, climbing the mountaiji 
 ridges, gliding through the velvet-soiled hemlock 
 glades, nd wading, hand in hand, the splashing, reso- 
 lute torrents. When morning came they breakfasted 
 on dried meat and huckleberries, and bathed their 
 faces in a mineral spring. Until — there is always a 
 turning point in romance — seven tall, stealthy forms, 
 like animated mountain pines, stepped from the gloom 
 and surrounded the eloping couple. Malachi drew a 
 hunting knife, identical with the one he had given to 
 Chief O-ko-cho, and, seizing Nita-nee around th? 
 waist, stabbed right and left at bis would-be captors. 
 The first stroke pierced Hum-kin's heart, and, uncom- 
 plainingly, he sank down dying. The six remaining 
 brothers, although receiving stab wounds, caught 
 Malachin in their combined grasp and disarmed him ; 
 then one brother held sobbing Nita-nee, while the 
 others dragged fighting Malachi across the mountain. 
 That was the last the lovers saw of one another. Be- 
 low the mountain lay a broad valley, from the center 
 of which rose a circular hillock, and it was to this. 
 
PENX'iS! GRANDEST CAVERN 31 
 
 mound the savage brothers led their victim. As they 
 approached, a yawning cavern met their eves, filled 
 with greenish limestone water. There is a ledge at 
 the mouth of the cave, about six feet higher than the 
 water, above which the arched roof rises thirty feet, 
 and. it was from here they shoved Malachi Boyer into 
 the tide below. He sank for a moment, but when he 
 rose to the surface, commenced to swim. He ap- 
 proached the ledge, but the brothers beat him back, so 
 he turned and made for some dry land in the rear of 
 the cavern. . Two of the brothers ran from the entrance 
 over the ridge to watch, where there is another small 
 opening, but though Malachi tried his best, in the im- 
 penetrable darkness, he could not find this or any other 
 avenue of escape. He swam back to the cave's mouth, 
 but the merciless Indians were still on guard. He 
 climbed up again and again, but was repulsed, and once 
 more retired to the dry cave. Every day for a week he 
 renewed his efforts to escape, but the brothers were 
 never- absent. Hunger became unbearable, his strength 
 gave way, but he vowed he would not let the redskins 
 see him die, so forcing himself into one of the fur- 
 themost labyrinths, Malachi Boyer breathed his last. 
 
 Two days afterward the brothers entered the cave 
 and discovered the body. They touched not the coins 
 in his pockets, but weighted him with stones and 
 dropped him into the deepest part of the greenish 
 limestone water. And after these years those who 
 have heard this legend declare that on the still summer 
 nights an unaccountable echo rings through the cave, 
 which sounds like "Nita-nee," "Nita-nee." 
 
CAVE PANTHERS 
 
 E\'ERYONE who has hunted in the "Seven Broth- 
 ers,'' as the Seven Mountains are called in Cen- 
 tral Pennsylvania, has heard of Daniel Kars- 
 tetter, the famous Nimrod. *Though the greater part 
 of a hundred years have passed since he was in his 
 hey-day as a slayer of big game, his fame is undimin- 
 ished. Anecdotes of his prowess are related in every 
 hunting camp. By one and all he has heen acclaimed 
 the greatest hunter that the Seven Brothers ever pror 
 duced. The great Nimrod, who lived to a very ad- 
 vanced age. was born in 1818, on the banks of the Ka- 
 roondinha. or Penn's Creek, at the Blue Rock, half a 
 mile back of the present town of Coburn. In addition 
 to his hunting prowess he was interested in psychic 
 experiences, and was as prone to discuss his adven- 
 tures with supernatural agenciesis his conflicts with 
 the wild denizens of the forest. There was a particu- 
 lar ghost story which he loved dearly to relate. 
 Accompanied by his younger brother Jacob he had 
 been attending a dance one night across the mountains, 
 in the environs of the town of Milroy, for like all the 
 backwoods boys of his time, he was adept in the art 
 of terpsichore. The long journey was made on horse- 
 back, the lads being mounted on stout Conestogi 
 charo-ers. The homeward ride was commenced after 
 
 *The Seven Mountains comprise the Path Valley, Short, 
 BaM, Thick Head, Sand, Shade and Tussey Mountains. 
 
 32 
 
PE^NN'iSl GRANDEST CAVERN 33 
 
 midnight, the two brothers riding along the dark trail 
 in single file. In the wide flat on the top of the "Big 
 Mountain" Daniel fell into a doze. When he awoke, 
 his mount having stumbled on a stone, Jacob was 
 nowhere to be seen. Thinking that his brother had 
 put his horse to a trot and gone on ahead, Daniel dis- 
 missed the matter of his absence from his mind. As 
 he was riding down the deep slope of the mountain, ne 
 noticed a horseman waiting for him on the path. When 
 they came abreast the other rider fell in beside him, 
 skillfully guilding his horse so that it did not encounter 
 the dense foliage which lined the narrow way. Daniel 
 supposed the party to be his brother, although the 
 unknown kept his lynx-skin collar turned up, and his 
 felt cap was pulled down level with his eyes. It was 
 pitchy dark; so, to make sure, Daniel called out. "Is 
 that you, Jacob?" His companion did not reply, so 
 the young man repeated his query in still louder tones, 
 but all he heard w^as the crunching of the horses' hoofs 
 on the pebbly road. 
 
 Daniel Karstetter, master-slayer of panthers, red 
 bears and wildcats, was no coward, though on this o-.- 
 casion he felt uneasy. Yet he disliked picking a quar- 
 rel with the silent man at his side, who clearly was not 
 his brother, and he feared to put his horse to a galloD 
 on the steep, uneven roadway. The trip home never 
 before seemed of such interminable length. For the 
 greater part of the distance Daniel made no attempt 
 to converse with his unsociable comrade. Finally, he 
 heaved a sigh of relief when he saw a light gleamin,:;- 
 
34 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 in the horse stahle at the home farm. When he 
 reached the barnyard gate he dismounted to let down 
 the bars, while the stranger apparently vanished in 
 the gloom. Daniel led his mount to the horse stable, 
 where he found his brother Jacob sitting by the old 
 tin lantern, fast asleep. He awakened him and asked 
 him when he had gotten home. Jacob stated that 
 his horse had been feeling good, so he let him canter 
 all the way. He had been sleeping, but judged that 
 he had been home at least half an hour. He had 
 met no horseman on the road. Daniel was convinced, 
 that his companion had been a ghost, or, as they are 
 called in the "Seven Brothers", a gsJipook. But he 
 made no further comment that night. A year after- 
 wards, in coming- back alone from a dance in Stone 
 Valley, he was again joined by the silent horseman, 
 who followed him to his barnyard gate. He gave u.j 
 going to dances on that account. At least once a year, 
 or as long as he was able to go out at night, he met the 
 ghostly rider. Sometimes, when tramping along 0,1 
 foot after a hunt, or, in later 3^ears, coming back ir^ni 
 market in his Jenny Lind, he would find the silent 
 horseman at his side. After the first experience he 
 never attempted to speak to the nightrider, but he be- 
 came convinced that it meant him no harm. As his 
 prowess as a hunter became recognized he had many 
 jealous rivals among the less successful Nimrods. In 
 those old days threats of all kinds were freely made. 
 He heard on several occasions that certain hunters 
 were setting out to "fix" him. But a man who could 
 
PENN'iS GRANDEST CAVERN 35 
 
 wrestle with panthers and bears knew no such thing 
 as fear. One night, while tramping along in Green's 
 Valley, he was startled by some one in the path ahead 
 of him shouting out in Pennsylvania German. ''Han('s 
 up !" He was on the point of dropping his rifle, when 
 he heard the rattle of hoofbeats back of him. The 
 silent horseman in an instant was by his side, the 
 dark horse pawing the earth with his giant hoofs. 
 There was a crackling of brush in the path ahead, and 
 no more threats of hend uff. The ghostly rider fol- 
 lowed Daniel to his barnyard gate, but was gone be- 
 fore he could utter a word of thanks. As the result 
 of this adventure he became imbued with the idea that 
 he possessed a charmed life. It gave him added cour- 
 age in his many encounters with panthers, the fierce 
 red bears and lynxes. 
 
 Apart from his love of hunting the more dangerous 
 animals, Daniel enjoyed the sport of deer-shooting. 
 He maintained several licks, one of them in a patch of 
 low ground near the entrance to the ''dry'' part of 
 Penn's Cave. At this spot he constructed a blind, or 
 platform, between two ancient tupelo trees, about 
 twenty feet from the ground, and many were the huge 
 white-faced stags which fell to his unerring bullets 
 during the rutting season. One cold night, according 
 to an anecdote frequently related by one of his de- 
 scendants, while perched in his eyrie overlooking the 
 natural clearing which constituted the lick, and in sight 
 of a path frequented by the fiercer beasts, which led to 
 the opening of the ''dry" cave, he saw, about midnight. 
 
36 PENN'S G-RANDEST CAVERN 
 
 a huge pantheress, followed by a large male of the 
 same species, come out into the open. "The pantheress 
 strolled from the path," so the story went, "and came 
 and laid herself dow^i at the roots of the tupelo trees, 
 while the panther remained in the path and seemed to 
 be listening to some noise as yet inaudible to the 
 hunter. Daniel soon heard a distant roaring; it seemed 
 to come from the very summit of the Brush Moun- 
 tain, and immediately the pantheress answered it. 
 Then the panther, on the path, his jealousies aroused, 
 commenced to roar with a voice so loud that the 
 frightened hunter almost let go his trusty rifle and 
 held tighter to the railing of his blind, lest he might 
 tumble to the earth. As the voice of the animal that 
 he had heard in the distance gradually approached, 
 the pantheress welcomed him with renewed roarings, 
 and the panther, restless, went and came from the path 
 to his flirtatious flame, as though he wished her to keep 
 silence, and from the pantheress to the -path, as though 
 to say, 'Let him come if he dares ; he will find his 
 match.' In about an hour a gigantic panther stepped 
 out of the forest and stood in the full moonlight on 
 the other side of the cleared place. The pantheress, 
 eyeing him with admiration, raised herself to go to 
 him, but the panther, divining her intent, rushed be- 
 fore her and marched right at his adversary. With 
 measured step and slow^. they approached to within a 
 dozen paces of each other. Their smooth, round heads 
 high in the air. their bulging yellow eyes gleaming, 
 their long, tufted tails slowly sweeping down the 
 
PENN'iS GRANDEST CAVERN 37 
 
 brittle asters that grew about them. They crouched 
 to the earth — a moment's pause — and then they 
 bounded with a helHsh scream high in the air and 
 rolled on the ground, locked in their last embrace. 
 The battle was long and fearful to the amazed and 
 spellbound witness of this midnight duel. Even if he 
 had so wished, he could not have taken steady enough 
 aim to lire. But he preferred to watch the combat, 
 while the moonlight lasted. The bones of the two 
 combatants cracked under their powerful jaws, their 
 talons strewed the frosty ground with entrails,' and 
 painted it red with blood, and their outcries, now 
 gutteral, now sharp and loud, told their rage and 
 agony. At the beginnig of the contest the pantheress 
 crouched herself on her belly, with her eyes fixed 
 upon the gladiators, and all the while the battle raged, 
 manifested, by the slow, cat-like motion of her tail, 
 the pleasure she felt at the spectacle. When the scene 
 closed, and all was quiet and silent and death-like on 
 the lick, and the moon had commenced to wane, she 
 cautiously approached the battle-ground, and, snifihng 
 the lifeless bodies of her two lovers, walked leisurely 
 to a nearby oak, where she stood on her hind feet, 
 sharpening her fore claws on the bark. She glared up 
 ferociously at the hunter in the blind, as if she meant 
 to vent her anger by climbing after him. In the moon- 
 light her golden eyes appearing so terrifying that Dan- 
 iel dropped his rifle and it fell to the earth with a sick- 
 ening thud. As he reached after it the flimsy railing 
 gave wa\ and he fell, literally into the arms of the 
 
38 PENN'S ORANDBST CAVERN 
 
 pantheress. Just at that moment the rumble of 
 horses' hoofs. Hke thunder on some distant mountain, 
 was heard. Just as the panther was about to rend the 
 helpless Nimrod to bits, the unknown rider came into 
 view. Scowling at the intruder, mounted on his huge 
 black horse, the brute abandoned her prey and ambled 
 off in the direction of the dry cave. Daniel seized his 
 firearm and sent a bullet after her retreating form, but 
 it apparently went wild of its mark. Meanwhile, before 
 he had time to express his gratitude to the stranger he 
 had vanished. Daniel was dumbfounded. As soon as 
 he had recovered from the blood-curdling episodes, he 
 built a small fire near the mammoth carcasses, where 
 lie warmed his much benumbed hands. Then he ex- 
 amined the dead panthers, but found that their hides 
 were too badly torn to warrant skinning. Disgusted 
 at not getting his deer, and being even cheated out of 
 the panther pelts, he dragged the ghastly remains of 
 the erstwhile kings of the forest by their tails to the 
 edge of the entrance to the dry cave. There he cut off 
 the long ears in order to collect the bounty, and then 
 shoved the carcasses into the aperture. They fell with 
 sickening thuds into the chamber beneath, to the evi- 
 dent horror of the pantheress, which uttered a couple 
 of piercing screams as the horrid remains of the recent 
 battle royal landed in her vicinity. Then Jacob shoul- 
 dered his rifle and startd out in search of small game 
 
PENN'iS GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 39 
 
 for his breakfast. That night he went to another of his 
 hcks on Elk Creek, where he killed four superb stags," 
 so the story concludes. But to his dying day he al- 
 ways placed the battle of the panthers first of all his 
 hunting adventures. And his faith in the unknown 
 horseman as his deliverer and good genius became the 
 absorbing, all-pervading influence of his life. 
 
VI. THE LITTLE POSTMISTRESS 
 
 IT WAS long past dark when Mifflin Sargeant, of 
 the Snow Shoe Land Company, came within sight 
 of the welcoming lights of Stover's. For fourteen 
 miles, through the foothills of the Narrows, he had 
 not seen a sign of human habitation, except one de- 
 serted hunter's cabin. There was an air of cheerful- 
 ness and life about the building he had arrived at. 
 Several doors opened simultaneously at the signal of 
 his approach, given by a faithful watchdog, throwing 
 the rich glow of the fat lamps and tallow candles 
 across the road. The structure, which was very long 
 and two stories high, housed under its accommodating 
 roof a tavern, a boarding house, a farmstead, a lumber 
 camp, a general store and a post office. It was the last 
 outpost of civilization in the east end of Brush Valley ; 
 beyond' were mountains and wilderness almost to 
 Youngmanstown. Tom Tunis had not yet erected the 
 substantial structure on the verge of the forest later 
 known as "The Forest House". A dark-complexioned 
 lad, who later proved to be Reuben Stover, the son of 
 the landlord, took the horse by the bridle, assisting the 
 young stranger to dismount. He also helped him to 
 unstrap his saddle-bags, carrying them into the house. 
 Sargeant noticed, as he passed across the porch, that 
 the walls were closely hung with stags' horns, which 
 showed the prevalence of these noble animals in the 
 neighborhood. Old Daddy and Mammy Stover, who 
 
 40 
 
PENN'ISI GRANDEST CAVERN 41 
 
 ran the quaint caravansery, quickly made the visitor 
 feel at honije. It was after the regular supper-time, 
 but a fresh repast was cheerfully prepared in the huge 
 stone chimney. The young man explained to his hosts 
 that he had ridden that day from New Berlin ; he had 
 come from Philadelphia to Harrisburg by train, to 
 Liverpool by packet boat, at which last named place 
 his horse had been sent on to meet him. He added 
 that he was on his way into Centre County, where 
 he had recently purchased an interest in the Snow 
 Shoe devlopment. After supper he strolled along 
 the porch to the far end, to the post office, thinking 
 he would send a letter home. A mail had been brought 
 in from Rebersburg during the afternoon, conse- 
 quently the post office, and not the tavern stand, was 
 the attraction of the crowd this night. The narrow 
 room was poorly lighted by fat lamps, which cast 
 great, fitful shadows, making grotesques out of the 
 oddly-costumed, bearded wolf hounters present, who 
 were the principal inhabitants of the surrounding 
 ridges. A few women, hooded and shawled, were 
 noticeable in the throng. In a far corner, leaning 
 against the water bench, was young Reuben, the 
 hostler, tuning up his wheezy fiddle. As many per- 
 sons as possible hung over the rude counter, across 
 which the mail was being delivered, and where many 
 letters were written in reply. Above this counter 
 were suspended three fat lamps, attached to grooved 
 poles, which, by cleverly-devised pulleys, could be 
 lifted to any height desired. The young Philadelphian 
 
42 PENN'S GRANDEST .CAVERN 
 
 edged his way through the good-humored concourse 
 to ask permission to use the ink; he had brought his 
 favorite quill pen and the paper with him. This 
 brought him face to face, across the counter, with 
 the postmistress. He had not been able to see her 
 before, as her trim little figure had been wholly ob- 
 scured by the ponderous forms that lined the counter. 
 Instantly he was charmed by her appearance — it was 
 unusual — by her look of neatness and alertness. Their 
 eyes met — it was almost with a smiile of mutual 
 recognition. When he asked her if he could borrow 
 the ink, which was kept in a large earthen pot of 
 famous Sugar Valley make, she smiled on him again, 
 and lie absorbed the charm of her personality anew. 
 Though she was below the middle height, her figure 
 was so lithe and erect that it fully compensated for 
 the lack of inches. She wore a blue homespun dress, 
 with a neat checked apron over it, the material for 
 which constituted a luxury, and must have come all 
 the way from Youngmanstown or Sunbury. Her pro- 
 fuse masses of soft, wavy, light-brown hair, on which 
 the hanging lamps above brought out a glint of gold, 
 was worn low on her head. Her deepset eyes were 
 a transparent blue, her features, well developed, and 
 when she turned her face in profile, the high arch of 
 the nose showed at once mental stability and energy. 
 Her comiplexion was fair ; there seemed to be always 
 that kindly smile playing about the eyes and lips. When 
 she pushed the heavy inkwell towards him he noticed 
 that her hands were very white, the fingers tapering; 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 43 
 
 they were the hands of innate refinement. Almost 
 imperceptibly the young man found himself in conver- 
 sation with the little postmistress. Doubtless she was 
 interested to meet an attractive stranger, one from 
 such a distant city as Philadelphia. While they talked', 
 the letter was gradually written, sealed, weighed and 
 paid for; it was before the days of postage stamps, 
 and the postmistress politely waited on her customers. 
 He had told her his name — Mifflin Sargeant — and she 
 had given him hers — Caroline Hager — and that she 
 was eighteen years of age. He had told her about his 
 prispective trip into the wnlds of Centre County, of 
 the fierce beasts which he had heard still abounded 
 there. The girl informed him that he would not have 
 to go farther west to meet wild animals; that wolf 
 hides by the dozens were brought to Stover's each 
 winter, where they were traded in ; that old Stover, a 
 justice of the peace, attested to the bounty warrants — • 
 in fact, the wolves howled from the hill across the 
 road on cold nights when the dogs were particularly 
 restless. Her father was a wolf hunter, and would 
 never allow her to go home alone ; consequently, when 
 he could not accompany her, she remained in the 
 dwelling which housed the post office. Panthers, too, 
 were occasionally met with in the locality (in the 
 original surveys the region was referred to as "cat- 
 land"), also huge red bears and the somewhat smaller 
 black ones. If he was going '.vest, she continued in 
 her pretty way, he miust not fail to visit the great 
 limestone cave near where the Brush Mountain ended. 
 
44 PENN'S GRANDEiST CAVERN 
 
 She had a sister married and living nor far from it, 
 from wliom she had heard wonderful tales, though 
 she had never been there herself. It was a cave so 
 vast it had not as yet been fully explored ; one could 
 travel for miles in it in a boat ; John Penn's Creek 
 had its source in it; Indians had formerly lived in the 
 dry parts, and wild beasts. Then she lowered her 
 voice to say that it was now haunted by the Indians' 
 spirits. And so they talked until a very late hour, the 
 crowd in the post office melting away, until Jared 
 Hager, the girl's father, in his wolfskin coat, appeared 
 to escort her home, to the cabin beyond the waterfall 
 near the trail to Hope Valley. She was to have a 
 holiday until the next afternoon. The wolf hunter 
 was a courageous-looking man, much darker than his 
 daughter, with a heavy beard and bushy eyebrows. 
 He spoke pleasantly with the young stranger, and 
 then they all said good night. "Don't forget to visit 
 the great cavern", Caroline called to the youth. "I 
 surely will", he answered, "and stop here on my w^ay 
 east to tell you all about it". "That's good ; we want 
 to see you again", said the girl, as she disappeared 
 into the gloomy shadows which the shaggy white 
 pines cast across the road. Young Stover was play- 
 ing "Green Grows the Rushes" on his fiddle in the 
 tap-room and Sargeant sat there listening to him, 
 dreaming and musing all the while, his consciousness 
 singularly alert, until the closing hour came. That 
 night, in the old stained four-poster, in his tiny, cold 
 roomi, he slept not at all. Yet he feared to dream." 
 
PENN'iS GRANDEST CAVERN 45 
 
 Though his thoughts carried him all over the world, 
 the little postmistress was uppermost in every fancy. 
 Among other things, he wished that he had asked her 
 to ride with him to the cave. They could have visited 
 the subterranean marvels together. He got out of 
 Bed and managed to light the fat lamp. By its sput- 
 tering gleams he wrote her a letter, which came to an 
 abrupt end as the small supply of ink which he car- 
 ried with him was exhausted, ikit as he repemed of 
 the intense sentences penned to a person who knew 
 him so slightly,, he arose before morning and tore it 
 to bits. There was a white frost on the buildings and 
 ground when he came downstairs. The Autumn air 
 was cold, the atmosphere was a hazy, melancholy 
 grey. There seem^ed to be a cessation of all the li\ang 
 forces of nature, as if waiting for the summons of 
 winter. From the chimney of the old inn came the 
 pungent odor of burning pine wood. With a strange 
 sadness he saddled his horse and resumed his ride 
 towards the west. He thought constantly of Caroline 
 —so much so that after he had traveled ten miles he 
 wanted to turn back; he felt miserable without her. 
 If only she were riding beside him, the two bound 
 for Penn's Valley Cave, he could be supremely happy. 
 Without her, he d'id not care to visit the cavern, or 
 anything else; so at Madisonburg he crossed the 
 northern mountains, leaving the southerly valleys 
 behind. He rode up Nittany Valley to Bellefonte, 
 where he met the agent of the Snow Shoe Company! 
 With this gentleman he visited the vast tract being 
 
46 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 Opened up to lumbering, mining and colonization. 
 But his thoughts were elsewhere ; they were across 
 the mountains with the little postmistress of Stover's. 
 Satisfied that his investment would prove remunera- 
 tive, he left the development company's cozy lodge- 
 house, and, with heart growing lighter with each mile, 
 started for the East. It was wonderful how differ- 
 ently — how vastly more beautiful the country seemed 
 on this return journey. He fully appreciated the 
 wistful loveliness of the fast-fading Autumn foliage, 
 the crispness of the air, the beauty of each stray tuft 
 of asters, the last survivors of the wild flowers along 
 the trail. The world was fully of joy, everything was 
 in harmony. Again it was after nightfall when he 
 reined his horse in front of Stover's long, rambling 
 house. This time two doors opened simultaneously, 
 sending forth golden lights and shadows. One was 
 from the tap room, where the hostler emerged ; the 
 other from the post office bringing little Caroline. 
 There was no mail that night, consequently the office 
 was practically deserted ; she had time to come out and 
 greet her much admired friend. z\nd let it be said' that 
 ever since she had seen him, her heart was aflame with 
 the image of Mifflin Sargeant. She was canny enough 
 to appreciate such a man, besides he was a good-look- 
 ing youth, though perhaps of a less robust type than 
 those most admired in the Red Hills. After cordial 
 greetings the young man had his supper, after which 
 he repaired to the post oflice. By that time the last 
 straggler was gone; he had a blissful evening with his 
 
PBNN'iS GRANDEST CAVERN 47 
 
 fair Caroline. She anticipated his coming, being 
 somewhat of a psychic, and had arranged to spend 
 the night with the Stovers. They was no hurry to 
 retire ; when they went out on the porch preparatory 
 to locking up, the hunter's moon was sinking behind 
 the western knobs, which rose like the pyramids of 
 Egypt against the sky line. Sargeant lingered around 
 the old house for three days ; when he departed it 
 was with extreme reluctance. Seeing Caroline again 
 in the future appeared like something too good to be 
 true, so downhearted was he at the parting. But he 
 had arranged to come back the following Autumn, 
 bringing an extra horse with him, and the two would 
 ride to the wonderful cavern in Penn's V^alley and 
 explore to the ends its stygian depths. Meanwhile 
 they would make most of their separation through a 
 steady correspondence. Despite glances, pressure of 
 hands, chance, caresses, and evident happiness in one 
 another's society, not a word of love had passed 
 between the pair. That was why the pain of parting 
 was so intense. If Caroline could have remembered 
 one loving phrase, then she would have felt that she 
 had something tangible on which to hang her hopes. 
 If the young Philadelphian had unburdened his heart 
 by telling her that he loved' her, and her alone, and 
 heard her words of affirmation, the world out into 
 which he went riding would have seemed less a blank. 
 But underneath his love, burning like a hot branding 
 iron, was his consciousness of class, his fear of the 
 consequences if he took to the great city a bride from 
 
48 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 another sphere. As an only son, he could not picture 
 himself deserting his widowed mother and sisters 
 and living at Snow Shoe; there he was sure that 
 Caroline would be happy. Neither could he see per- 
 manent peace of mind if he married her and brought 
 her into his exclusive circles in the Quaker City. As 
 he was an honorable young man, and his love was 
 real, making her truly and always happy was the 
 solitary consideration. These thoughts marred the 
 parting; they blistered and ravaged his spirit on the 
 whole dreary way back to Liverpool. There his col- 
 ored servant, an antic darkey, was waiting at the old 
 Susquehanna House to ride the horse to Philadelphia. 
 The young man boarded the packet, riding on it to 
 Harrisburg, wdiere he took the steam train for home. 
 In one way he was happier than ever before in his 
 life, for he had found love ; in another he was the 
 most dejected of men, for his beloved might never be 
 his own. He seemed gayer and stronger to his fam- 
 ily; evidently the trip into the wilderness had done 
 him good. He had begun his letter-writing to Caro- 
 line promptly. It was his great solace in his heart 
 perplexity. She wrote a very good letter, very tender 
 and sympathetic, the handwriting was clear, almost 
 masculine, denoting the bravery of her spirit. Dur- 
 ing the winter he was called upon through his sisters 
 to mingle much with the society of the city. He met 
 many beautiful and attractive young women, but for 
 him the die of love had been cast. He was Caroline's 
 irretrievably. Absence made his love firmer, yet the 
 
PENN'iS GRANDEST CAVERN 49 
 
 solution of it all the more enigmatical. The time 
 passed on apace. x\nother Autumn set in, but on 
 account of important business matters it was not until 
 December that Sargeant departed for the wilds of 
 Central Pennsylvania. But he could spend Christmas 
 with his love. This time he sent two horses ahead to 
 Liverpool. When he reached the queer old river 
 town he dropped into an old saddlery shop, where the 
 canal-boat drivers had their harness mended, and 
 purchased a neat side saddle all studded with brass 
 headed nails. This he tied on behind his servant's 
 saddle. The two horsemen started up the Mahan- 
 tango, crossing the Shade Mountain to Swinefords- 
 town, thence over the edge of Jack's Mountain to 
 Hartley Hall and the Narrows, a slightly shorter 
 route to Stover's. On his previous trip he had rid- 
 den along the river to Selin's Grove, across Chestnut 
 Ridge to New Berlin, over Shamokin Ridge to 
 Youngmanstown, and from there to the Narrows ; he 
 was in no hurry : no dearly loved girl was waiting for 
 him in those days. Caroline, looking prettier than 
 ever — she was a trifle plumper and redder cheeked — 
 was at the post office steps to greet him. Despite his 
 avoidance of words of love, she was certain of his 
 inmost feelings, and opined that somehow the ulti- 
 mate result would be well. Sargeant had arranged to 
 arrive on a Saturday evening, so that they could begin 
 their ride to the cave that night after the post office 
 closed, and be there bright and early Sunday morn- 
 ing. P'or this reason he had traveled by very easy 
 
50 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 Stages from Hartley Hall, that the horses might be 
 fresh for their added journey. Sargeant's devoted 
 Negro factotum was taken somewhat aback w^hen he 
 saw how attentive the young man was to the girl, 
 and marveled at the mountain maid's rare beauty. 
 Upon instructions from his master, he set about to 
 changing the saddles, placing the brand new lady's 
 saddle on the horse he had been riding. It was not 
 long until the tiny post office was closed for the night, 
 and Caroline emerged, wearing a many-caped red 
 riding coat, the hood of which she threw over her 
 head to keep the wavy, chestnut hair in place. She 
 climbed into the saddle gracefully — she seemed a nat- 
 ural horsewoman — and soon the loving pair were can- 
 tering up the road toward's Wolfe's Store, Rebers- 
 burg and the cave. It was not quite daybreak when 
 they passed the home of old Jacob Harshbarger, the 
 tenant of the ''cave farm" ; a Creeley rooster was 
 crowing lustily in the barnyard, the unmilked cattle 
 of the ancient black breed shook their heads lazily ; no 
 one was up. The young couple had planned to visit the 
 cave, breakfast and spend the day with Caroline's sis- 
 ter, who lived not far away at Centre Hill, and' ride 
 leisurely back to Stover's in the late afternoon. It 
 had been a very cold all-night ride, but they had been 
 so happy that it had seemed brief and free from all 
 disagreeable physical sensations. In those days there 
 was no boat in the cave, and no guides ; consequently 
 all intending visitors had to bring their own torches. 
 This Caroline had seen to, and in her leisure moments 
 
PENN'iS' GRANDEST CAVERN 51 
 
 for weeks before her lover's coming, had been 
 arranging a supply of rich-pine lights that would see 
 them safely through the gloomy labyrinths. They 
 fed their horses and then tied them to the fence of 
 the orchard which surrounded the entrance to the 
 "dry" cave, and which had been recently set out. 
 Several big original white pines grew along the road, 
 and would give the horses shelter in case it turned out 
 to be a windy day. The young couple strolled through 
 the orchard, and down the steep path to the mouth 
 of the 'Svatery" cave, where they gazed for some 
 minutes at the expanse of greenish water, the high 
 span of the arched roof, the general impressiveness of 
 the scene so like the stage-setting of some elfin drama. 
 They sat on the dead grass, near this entrance, eating 
 a light breakfast with relish. Then they wended their 
 way up the hill to the circular "hole in the ground" 
 which formed the doorway to the dry cave. The 
 torches were carefully lit, the supply of fresh ones 
 was tied in a bundle about Sargeant's waist. The 
 burning pine gave forth an aromatic odor and a mel- 
 low light. They descended through the narrow open- 
 ing, the young man going ahead and helping his 
 sweetheart after him. Down the spiral passageway 
 they went, until at length they came into a large 
 chamber. Here the torches cast unearthly shadows, 
 bats fiitted about ; some small animal ran past them 
 into an aperture at a far corner. Sargeant declared 
 that he l:>elieved the elusive creature a fox, and he 
 followed in the direction in which it had gone. \\Mien 
 
52 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 he came to this opening he peered through it, finding 
 that it led to an inner chamber of impressive propor- 
 tions. He went back, taking CaroHne by the hand, 
 and led her to the narrow chamiber into which 
 they both entered. Once in the interior room, 
 they were amazed by its size, the height of its roof, 
 the beauty of the stalactite formations. They sat 
 down on a fallen stalagmite, holding aloft their 
 torches, absorbed by the beauty of the scene. In the 
 midst of their musing a sudden gust of wind blew 
 out their lights. They were in utter darkness. The 
 young lover bade his sweetheart be unafraid, while 
 he reached his hand in his pocket for the matches. 
 They were primitive afifairs, the few he had, and he 
 could not make them light. He had not counted on 
 the use of the matches, as he thought one torch could 
 be lit from another ; consequently had brought so few 
 with him. Finally he lit a match, but the dampness 
 extinguished it before he could ignite his torch. 
 When the last match failed, it seemed as if the couple 
 were in a serious predicament. They first shouted 
 at the top of their voices, but only empty echoes 
 answered them. They fumbled about in the chamber, 
 stumbling over rocks and stalagmites, their eyes 
 refusing to become accustomed to the profound 
 blackness. Try as they would, they could not locate 
 the passage that led from the room they were in to 
 the outer apartment. Caroline, little heroine that she 
 was, made no complaint. If she had any secret fears 
 her lover effectually quenched them by telling her 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 53 
 
 that the presence of the two saddle horses tied to the 
 orchard fence would acquaint the Harshbarger family 
 of their presence in the cave. "Surely," he went on, 
 '*we will be rescued in a few hours. There's bound 
 to be some member of the household or some hunter 
 see those horses". But the hours passed, and with 
 them came no intimations of rescue. But the two 
 "prisoners" loved one another, time was as nothing 
 to them. In the outer world, both thought, but 
 neither made bold to say, that they might have to 
 separate — in the cave they were one in purpose, one 
 in love. How gloriously happy they were. But they 
 did get a trifle hungry, but that was appeased at first 
 by the remnants of the breakfast provisions, which 
 they luckily still had in a little bundle. When suffi- 
 cient time had elapsed for night to set in, they fell 
 asleep, and in each other's arms. Caroline's last con- 
 scious moment was to feel her lover's kisses. When 
 they awoke, many hours afterwards, they were hun- 
 grier than ever, and thirsty. Sargeant fumbled about, 
 locating a small pool of water, where the two 
 quenched their thirst. But still they were happy, 
 come what may. They would be rescued, that was 
 certain, unless the horses had broken loose and run 
 away, but there was small chance of that. They had 
 been securely tied. It was strange that no one had seen 
 the steeds in so long a time, with the farmhouse less 
 than a quarter of a mile away — but it was at the foot 
 of the hill. Hunger grew apace with every hour. 
 After a while drinking water would not sate it It 
 
54 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 throbbed and ached, it became a dull pain, that only 
 love could triumph over. Again enough hours 
 elapsed to bring sleep, but it was harder to find re- 
 pose, though Sargeant's kisses were marvelous recom- 
 pense. Caroline never whimpered from lack of food. 
 To be with her lover was all she asked. She had 
 prayed for over a year to be with him again. She 
 would be glad to die at his side, even of starvation. 
 The young man was content ; hunger was less a pain 
 to him than had been the past fourteen months' sep- 
 aration. Again came what they supposed to be morn- 
 ing. They knew that there must be some way out 
 near at hand, as the air was so pure. They shouted, 
 but the dull echoes were their only reward. Strongely 
 enough, they had never felt another cold gust like 
 the one which had blown out their torches. Could the 
 shade of one of the old-time Indians who had fought 
 for possession of the cave been perpetrator of the 
 trick, suggested lovely little Caroline. If so, she 
 thought to herself ; he had helped her, not harmed her, 
 for could there be in the world a sensation half so 
 sweet as sinking to rest in her handsome lover's arms ? 
 Meanwhile the world outside the cavern had been 
 going its way. Shortly after the young equestrians 
 passed the Harshbarger dwelling, all the family had 
 come out, and, after attending to their farm duties, 
 driven off to the Seven Mountains, where the sons of 
 the family maintained a hunting camp on the Karoon- 
 dinha on the other side of High Valley. The boys 
 had killed an elk, consequently the guests remained 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN &5 
 
 longer than expected, to partake of a grand Christmas 
 feast. They tarried at the camp all of that day, all 
 of the next; it was not until early on the morning of 
 the third day that they started back to the Penn's 
 Creek farm. They had arranged with a neighbor's 
 boy. Mosey Shell, who lived further along the creek 
 below the farmhouse, to do the feeding in their ab- 
 sence ; it was winter, there was no need to hurry 
 home. When they got home they found Mosey in the 
 act of watering two very dejected and dirty looking 
 horses with saddles on their backs. "Where did they 
 come from"? shouted the big freight-wagon load in 
 unison. "I found them tied to the fence up at the 
 orchard. By the way they act I'd think they hadn't 
 been watered or fed for several days", replied the 
 boy. *'You dummy" ! said old Hjarshbarger, in 
 Dutch. ''Somebody's in that cave and got lost, and 
 can't get out". He jumped out of the heavy wagon 
 and ran to a corner of the corncrib, where he kept a 
 stock of torches. Then he hurried up the steep hill 
 towards the entrance to the dry cave. The big man 
 was panting when he reached the opening, where he 
 paused a moment to kindle a torch. Then he lowered 
 himself into the pit, shouting at the top of his voice, 
 "Hello ! Hello ! Hello !" It was not until he had got- 
 ten into the first chamber that the captives in the 
 inner room could hear him. Sargeant had been sit- 
 ting with his back propped against the cavern wall, 
 while Caroline, very pale and white-lipped, was lying 
 across his knees, gazing up into the darkness, imagin- 
 
56 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 ing that she could see his face. When they heard the 
 cheery shouts of their dehverer, they did not in- 
 stantly attempt to scramble to their feet. Instead the 
 young lover bent over; his lips touched Caroline's, 
 who instinctively had raised her face to meet his. As 
 his lips touched hers, he whispered, "I love you, my 
 darling, with all my heart. We will be married when 
 we get out of here''. Caroline had time to say, "You 
 are my only love", before their lips came together. 
 They were in that position when the flare of Farmer 
 Harshbarger's torch lit up their hiding place. Pretty 
 soon they were on their feet, and, with their rescuer, 
 figuring out just how long they had been in their 
 prison — their prison of love. They had gone into the 
 cave on the morning of Decemiber 24th ; it was now 
 the morning of the 2Tth ; in fact, almost noon. Christ- 
 mas had come and gone. Caroline still had enough 
 strength in reserve to enable her to climb up the tor- 
 tuous passage, though her 'lover did help her some, 
 as all lovers should. The farmer's wife had some 
 coffee and buckwheat cakes ready when they arrived 
 at the manse, which the erstwhile captives of Penn's 
 Cave sat down to enjoy. As they were eating, an- 
 other of Harshbarger's sons rode up on horseback. 
 He had been to the post office at Earlysburg. He 
 handed Sargeant a tiny, badly typed newspaper pub- 
 lished in Millheim. Across the front page, in letters 
 larger than usual, were the words, ''Mexico Declares 
 War With the United States'". Sargeant scanned the 
 headline intently, then laid the paper on the table. 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 57 
 
 ''Our country has been drawn into a war with Mex- 
 ico"he said, w^ith a voice trembHng with emotion. ''I 
 had hoped it might be avoided'. I am First Lieuten- 
 ant of the Lafayette Greys; I fear Fll have to go". 
 Caroline lost the color which had come back to her 
 pretty cheeks since emerging from the underground 
 dungeon. She reached over, grasping her lover's now 
 clamjmy hand. Then noticing that no one was listen- 
 ing, she said faintly: "It is terrible to have you leave 
 me now; but won't you marry me before you go? I 
 do love you". "Certainly I will", replied Sargeant, 
 with enthusiasm. "I will have more to fight for, with 
 you at home bearing my name". Love had broken 
 the bonds of caste. 
 
VII. GOV. CURTIN'S VISIT 
 
 CAPTAIN JOHN Q. DYCE,* one of the pioneer 
 Democratic leaders of Clinton County, who died 
 in 190-1, was fond of telling about Governor 
 Andrew G. Curtin's visit to Penn's Cave, and the 
 great statesman's opinion of the cavern. It appeared 
 that during the Philadelphia Centennial in 1876 among 
 hosts of other celebrated foreigners who visited the 
 exposition were three Russians of note, Field Marshal 
 von Fersen, Count Hickoff, and Baron de Toplitz- 
 Harberstain. They were accompanied by their secre- 
 taries and retinues of servants. The heat of the city 
 was intolerable, it was in the month of August, and, 
 tiring of the marvels of the exposition, they sought to 
 visit the interior of the state in search of cooler 
 weather. One of the party recalled the fact that a 
 few years previously Andrew G. Curtin, who lived 
 somewhere in Central Pennsylvania, had been in Rus- 
 sia as United States Minister. The Russians ad- 
 mired the gallant ''War Governor", who had made a 
 most efficient envoy, so nothing would satisfy them 
 but to seek out and pay their respects. And thus 
 it came to pass that one night, when the Bald Eagle 
 Valley train pulled into Bellefonte, it deposited on the 
 platform, to the wonder of the collected natives, three 
 Russian grandees, nine lesser individuals, and a pile 
 of luggage mountain high. It so happened that ex- 
 Governor Curtin was at home alone, the rest of his 
 
 *He was an officer of the "Battalions" before the Civil War. 
 58 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 59 
 
 family being at Saratoga. The ticket agent informed 
 the great statesman that some foreigners, who spoke 
 very little English, were waiting for him at the sta- 
 tion. Hurrying to the depot as fast as he could travel, 
 he recognized his intending guests, who embraced him 
 in turn. They accepted the proffered invitation to 
 spend the night at the War Governor's mansion, and 
 soon the entire party was riding up the hill in a hotel 
 bus, commandeered for the purpose. Once in the 
 commodious mansion, the Russians felt perfectly at 
 home. First of all, they salaamed many times before 
 Brookman's magnificent oil portrait of the Czar 
 Nicholas II., which the 'Xittle Father" had graciously 
 presented to Curtin before his departure from St. 
 Petersburg, and which hung in the War Governor's 
 library. The visitors were much impressed by the dry, 
 cool, pine-laden air which reminded them, they said, 
 so much of Russia. These remarks made the tactful 
 Curtin decide that the best form of entertainment 
 would be a drive into the surrounding country. With 
 his truly matchless memory he recollected that Count 
 Hickoff was a man of some scientific attainments, had 
 been one of the party to unearth the skeleton of a 
 mammoth in Siberia, the tusks of which had been sent 
 to the Stuttgart museum, measured on the outside 
 curve twelve feet ten and one-half inches, and had a 
 greatest circumference of thirty-one and one-half 
 inches. Doubtless the noblemen would enjoy an ex- 
 cursion to the Penn's Cave, situated within a delight- 
 ful driving distance of Bellefonte. Captain Dyce hap- 
 
60 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 pened' to be in town that night, to discuss the Tilden 
 Campaign with the War Governor. Governor Curtin, 
 who was naturally too busy with his Russian guests 
 to talk politics, smilingly told the Clinton County 
 leader that he could do him a great favor if the next 
 morning at eight o'clock he would have five or six 
 two-horse surreys in front of the Curtin home. Dyce 
 took the hint and spent the entire night among the 
 local liverymen and horse jockeys getting together 
 the equipment. Next morning, which dawned de- 
 lightfully clear, at seven-thirty found six dignified- 
 looking two-horse surreys, each driven by a grinning 
 Negro, lined up on the hilly street before, the War 
 Governor's domicile. As the party emerged from the 
 house the Governor addressed them, saying, "Gentle- 
 men, we go this morning to the greatest natural won- 
 der in Pennsylvania". The Russian dignitaries, who 
 were great horse lovers, spent fully fifteen minutes 
 inspecting the livery nags, a goodly lot of trotting-bred 
 type, which they declared were on the sam\e general 
 lines of their own Orloffs. As he got in his carriage. 
 Field Marshal von Fersen, who owned a vast stock 
 farm on the Volga, shook his head sadly, saying, 
 "What a pity you Americans don't keep your horses 
 entire". Frequently on the drive the distinguished 
 tourists uttered exclamations of delight at the grand 
 scenery and prosperous looking farms, but they were 
 kept laughing most of the way at the jokes and humor- 
 ous anecdotes told them by Governor Curtin and' Cap- 
 tain Dyce, both of whom had inherited inimitable wit 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 61 
 
 from their Celtic ancestors. Arriving at the Penn's 
 Cave Farm, the party was cordially received by Pro- 
 prietor George Long and wife. Mr. Long was one 
 of Governor Curtin's political admirers, consequently 
 he whispered to his spouse to prepare the best dinner 
 she knew how. While it was gotten ready, the party, 
 kd by the proprietor, was taken through the cavern in 
 a huge flatboat. The emotional Russians kept shout- 
 ing with approbation, while Count Hickoff, who was a 
 fine singer, woke the echoes with the Russian National 
 Anthem. The visit to the dry cave v/as particularly 
 edifying to all concerned. Count Hickoff collected a 
 pocketful of bones and shells, while the hospitable pro- 
 prietor Long broke off for him several of the choicest 
 stalactites. "You say that this is Pennsylvania's great- 
 est natural wonder?" said Baron de Toplitz-Herber- 
 stain, as the party emerged into the warm sunlight; 
 "but I say that there is nothing finer in Russia, or per- 
 haps in the world". At these words Governor Curtin 
 smiled, as he was an early believer in the theory of 
 "seeing America first", and dearly loved his native 
 Central Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania country 
 dinner served by Mrs. Long and her hand-maidens 
 was fully up to the traditions of such a repast. It is 
 stated that nine kinds of pie were on the table at one 
 time. And each Russian sampled them all. Before 
 going to the cave Governor Curtin had explained the 
 "caste" system of Russia to the Longs, consequently 
 only the three grandees, their secretaries, the Gov- 
 ernor and Captain Dvce sat down to the "first table". 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 The Russians conversed with the Longs in High Ger- 
 man, being repHed to in Pennsylvania Dutch. The 
 rest of the party, including the drivers and the Long 
 family, were at the second table, and there was 
 a-plenty for all. After the dinner, which was equal 
 to any Russian wedding feast, all averred, the party 
 was driven back to Belief onte. After spending an- 
 other night under Governor Curtin's hospital roof, 
 the happy Russians departed for Altoona and Pitts- 
 burg, loaded with letters of introduction from their 
 host, to the car builders and steel magnate-^ whose 
 works they wished to inspect. But in all their travels, 
 interesting as they doubtless were, they hardly enjoy- 
 ed themselves more than their trip to "Pennsylvania's 
 greatest natural wonder", Penn's Cave. 
 
VIII. THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 
 
 OLD CHIEF WIvSAMEK, of the Kittochtinny In- 
 dians, had lost his spouse. He was close to 
 sixty years of age, which was old for a red man, 
 especially one who had led the hard life of a warrior, 
 exposed to all kind's of weather, fasts and forced 
 marches. Though he felt terribly lonely and depressed 
 in his state of widowerhood, the thought of discard- 
 ing the fidehty of the eagle, which, if bereaved, never 
 takes a second mate, and was the noble bird he wor- 
 shiped was repugnant to him until he happened to 
 see the fair and buxom maid Annapalpeteu. He was 
 rheumatic, walking with difficulty; he tired easily, 
 was fretful, all sure signs of increasing age ; but what 
 upset him most was the sight of his reflection in his 
 favorite pool, a haggard, weezened, wrinkled face, 
 with a nose like the beak of an eagle, and eyes as 
 colorless as clay. When he opened his mouth, the 
 reflected image seemed to be mostly toothless, the lips 
 were blue and thin. He had noticed that he did not 
 need to shave his skull any more to give prominence 
 to his warrior's top-knot; the proud tuft itself was 
 growing sparse and weak ; to keep it erect he was now 
 compelled to braid with it hair from the bullalo's tail. 
 Brave warrior that he was, he hated to pay his court 
 to the lovely Annapalpeteu when on all sides he saw 
 stalwart six-foot youths, masses of sinews and 
 muscle, clear-eyed, firm-lipped, always ambitious and 
 high-spirited. But one afternoon he saw his copper- 
 
 63 
 
64 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 colored love sitting by the side of the Bohundy 
 Creek, beating maize in a wooden through. Her en- 
 tire costume consisted of a tight petticoat of blue 
 cloth, hardly reaching to the knees, and without any 
 ruffles. Her cheeks and forehead were neatly daubed 
 with red. She seemed very well content with her 
 coadjutor, a bright young fellow, who, except for two 
 wild cat hides appropriately distributed, was quite as 
 naked as the ingenuous beauty. That Annapelpeteu 
 had a cavalier was now certain, and immediately it 
 rekindled what flames remained in his jaded body; he 
 miust have her at any cost. Down by the Conadog- 
 winet, across the Broad Mountains, lived Mbison, a 
 wise man. Old Wisamek would go there and consult 
 him, perhaps obtain from him some potion to perma- 
 nently restore at least a few of the fires of his lost 
 youth. Though his will-power had been appreciably 
 slackening of late years, he acted with alacrity on the 
 id'ea of visiting the soothsayer. Before sundown he 
 was on his way to the south, accompanied by several 
 faithful henchmen. Carrying a long ironwood staff, 
 he moved on with unwonted agility ; it was very dark, 
 and the path difficult to follow, when he finally con- 
 sented to bivouac for the night. The next morning 
 found him so stiff that he could hardly clamber to his 
 feet. His henchmen assisted him, though they begged 
 him to rest for a day. But his will forced him on ; 
 he wanted' to be virile and win the beautiful Annapal- 
 pateu. The journey, which consumed a week, cost the 
 aged Strephon a world of effort. But as he had been 
 
PBNN'iS GRANDEST CAVERN 65 
 
 indefatigable in his youth, he was determined to reach 
 the wise man's headquarters walking like a warrior, 
 and not carried there on a litter like an old' woman. 
 Bravely he forged ahead, his aching joints paining 
 miserably, until at length he came in sight of his 
 Promised Land. The soothsayer, who had been ap- 
 prised of his coming by a dream, was in front of his 
 substantial lodge-house to greet him. Seldom had he 
 received a more distinguished client than Wisamek, 
 so he welcomed him with marked courtesy and defer- 
 ence. After the first formalities, the old chief, who 
 had restrained himself with difficulty, asked how he 
 could be restored to a youthful condition so that he 
 could rightfully marry a beautiful maiden of eighteen 
 summers. The wise man, who had encountered simi- 
 lar supplicants in the past, informed him that the task 
 was a comparatively easy one. It would involve, how- 
 ever, another journey across mountains. Wisamek 
 shouted for joy when he heard these words and im- 
 patiently demanded where he would have to go to be 
 restored to youth. ''Across many high mountain 
 ranges, across many broad valleys, across many swift 
 streams, through a country covered with dark forests 
 and filled with wild beasts, to the north-west of here 
 is a wonderful cavern. In it rises a deep stream, of 
 greenish color, clear as crystal, the fountain of youth. 
 At its heading you Avill find a very old man, Gamunk, 
 who knows the formula. Give him this talisman, and 
 he will allow you to bathe in the marvelous waters, 
 and be young again." With the final words he hand- 
 
G8 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 ed Wisamek a red bear's tooth, on which was clev- 
 erly carved the form of an atldetic youth. The old 
 chief's hands trembled so mucli that he almost drop- 
 ped the precious fetich. But he soon recovered his 
 self-control and thanked the wise man. Then he or- 
 dered his henchman to give the soothsayer gifts, 
 which they did, loading him with beads, pottery, 
 wampum and rare furs. Despite the invitation tc 
 remain until he was comipletely rested, Wisamek 
 determined to depart at once for the fountain of 
 youth. He was so stimulated by his high hope that 
 he climbed the steep ridges, crossed the turbulent 
 streams, and put up with the other inconveniences of 
 the long march much Ijetter tian might have been the 
 case. During the entire journey he sang Indian love 
 songs, strains which had not passed his lips in thirty 
 years. His- followers, gossiping among themselves, 
 declared that he looked better already. Perhaps he 
 would not have to batlie in the fountain after all. He 
 might resume his youth, because he willed it so. 
 Indians were strong believers in the power of mind 
 over matter. When he reached the vicinity of the cave 
 he was fortunate enough to meet the aged Indian who 
 was its guardian. Though his hair was snow white, 
 and he said he was so old that he had lost count of the 
 years, Gamunk's carriage was erect, his complexion 
 smooth, his eyes clear and kindly. He walked along 
 with a swinging stride, very different from Wisamek's 
 mental picture of him. The would-be bridegroom, 
 who handed him the talisman, was quick to impart 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 67 
 
 liis mission to his new-found friend. "It is true", 
 he rephied ; "after a day and a night's immersion in 
 the cave's water you will emerge with all the appear- 
 ance of youth. There is absolutely no doubt of it. 
 Thousands have been here before". With these re- 
 assuring words Wisamek again leaped for joy, gyrat- 
 ing like a young brave at a cantico. The party, ac- 
 companied by the old guardian, quickly arrived at 
 the cave's main opening, where beneath them lay 
 stretched the calm, mirror-like expanse of greenish 
 water. Can I begin the bath now" ? asked the chief, 
 impatiently. *'I am anxious to throw off the odious 
 appearance of age". "Immediately", replied the old 
 watchman, who took him by the hand, leading him to 
 the ledge w^here it was highest above the water. 
 "Jump off here", he said quietly. Wisamek, who had 
 been a great swimmer in his youth and was absolutely 
 fearless of the water, replied that he would do so. 
 "But remember you must remain in the water without 
 food until this hour tomorrow", said the guardian. 
 As he leaped into the water depths the chief shouted 
 he would remain twice as long if he could be young 
 again. Wisamek was true to his instructions ; there 
 was too much at stake ; he dared not falter. The next 
 morning his henchmen were at the cave's mouth to 
 greet his reappearance. They were startled to see, 
 climbing up the ledge with alacrity a tall and hand- 
 some man, as young looking as theni.selves. There 
 was a smlile on the full red lips, a twinkle in the clear 
 eye of the re-made warrior as he stood among them, 
 
68 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 physically a prince among men. The homeward jour- 
 ney was made with rapidity. Wisamek traveled so 
 fast that he played out his henchmen who were half 
 his age. Annapalpeteu, who was seated in front of 
 her parents' cabin, weaving a garment, noticed a 
 youth of great physical beauty approaching, at the 
 head of Chief Wisamek's clansmen. She wondered 
 who he could be, as he wore Wisamek's headdress 
 of feathers of the sea eagle. When he drew near he 
 saluted her, and, not giving her time to answer, joy- 
 fully shouted, ''Don't you recognize me? I am your 
 good friend Wisamek, come back to win your love, 
 after a refreshing journey through the distant for- 
 ests". Annapalpeteu, who was a sensible enough girl 
 to have admired the great warrior for his prowess, 
 even though she had never thought of him seriously 
 as a lover, was now instantly smitten by his engaging 
 appearance. The henchmen withdrew, leaving the 
 couple together. They made marked progress with 
 their romance ; words of love were mentioned before 
 they parted. It was not long before the betrothal was 
 announced, followed shortly by the wedding festival. 
 At the nuptials the bridegroom's appearance was the 
 marvel of all present. It was hinted that he had been 
 somewhere and renewed his youth, but as the hench- 
 men were sworn to secrecy, how it had been done was 
 not revealed. The young bride seemed radiantly 
 happy. She had every reason to be ; the other Indian 
 maids whispered from lip to lip, was she not marrying 
 the greatest warrior and hunter of his generation, the 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 69 
 
 handsomest man in a hundred tribes? Secretly en- 
 yied by all of her age, possessing her stalwart prize, 
 the fair bride started on her honeymoon, showered 
 with acorns and good wishes. So far as is known the 
 wedding trip passed off blissfully. There were smiles 
 on the bright faces of both bride and groom when 
 they returned to their spacious new lodge-house, which 
 the tribe had erected for them in their absence, by the 
 banks of the rippling Bohundy. But the course of life 
 did not run smoothly for the pair. Though outwardly 
 Wisamek was the handsomest and most youthful 
 looking of men, he was still an old man at heart. 
 Annapalpeteu was as pleasure-loving as she was beau- 
 tiful. She wanted to dance and sing and mingle with 
 youthful company. She wanted her good time in life; 
 Jier joy of living was at its height, her sense of enjoy- 
 ment at its zenith. On the other hand, Wisamek 
 hated all. forms of gaieties or youthful amusements. 
 He wanted to sit about the lodge-house in the sun, 
 telling of his warlike triumphs of other ' days ; he 
 wanted to sleep much, he hated noise and excitement. 
 Annapalpeteu, dutiful wife that she was, tried to 
 please him, but in due course of time both husband 
 and wife realized that romance was dying, that they 
 were drifting apart. Wisamek was even more aware 
 of it than his wife. It worried him greatly, his 
 dreams were of an unhappy nature. He pictured the 
 end of it all, with his wife, Annapalpeteu, in love with 
 some one else of her own age, some one whose heart 
 was young. He had spells of moodiness and irrita- 
 
70 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 bilty, as well as several serious quarrels with his wife, 
 whom he accused of caring less for him than formerly. 
 The relations became so strained that life in the com- 
 modious lodge-house was unbearable. At length it 
 occurifed to' Wisamek that he might again visit the 
 fountain of youth, this time to revive his soul. Per- 
 haps he had not remained in the water long enough to 
 touch the spirit within. He informed his spouse that 
 he was going on a long journey, on invitation of the 
 chief of a distant tribe, and that she must accompany 
 him. He was insanely jealous of her now; he could 
 not bear her out of his sight. He imagined she liad a 
 young lover hiding back of every tree, though she was; 
 honor personified. The trip was made pleasantly 
 enough, as the husband was in better spirits than 
 usual. He thought he saw the surcease of his troubles 
 ahead of him! When he reached the Beaver Dam 
 Meadows, near the sit of the present town of Spring 
 Mills, beautiful level flats which in those days were 
 a favorite camping ground for the red men, he re- 
 quested the beautiful Annapalpeteu to remain there 
 for a few days, that he was going into a hostile coun- 
 try, he would not jeopardize her safety. He was going 
 on an important mission that would make her love him 
 more than ever when he returned. In reality no un- 
 friendly Indians were about, but in order to give a 
 look of truth to his story, he left her in charge of a 
 strong bodyguard. Wisamek's conduct of late had 
 been so peculiar that his wife was not sorry to see 
 her lord and master go away. Handsome though he 
 
1 
 
 r 
 
 __, : 
 
 m. 
 
 
 i ^^ 
 
 i 
 
 
 
PENN'9 GRANDEST GAVERN 71 
 
 was, a spiritual barrier had arisen between them 
 which grew more insurmountable with each succeed- 
 ing day. Yet, on this occasion, when he was out of 
 her sight, she felt apprehensive about him. She had 
 a strange presentment that she would never see him 
 again. Wisamek was filled with hopes; his spirits 
 had never been higher, as he strode along, followed 
 by his henchmen. When he reached the top of the 
 path which led to the mouth of the cave he met old 
 Gamunkj the guardian. The aged red man expressed 
 surprise at seeing him again. "I have come for a very 
 peculiar reason", he said. "The bath which I took last 
 year outwardly made me young, but only outwardly. 
 Within I am as withered and joyless as a centenarian. 
 I want to bathe once more, to try to revive the old light 
 in my soul". Gamunk shook his head. ''You may 
 succeed; I hope you will. I never heard of any one 
 daring to take a second bath in these waters. The 
 tradition of the hereditary guardians, of whom I am 
 the hundredth in direct succession, has it that it would 
 be fatal to take a second immersion, especially to re- 
 main in the water for twenty-four hours". Then he 
 asked Wisamek for the talisman which was the right 
 to bathe. Wisamek drew himself up proudly, and with 
 a gesture of his hand, indicating disdain, said he had 
 no talisman, that he would bathe anyhow. He ad- 
 vanced to the brink and plunged in. Until the same 
 hour the next day he floated and paddled about the 
 greenisli depths, filled with expectancy. For some 
 reason it seemed longer this time than on the previous 
 
72 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 visit.. At last, by the light which filtered down through 
 the treetops at the cave's mouth, he knew that the 
 hour had come for him to emerge — emerge as Chief 
 Wisamek — young in heart as in body. Proudly he 
 grasped the rocky ledge, and swung himself out on 
 dry land. He arose to his feet. His head seemed very 
 light and giddy. He fancied he saw visions of his old 
 conquests, old loves. There was the sound of music in 
 the air. Was it martial music, played to welcome the 
 conquerer, or the wind surging through the feathery 
 tops of the maple and linden trees at the mouth of the 
 cave? He started to climb the steep path. He seemed 
 to be treading on air. Was it the buoyant steps of 
 youth come again? He seemed to float rather than 
 walk. The sunlight blinded his eyes. Suddenly he 
 had a flash of normal consciousness. He dropped to 
 the ground with a thud like an old pine falling. Then 
 all was blackness, silence. Jaybirds complaining in 
 the tres alone broke the stillness. His bodyguards, 
 who were waiting for him at old Gamunk's lodge- 
 house, close to where the hotel now stands, became 
 impatient at his non-appearance, as the hour was past. 
 Accompanied by the venerable watchman, they started 
 down the path. To their horror they saw the dead 
 body of a hideous, wrinkled old man, all skin and 
 bones, lying stretched out across it, a few steps 
 from the entrance to the cave. When they approached 
 closely they noticed several familiar tattoo marks which 
 identified the body as that of their late master, Wisa- 
 mek. Frightened lest they would be accused of his 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 73 
 
 murder, and shocked by his altered appearance, the 
 bodyguards turned and took to their heels. They dis- 
 appeared in the trackless forests to the north and were 
 never seen again. Old Gamunk, out of pity for the 
 vainglorious chieftain, buried the remains by the path 
 near where he fell. As for poor Annapalpeteu, the 
 beautiful, she waited patiently for many days by the 
 Beaver Dams, but her waiting was in vain. At length, 
 concluding that he had been slain in battle in some 
 valorous encounter, she started for her old home on 
 the Bohundy. It is related that in due course of time 
 she married a warrior of her own age, living happily 
 ever afterwards. In him she found the loving re- 
 sponse, the congeniality of pleasures which had been 
 denied the dried, feeble soul of Wisamek, who bathed 
 once too often in the fountain of youth. 
 
IX. RIDING HIS PONY 
 
 WHEN Rev. James Martin visited Penn's Cave, 
 in the Spring of 1795, it was related that he 
 found a small group of Indians encamped 
 there. That evening, around the campfire, one of the 
 redskins related a legend of one of the curiosities of 
 the watery cave, the flamboyant ''Indian Riding Pony" 
 mural-piece which decorates one of the walls. Spirit- 
 ed as a Remington, it bursts upon the view, creates a 
 lasting impression, then vanishes as the power skiff, 
 the "Nita-nee", draws nearer. According to the old 
 Indians, there lived not far from where the Karoon- 
 dinha emerges from the cavern a body of savages who 
 made this delightful lowland their permanent abode. 
 While most of their cabins were huddled near togethe'r 
 on the upper reaches of the stream, there were strag- 
 gling huts clear to the Beaver Dams. The finding of 
 arrow points, beads and pottery along the creek amply 
 attests to this. Among the clan was a maiden named 
 Quetajaku, not good to look upon, but in no way ugly 
 or deformed. In her youth she was light-hearted and 
 sociable, with a gentle disposition. Yet for some rea- 
 son she was not favored by the young bucks. All her 
 contemporaries found lovers and husbands, but poor 
 Quetajaku was left severely alone. She knew that she 
 was not beautiful, though she was of good size ; she 
 was equally certain that she was not a physical mon- 
 ster. She could not understand why she could find 
 no lover, why she was singled out to be a "chauch- 
 
 74 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 75 
 
 schisis", or old maid. It hurt her pride as a young girl, 
 it broke her heart completely when she was older. 
 Gradually she withdrew from the society of her tribal 
 friends, building herself a lodge-house on the hill, in 
 what is now the cave orchard. There she led a very 
 introspective life, grieving over the love that might 
 have been. To console herself she imagined that somie 
 day a handsome warrior would appear, seek her out, 
 load her with gifts, overwhelm her with love, and 
 carry her away to some distant region in triumph. He 
 would be handsomer and -braver than any youth in the 
 whole country of the Karoondinha. She would be the 
 most envied of women when he came. This poor little 
 fancy saved her from going stark mad, it remedied the 
 her of her lonely lot. Every time the night wind 
 stirred the rude cloth which hung before the door of 
 her cabin, she would picture it was the chivalrous 
 stranger come to claim her. When it was cold she 
 drew the folds of her buffalo robe tighter about her as 
 if it was his arms. As time went on she grew happy 
 in her secret lover, whom no other woman's flame 
 could equal, whom no one could steal away. She was 
 ever imagining him saying to her that her looks ex- 
 actly suited him, that se was his ideal. But like the 
 seeker after Eldorado, years passed, and Quetajaku 
 did not come nearer to her spirit lover. But her soul 
 kept up the conceit ; every night when she curled her- 
 self up to sleep he was the vastness of the night. On 
 one occasion an Indian artist named Niganit, an under- 
 sized old wanderer, appeared at the lonely woman's 
 
76 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 home. For a living he decorated pottery, shells and 
 bones, sometimes even painted war pictures on rocks. 
 Quetajaku was so kind to him that he built himself a 
 lean-to on the slope of the hill, intending to spend the 
 winter. On the long winter evenings the long woman 
 confided to the wanderer the story of her unhappy life, 
 of her inward consolation. She said that she had 
 longed to meet an artist who coul carry out a certain 
 part of her dream which had a right to come true. 
 When she died she had' arranged to be buried in a 
 fissure of rocks which ran horizontally into one of the 
 walls of the ''watery" cave. On the opposite wall she 
 would like painted in the most brilliant colors a por- 
 trait of a handsome young warrior, with arms out- 
 stretched, coming towards her. Niganit said that he 
 understood what she meant exactly, but suggested that 
 the youth be mounted on a pony, a beast which was 
 coming into use as a mount for warriors, of which he 
 had lately seen a num'ber in his travels on the Virginia 
 coast* The idea was pleasing to Quetajaku, who 
 authorized the stranger to begin work at once. She 
 had saved up a little property of various kinds ; she 
 promised to bestow all of this on Niganit, except 
 what would be necessary to bury her, if the picture 
 proved satisfactory. The artist rigged up a dog-raft 
 with a scaffold on it, and this he poled into the place 
 where the fissure was located, the woman accompany- 
 ing him the first time, so there would be no mistake. 
 All winter long by torchlight he labored away. H'e 
 used only one color, an intensive brick-red made from 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 77 
 
 mixing sumac, a kind of seed, a small root and the 
 bark of a tree, as l)eing more permanent than that 
 made from ochers and other ores or stained earth. 
 Marvelous and vital was the result of this early im- 
 pressionist ; the painting had all the action of life. 
 The superb youth in war dress, with arms outstretch-' 
 ed, on the agile war pony, was rushing towards the 
 foreground, almost in the act of leaping from the 
 rocky panel into life, across the w^aters of the cave to 
 the arms of his beloved. It would make old Oueta- 
 jaku happy to see it, she who had never known love or 
 beauty. The youth in the mural typified what Niganit 
 would have been himself were he the chosen, and what 
 the old squaw would have possessed had nature 
 favored her. It was the ideal for two disappointed 
 souls. Breathlessly the old artist ferried Quetajaku 
 to the scene of his endeavors. When they reached 
 the proper spot he held aloft his quavering torch. 
 Quetajaku, in order to see more clearly, held her two 
 hands above her eyes. She gave a little cry of ex- 
 clamation, tlien turned and looked at Niganit intently. 
 Then she dropped her eyes, beginning to cry to her- 
 self. The artist looked at her fine face, down w^hich 
 the tears were streaming, and asked her the cause 
 of her grief — was the picture such a terrible disap- 
 pointment? The woman drew herself together, reply- 
 ing that it was grander than she had anticipated, but 
 the face was Niganit's, and strangely enough, was the 
 face she had dreamed of all her life. "But I am 
 not the heroic youtli you ])iclurcd", said the artist, 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 sadly. "I am sixty years old, stoop-shouldered, and 
 one leg is shorter than the other". "But that is how 
 you would look on your war pony; it is your face, 
 shoulders and arms. You are the picture that I always 
 hoped would come true". Niganit looked at the Indian 
 woman. She was not hideous; there was even a dig- 
 nity to her large, plain features, her great, gaunt form. 
 "I have never received praise such as yours. I always 
 vowed I would love the woman who really understood 
 me and my art. I am yours. Let us think no more 
 of funeral decorations, but go to the east, to the land 
 of the war ponies, and ride to endless joy together". 
 Quetajaku, overcome by the majesty of his words, 
 leaned against his massive shoulder. In that way he 
 poled his dog-raft against the current to the entrance 
 of the cave. There was a glory in the reflection from 
 the setting sun over against the east; night would 
 not set in for an hour or two. And towards the dark- 
 ening east that night two happy travelers could be 
 seen wending their way. 
 
NITA-NEE 
 
 The Indian Maiden for Whom Nittany Mountain Is 
 Named 
 
 (Reprinted from "Juniata Memories". Philadelphia, 1916) 
 (Copyrighted by J. J. McVey. Publisher) 
 
 OXE of tlie last Indians to wander through the 
 Juniata X^alley, either to revive old memories or 
 merely to hunt and traj), his controlling motive 
 is not certain, was old Jake Faddy. As he was sup- 
 posed to belong to the Seneca tribe, and spent most of 
 his time on the Coudersport Pike on the border line 
 between Clinton and Potter Counties, it is to be sur- 
 mised that he never lived permanently on the Juniata, 
 but had hunted there or participated in the bloody 
 wars in the days of his youth. He continued his visits 
 until he reached a very advanced age. Of a younger 
 generation that Shaney John, he was nevertheless well 
 acquainted with that unique old redman, and always 
 spent a couple of weeks with him at his cabin on Sad- 
 dler's Run. 
 
 Old Jake, partly to earn his board and partly to 
 show his superior knowledge, was a gifted story teller. 
 He liked to obtain the chance to spend the night at 
 farmhouses where there were aged people, and his 
 smatering of history would be fully utilized to put the 
 older folks in good humor. 
 
 For while the hard-working younger generations 
 fancied that history was a waste of time, the old people 
 
 79 
 
80 PENNS GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 loved it. and' fought against the cruel way in which all 
 local tradition and legend was being snuffed out. If 
 it had not been for a few people carrying it over the 
 past generation, all of it would not be lost in the whirl- 
 pool of a commercial, materialistic age. And to those 
 few, unknown to fame, and of obscure life and resi- 
 dence, is due the credit of saving for us the wealth of 
 folklore that the noble mountains, the dark forests, the 
 wars and the Indians, instilled in the minds of the first 
 settlers. And there is no old' man or woman living in 
 the wilderness who is without a story that is ready to 
 be imparted, and worthy of preservation. But the 
 question remains, how can these old people all l)e 
 reached before they pass away? It would take an 
 army of collectors, working simultaneously, as the 
 Grim Reaper is hard at work removing these human 
 landmarks with their untold stories. 
 
 Out near the heading of Beaver Dam Run, at the 
 foot of Jack's Mountain, stands a very solid-looking 
 stone farmhouse, a relic of pioneer days. Its earliest 
 inhabitants had run counter to the Indians of the 
 neighborhood for the possession of the beavers whose 
 dens and' ''cabins" were its miost noticeable feature 
 clear to the mouth of the stream, and later for the 
 otters who defied the white annihilators a quarter of 
 a century longer. Beaver trapping had made the 
 stream a favorite rendezvous for the red men, and 
 their campgrounds at the springs near the headwaters 
 were pointed out until a comparatively recent date. 
 
 But one by one the aborigines dropped away, until 
 
PBNN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 81 
 
 Jake Faddy alone upheld the traditions of the race. 
 There were no beavers to quarrels over in his day, 
 consequently his visits were on a more friendly basis. 
 The old North of Ireland family who occupied the 
 stone farmhouse was closely linked with the history of 
 the Juniata Valley, and they felt the thrill of the vivid 
 past whenever the old Indian appeared at the kitchen 
 door. As he was ever ready to work and, what was 
 better, a very useful man at gardening and flowers, he 
 was always given his meals and lodging for as long as 
 he cared to remain. But that was not very long, as 
 his restless nature was ever goading him on, and he 
 had ''many other friends to see", putting it in his own 
 language. He seemed proud to have it known that he 
 was popular with a good class of white people, and his 
 ruling passion may have been to cultivate these asso- 
 ciations. On several occasions he brought some of his 
 sons with him, but they did not seem anxious to live 
 up to their father's standards. And after the old man 
 had passed away none of this younger generation ever 
 came to the Juniata Valley. 
 
 The past seemed like the present to Jake Faddy, 
 he was so familiar with it. To him it was as if it hap- 
 pened yesterday, the vast formations and changes and 
 epochs. And the Indian race, especially the eastern 
 Indians, seemed to have played the most important 
 part in those titanic days. It seemed so recent and so 
 real to the old redman that his stories were always in- 
 teresting. The children also were fond of hearing 
 him talk ; he had a way of never becoming tiresome. 
 
82 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 Every young person who heard him rennembered what 
 he said. There would have been no break in the 
 "apostohc succession" of Pennsylvania legendary lore 
 if all had' been seated at Jake Paddy's knee. 
 
 Of all his stories, by odds his favorite one, dealt 
 with the Indian maiden, Nita-nee, for whom the fruit- 
 ful Nittany Valley and the towering Nittany Moun- 
 tain are named. This Indian girl was born on the 
 banks of the lovely Juniata, not far from the present 
 town of Newton Hamilton, the daughter of a power- 
 ful chief. It was in the early days of the world, 
 when the physical aspect of Nature could be changed 
 over night by a hat from the Gitchie-Manitto or 
 Great Spirit. It was, therefore, in the age of great 
 and wonderful things, before a rigid world produced 
 beings whose lives followed' grooves as tight and per- 
 manent as the gullies and ridges. 
 
 During the early life of Nita-nee a great war was 
 waged for the possession of the Juniata Valley. 'The 
 aggressors were Indians from the South, who longed 
 for the scope and fertility of this earthly Paradise. 
 Though Nita-nee's father and his brave cohorts de- 
 fended their beloved land to the last extremity, they 
 were driven northward into the Seven Mountains and 
 beyond. Though they found themselves in beautiful 
 valleys, filled with bubbling springs and' teeming with 
 game, they missed the Blue Juniata, and were never 
 wholly content. The father of Nita-nee, who was 
 named Chun-Eh-Hoe, felt so humiliated that he only 
 went about after night in his new home. He took 
 
WHERE REV. MARTIN WROTE HIS SERMONS 
 (Musser Farm, near Penn Hall) 
 
PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 83 
 
 Up his residence on a broad plain, not far from where 
 State College now stands, and should be the Indian 
 patron of that growing institution, instead of Chief 
 Bald Eagle, who never lived near there and whose 
 good deeds are for outweighed by his crimes. 
 
 Chun-Rh-Hoe was an Indian of exact conscience. 
 He did his best in tlie cruel war, but the southern In- 
 dians must have had more sagacious leaders or a bet- 
 ter esprit de corps. At any rate they conquered. 
 Chun-Eh-Hoe was not an old man at the time of his 
 defeat, but it is related that his raven black locks turn- 
 ed white over night. He was broken in spirit after 
 his downfall and only lived a few years in his new 
 home His widow, as well as his daughter, Nita-nee, 
 and many other children, were left to mourn him. As 
 Nita-nee was the oldest, she assumed a vicereineship 
 over the tribe until her young brother, Wo-Wi-Na- 
 Pie, should be old enough to rule the councils and go 
 on the warpath. 
 
 The defeat on the Juniata, the exile to the northern 
 valleys and the premature death of Chun-Eh-Hoe 
 were to be avenged. Active days were ahead of the 
 tribesmen. Meanwhile if the southern Indians cross- 
 ed the mountains to still further covet their lands and 
 liberties, who should lead them to battle but Nita-nee. 
 But the Indian vicereine was of a peace-loving dis- 
 position. She hoped that the time would never come 
 when she would have to preside over scenes of car- 
 nage and slaughter. She wanted to see her late fath- 
 er's tribe become the most cultured and prosperous in 
 
84 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 the Indian world, and in that way be revenged on 
 their warhke foes: "Peace hath its victories". 
 
 But slie was not to be destined to lead a peaceful 
 nation through years of upward growth. In the 
 Juniata Valley the southern Indians had become over- 
 populated ; they sought broader territories, like the 
 Germans of today. They had driven the present oc- 
 cupants of the northern valleys out of the Juniata 
 country, they wanted to again drive them further 
 north. 
 
 Nita-nee did not want war, but the time came when 
 she could not prevent it. The southern Indians sought 
 to provoke a conflict by making settlements in the Bare 
 Meadows, and in some fertile patches on Tussey Knob 
 and Bald Top, all of which were countenanced in 
 silence. But when they murdered some peaceable 
 farmers and took possession of plantations at the foot 
 of the mountains in the valley of the Karoondinha, 
 the the mildness of Nita-nee's cohorts came to an 
 end. Meanwhile her mother and brother had died; 
 Nita-nee had been elected queen. 
 
 Every man and boy volunteered to fight ; a huge 
 army was recruited over night. They swept down 
 to the settlements of the southern Indians, butchering 
 every one of them. They pressed onward to the Bare 
 Meadows, and to the slopes of Bald Top and Tussey 
 Knob. There they gave up the population to fire and 
 sword. Crossing the Seven Mountains, they formed 
 a powerful cordon all along the southerly slope of the 
 . Long Mountain. Building block houses and stone 
 
PENN'3 GRANDEST CAVERN 8& 
 
 fortifications — some of the stonework can be seen to 
 this day — they could not be easily dislodged. 
 
 The southern Indians, noticing the flames of the 
 burning plantations, and hearing from the one or two 
 survivors of the completeness of the route, were slow 
 to start an offensive movement. But as Nita-nee's 
 forces showed no signs of advancing beyond the foot 
 of Long Mountain, they mistook this hesitancy for 
 cowardice, and sent an attacking army. It was com- 
 pletely defeated in the gorge of Laurel Run, above 
 Milroy, and one the slope of Sample Knob, the right 
 of the northern Indians to the Karoondinha and the 
 adjacent valleys was signed, sealed and delivered in 
 blood. The southern Indians were in turn driven out 
 by other tribes : in fact, every half century or so a 
 different race ruled over the Juniata Valley. But in 
 all those years none of the Juniata rulers sought to 
 question the rights of the northern Indians until 1635, 
 when the Lenni-Lenape invaded the countrv of the 
 Susquehannocks and were decisively beaten on the 
 plains near Rock Spring, in Spruce Creek \'alley, at 
 the Battle of the Indian Steps. (This battle has been 
 described in stirring verse by Central Pennsylvania's 
 bard, John H. Chatham, ''The Indian Steps", Altoona, 
 1913.) 
 
 As Nita-nee wanted no territorial accessions, she 
 left the garrisons at her southerly forts intact, and re- 
 tired her main army to its home valleys, where it was 
 disbanded as quickly as it came together. All were 
 glad to be back to peaceful avocations, none of them 
 
86 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 ciavcd glory in war. And there were no honors given 
 out, no great generals created. All served as private 
 soldiers under the direct supervision of their queen. It 
 was the theory of this Joan of Arc that by eliminating 
 titles and important posts there would be no military 
 class created, no ulterior motives assisted except pa- 
 triotism. The soldiers serving anonymously, and for 
 their country's need alone, would be really to end their 
 military duties as soon as their patriotic task was done. 
 Nita-nee regarded soldiering as a stern necessity, 
 not as an excuse for pleasure or pillage, or personal 
 advancement. Under her there was no nobility, all 
 were on a common level of dignified citizenship. 
 Every Indian in her realm had a task, not one that 
 he was born to follow, but the one which appealed to 
 him mostly, and therefore the task at which he was 
 most successful. Women also had their work, apart 
 from domestic life in this ideal democracy of ancient 
 days. Suffrage was universal to both sexes over 
 twenty years of age, but as there were no official posi- 
 tions, no public trusts, a political class could not come 
 into existence, and the queen, as long as she was can- 
 ning and able, had the unanimous support of her peo- 
 ple. She was given a great ovation as she modestly 
 walked along the fighting line after the winning battle 
 of Laurel Run. It made her feel not that she was 
 great, but that the democracy of her father and her 
 ancestors was a living force. In those days of pure 
 democracy the rulers walked ; the litters and plana- 
 quins were a later development. 
 
PBNN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 87 
 
 After the conflict the gentle Nita-nee, at the head 
 of the soon to be disbanded army, marched across the 
 Seven Brothers and westerly toward her permanent 
 encampment, where State College now stands. As 
 her only trophy she carried a bundle of spears, which 
 her brave henchmen had wrenched from the hands of 
 the southern Indians as they charged the forts along 
 Long Mountain. These were not to deck her own 
 lodge house, nor for vain display, but were to be 
 placed on the grave of her father, the lamented Chun- 
 Eh-Hoe, who had been avenged. In her heart she 
 had hoped for victory, almost as much for his sake as 
 for the comfort of her people. She knew how he had 
 grieved himself to death when he was outgeneraled 
 in the previous war. 
 
 In those dimly remote days there was no range of 
 mountains where the Nittany chain now raise their 
 noble summits to the sky. All was a plain, a prairie, 
 clear north to the Bald Eagles, which only recently 
 had come into existence. The tradition was that far 
 older than all the other hills were the Seven Moun- 
 tains. And geological speculations seems to bear this 
 out. At all seasons of the year cruel and chilling 
 winds blew out of the north, hinderino^ the work of 
 agriculture on the broad plains ruled over by Nita-nee. 
 Only the strong and the brave could cope with these 
 killing blasts, so intense and so dififerent from the calm- 
 ing zephyrs of the Juniata. The seasons for this 
 cause were several weeks shorter than across the 
 Seven Mountains ; that is, there was a later Spring 
 
88 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 and an earlier Fall. Ikit though the work was harder, 
 the soil being equally rich and broader area, the crops 
 averaged' fully as large as those further south. So, 
 taken altogether, the people of Nita-nee could not be 
 said to be an unhappy aggregation. 
 
 As the victorious queen was marching along at the 
 head of her troops, she was frequently almost mobbed 
 by women and children, who rushed out from the 
 settlements and made her all manner of gifts. As it 
 was in the early Spring, there were no floral garlands, 
 but instead wreaths and festoons of laurel, of ground 
 pine and ground spruce. There were gifts of precious 
 stones and metals, of rare furs, of beautiful speci- 
 mens of Indian pottery basketry and the like. These 
 were graciously acknowledged by Nita-nee, who turn- 
 ed them over to her bodyguards to be carried to her 
 permanent abode on the "Barrens". But it was not a 
 ''barrens" in those days, but a rich agricultural region, 
 carefully irrigated from the north, and yielding the 
 most bountiful crops of Indian corn. It was only 
 when abandoned by the frugal redmen and grown up 
 with forest which burned over repeatedly through the 
 carelessness of the white settlers that it acquired that 
 disagreeable name. In those d'avs it was known as the 
 "Hills of Plenty". 
 
 As Nita-nee nearcd the scenes of her happy days 
 she was stopped in tlie middle of the path by an aged 
 Indian couple. Leaning on staffs in order to present 
 a dignified appearance, it was easily seen that age had 
 bent them nearlv double. Their weazened, weather- 
 
PJ^lSTN'vS GRANDEST CAVERN 89 
 
 beaten old faces were pitiful to behold. Toothless, 
 and barely able to speak above a whisper, they ad- 
 dressed' the gracious queen. 
 
 •*We are very old", they began. ''The Winters of 
 more than a century have passed over our heads. Our 
 sons and our grandsons were killed fighting bravely 
 under your immortal sire, Chun-Eh-Hoe. We have 
 had to struggle on by ourselves as best we could ever 
 since. We are aljout to set out a crop of corn, which 
 we need badly. For the past three years the north 
 wind has destroyed our crop every time it appeared ; 
 the seeds which we plan to put in the earth this year 
 are the last we've got. Really we should have kept 
 them for food, but we hoped' that the future would 
 treat us more generously. We would like a wind- 
 break built along the northern side of our corn patch ; 
 we are too feeble to go to the forests and cut and carry 
 the poles. W'ill not our most kindly queen have some 
 one assist us'" ? 
 
 Nita-nee smiled on the aged couple, then she looked 
 at her army of aljle-bodied warriors. 
 
 Turning to them, she said: "Soldiers, will a hun- 
 dred of you go to the nearest royal forest, which is in 
 the center of this plain, and cut enough cedar ])oles 
 with brush on them to build a wind-break for these 
 good people"? 
 
 Instantly a roar arose, a perfect babel of voices ; it 
 was every soldier trying to volunteer for this philan- 
 thropic task. 
 
 When quiet was restored, a warrior stepped out 
 
90 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 from the lines saying, "Queen, we are very happy to 
 do this, we who have Hved in this valley know full 
 well how all suffer from the uncheckable north winds". 
 
 The queen escorted the old couple back to their 
 humble cottage, and sat with them until her stalwart 
 braves returned with the green-tipped poles. It looked 
 like another Birnam Wood in process of locomotion. 
 The work was so quickly and so carefully done that it 
 semed almost like a miracle to the wretched old In- 
 dians. They fell on their knees, kissing the hem of 
 their queen's garment and thanking her for her benefi- 
 cence. She could hardly leave them, so profuse were 
 .they in their gratitude. In all but a few hours w^ere 
 consumed in granting what to her was a simple favor, 
 and she was safe and sound within her royal lodge 
 house by dark. Before she left she had promised to 
 return when the corn crop was ripe and partake of a 
 corn roast with the venerable couple. The old people 
 hardly dared hope she would come, but those about 
 her knew that her word was as good as her bond. 
 That night bonfires were lighted to celebrate her re- 
 turn, and there was much Indian music and revelry. 
 
 Nita-nee was compelled to address the frenzied 
 mob, and in her speech she told them that while they 
 had won a victory, she hoped it would be the last 
 while she lived; she hated war, but would give her life 
 rather than have her people invaded. All she asked 
 in this w^orld w^as peace wnth honor. That expressed 
 the sentiment of her people exactly, and they literally 
 went mad with loyalty and enthusiasm for the balance 
 
PEN'N'S GRANDEST CAVERN 91 
 
 of the night. Naturally with such an uproar there 
 was no sleep for Nita-nee. 
 
 As she lay awake on her couch she thought that far 
 sweeter than victory or eathly fame was the helping 
 of others, the smoothing of rough pathways for the 
 weak or oppressed. She resolved more than ever to 
 dedicate her life to the benefiting of her subjects. No 
 love affair had come into her life, she would use her 
 great love-nature to put brightness into unhappy souls 
 about her. And she got up the next morning much 
 more refreshed than she could have after a night of 
 sleep surcharged with dreams of victory and glory. 
 
 As the summer progressed, and the corn crop in the 
 valleys became ripe, the queen sent an orderly to notify 
 the aged couple that she would come to their home 
 alone the next evening for the promised corn roast. It 
 was a wonderful calm, cloudless night, with the full 
 moon shedding its effulgent smile over the plain. Un- 
 accohipanied, except by her orderly, Nita-nee walked 
 to the modest cabin of the aged couple, a distance of 
 about five miles, for the cottage stood not far from the 
 present village of Linden Hall. Evidently the wind- 
 break had been a success, for, bathed in moonlight, 
 the tasseled heads of the cornstalks appeared above 
 the tops of the cedar hedge. Smoke was issuing from 
 the open hearth back of the hut, which showed that 
 the roast was being prepared. The aged couple were 
 delighted to see her, and the evening passed by, bring- 
 ing innocent and supreme happiness to all. And thus 
 in broad unselfishness and' .generosity of thought and 
 
92 PENN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 deed the great queen's life was spent, making her 
 pathway through her reahii radiant with sunshine. 
 
 And when she came to die, after a fuh century of 
 hfe, she requested that her body be laid to rest in the 
 royal forest, in the center of the valley whose people 
 she loved and served so well. Her funeral cortege, 
 which included every person in the plains and valleys, 
 a vast assemblage, shook with a common grief. It 
 would be hard to find a successor like her, a pure 
 soul so deeply animated with true godliness. 
 
 And it came to pass that on the night when she 
 was buried beneath a modest mound covered with 
 cedar boughs, and the vast funeral party had dis- 
 persed, a terrific storm arose, greater than even the 
 oldest person could remember. The blackness of the 
 night was intense, the roar and rumbling heard made 
 every being fear that the end of the world had com.e. 
 It was a night of intense terror, of horror. But at 
 dawn, the tempest abated, only a gentle breeze rernain- 
 ed, a golden sunlight overspread the scene, and great 
 was the wonder thereof ! In the center of the vast 
 plain where Nita-nee had been laid away stood a 
 mound-like mountain, a towering, sylvan giant cov- 
 ered with dense groves of cedar and pine. And as it 
 stood there, eternal, it temlpered' and broke the breezes 
 from the north, promising a new prosperity, a greater 
 tranquility, to the peaceful dwellers in the newly- 
 created vale that has since been called the Valley of 
 the Karoondinha. 
 
 A miracle, a sign of approval from the Great Spirit, 
 
PEISTN'S GRANDEST CAVERN 
 
 93 
 
 had happened during the night to forever keep ahve 
 the memory of Nita-nee, who had tempered the winds 
 from the corn patch of the aged, helpless couple years 
 before. And the dwellers in the valleys adjacent to 
 the new protected Valley of the Karoondinha awoke 
 to a greater pride in themselves, a high ideal must 
 l^e observed, since they were the special objects of 
 celestial notice. 
 
 And the name of Nita-nee was the favorite cogno- 
 men for Indian maidens, and has been borne by many 
 of saintly and useful life ever since, and none of these 
 namesakes were more deserving than the Nita-nee who 
 lived centuries later near the mouth of Penn's Cave, 
 the daughter of Chief O-Ko-Cho. 
 
XI. A VISIT TO HOWE'S CAVE, NEW 
 YORK, 1919 
 
 NOW is the time to visit caves ! Take this straight 
 from one who knows. Do not delay, as you 
 may be too late. Already the quarries have 
 made a sorry mess of the wierd and romantic 
 Naginey Cave, in Mifflin County, that Edgar Allan 
 Poe once visited, so tradition ha-; it ; they have com- 
 pletely annihilated the world-famed Howe's Cave, in 
 Schoharie County, New York. It was with high 
 hopes that the writer planned a trip to Howe's Cave 
 this Summer. He had wanted to visit it ever since, 
 years ago, he saw an old lithograph showing Horace 
 Greeley's visit to the cave during his Presidential cam- 
 paign in 1872. The great editor, in his familiar wade- 
 awake hat and linen duster, was surrounded by a 
 group of black-bearded dignitaries, rendered still more 
 impressive by flat-brimmed beaver hats and flowing 
 Price Albert coats. Several ladies, with the cherry- 
 box hats and cashmere shawls of the period, stood 
 peering into the yawning chasm's mouth. From the 
 caption below Greeley was evidently of the opinion 
 that Howe's Cave was the eighth wonder of the world. 
 Sic transit gloria mundi! Today all is changed. There 
 is no Howe's Cave, properly speaking, though the 
 name still lives on in the railway station and the post 
 ofiice. The Hun is King. The Helderberg Cement 
 Company, its name so suggestive of ruthless de- 
 
 94 
 
PENN'S G'RANiDEST CAVERN 95 
 
 structiveness, set off a blast which caused' the vaulted 
 stalactited roof to fall in, creating chaos and forever 
 shutting out the public from the mysterious depths 
 and labyrinths of this famous cavern. At least so we 
 were told by an employe of the Cement Company who, 
 in a reminiscent mood, recounted the stories of the 
 cave's former popularity before the ruthless cement 
 buns took charge and blasted away what took God a 
 million years to make, in five fell second's ! The hand- 
 some limestone hotel, with its high Mansart roof, 
 which in its day harbored noted men and women from 
 all over the world — Henry Ward Beecher and Harriet 
 Beecher Stowe, General Grant, Horatio Seymour, 
 Jenny Lind, the Prince of Wales, afterwards King 
 Edward VH ; Dr. Kane, the Arctic explorer, Ida 
 Isaacs Menken, the dancer ; Belle Boyd, Roscoe Conk- 
 ling, Governor Sprague and his wife, Kate Chase 
 Sprague, Governor Stanford, of California, and, of 
 course, Greeley — persons whom we have heard our 
 grandparents talk of familiarly, still stands, but now 
 the office of the cement trust. The click of the type- 
 writers comes through the open windows, where once 
 reverberated the voices of eager and enthusiastic tour- 
 ists. The elecampane weed grows rank about the walks 
 and gardens, the iron fences are awry. Howe's Cave is 
 no more; it has joined the long procession of defunct 
 natural wonders. The Palisades, along the Hudson 
 River in New York came near going the same way ; 
 so did the giant trees in California, and here in Penn- 
 sylvania we all know w^hat the stone men have done 
 
96 
 
 PENN'S GRANiDEST CAVE5RN 
 
 to Jack's Narrows, on the Juniata River, and to Mount 
 Penn, in the environs of Reading. John D. Mishler, 
 Reading's first citizen, loves to tell how, when he was 
 showing a delegation of distinguished Japanese the 
 wonders of the Berks County metropolis, Baron Ito 
 remarked, "How marvelous are you Americans; I 
 perceive that you are blasting away that vast moun- 
 tain because, doubtless, it obscures your view to the 
 east". Some one in a sotto voice whispered, "No; it's 
 only local quarrymen getting out ballast and building 
 stone". And all this goes to show that caves and all 
 natural wonders should be taken over by the govern- 
 ment, just as it takes railroads, steamboats and wheat, 
 and with the natural wonders would insure the per- 
 manency of sights that are a joy and education to 
 generations unborn. But as this millenium has not 
 arrived and is a long w^ays off, take straight advice 
 and see your caves now, as most of them are in lime- 
 stone countries and already viewed with jealous eyes 
 by the corporate interests. 
 
H26Z 78 531 
 

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