MAX-IN-KUCK-EE, Ind. 1881

A Charming Indiana Watering-place

- Its History and Popularity -

Pretty Girls and Cool Breezes

(Correspondence of th Courier-Journal)

MAX-IN-KUCK-EE, Ind., July 23 - ... Lake MAX-IN-KUCK-EE

In Marshall county lying like abrillant diamond set in emerald, away up in the hills.

You reach this sylvan l ake, so bright and sparkling over the L. P. and C. railroad, whcich runs through the garden of the state - every mile in thorough cultivation and improved to the very best advantage. The whole face of the earth smiles like a garden as if enjoying the elements of wealth and prosperity that areso lavishly scatteredaround.

This road is very popular, and today the crowded trains are evidence of this fact. It runs through seven or eight county seats, besides numerous smaller towns and villages, in each of which are seen the aspiring smoke-stacks of manufacturing establishments, the display of machinery, massive brick buildings, and the general signs of industrial prosperity. The purchase of this road by Jay Gould is said to be a fixed fact, thus establishing its excellence andsuperiority, because has never taken hold of any useless ot non-paying stock.

At Argos, as ubckassucakand unromantic a spot as ever theeye restedon, you leave the train andjump aboard oneof thecomfortable hacks or spring wagons awaiting and ride over to Lake Max-in-kuck-ee, over whose silver bosom the white sails of numerouspleasure boat are consistantly fluttering.

The lake is about four or finve miles long by three in width; its waters so limpid and clear that one can see a quarter of a dollar on the bottom twenty feet below the surface.

On the north and northeast the wooded hills slope to the water's edge, presenting as fair a prospect as the eye ever rested on. Many cottages are scatteredover these hills, while numerous club-houses on the lake edge help to diversify the scene and amke a charming picture.

In fron of the Bay View club-house a pier has been built out into the lake , with a T at the end and protected by awnings, for the use of the bathers. This is a favorite starting place for boats engaged in racing, many of which are rowed by beautiful girls, whoseparents own cottahes on the green slope of the hills.

These club-houses are owned by hospitable gentlemen from Indianapolis and other places, who come here to spend the summer far remote from the heat, the cares and the business of crowded cities.

There are now about 700 people congregated here, all on the keen lookout for the pleasures of the doles for _tents, roaming and roving under the shade of the classic beach, rowing and sailing over the silvery wavesm or fishing for the bass and the wall-eyed pike. These wall-eyed fish are bold, brazen, staring fellows, game to the backbone, and delicious when served for breakfast or dinner.

The original name of this lake, in the Pottawattamie language, was Nick-in-Kucke-ee, and was much beloved by the aboriginal inhabitants. In fact, when the chief, Max-in-kuck-ee, sold the land to the white, the remnant of the tribe, about 500, were so attached to the lovely lake and its surroundings that each man, woman,and child fled to the bushand were hunted down like wild beasts, tied hand foot and driven away by soldiers of the United States army to the reservation beyong the Mississippi.

There was weeping and wailing on the shores of Max-in-kuck-ee when the little band of home-sick, heart-brokem patriots left forever these lovely places. It was as sad as the expulsion of the Acadians from the shores of Minas. Many a touching story is told of Pottawattamies, Evangelines, and Gabriels, their ruthless separationsand wanderings, wailings and despairings, heart-broken lamentations and fearful revenges.

THis all happened about forty or fifty years ago, and now, when you catcha glimpse of a beautiful young girl reclining on a fern covered, mossy bank, or see a maiden as fair as Calypsi skimming the waves in her lightcanoe, you can, with only a slight stretch of the imagination, fancy her to be an Indian girl on her native soil.

Ah Max-in-kuck-ee, on thy fair bosom and along thy silver-sanded shores have been heard the wails and woes of anguish where now the soundsof music by moonlight, the silvery ripple of laughter from loving and love-making hearts ravish the ear. It is sad to look upon this fair lake, reposing inthe mellow amber twilight, an then turn back fifty years and see that little band, the remnant of a nation, bound hand and foot and bodily borne away forever from their homes and household gods.

Ahm Penates, Lares! wgere was your protection for you idolators and yourpunishments for you iconoclasters? It is worth a ride of 300 miles to visit this lovely lake, whose waters, so glad and riants in the amber rays of the setting sun, seem to woo and welcome you. But each tiny wavelet that breaks its little heart uponthe sandy shore seems to utter a moan of sadness like the last faint gush of a broken heart.

Max-in-kuck-ee is now all gay and hilarious with summer delights. Hundredsof pretty girls and gallant beaux throng the verdant shores. Every young lady, to be au fait, must have her little fairy boat, which she dexterously guides with her own oars, having learned to paddle herown canoe with man's ease and skill.

AMong the many.

Pretty and Piquants Girls

Here at present, I hope to be pardoned for mentioning Miss Boggs, a charming blonde with brown hair; the Misses Vaheb, especially Miss Fannie; Miss Deds Jameson and twenty more as fair, or fairer, than can be found at any other place in the land.

The bathing costumes of the younf ladies are all tasteful and modest, and very unlike some of those natural costumes you see in the East. These young ladies must be commanded for their good taste.

Miss Effie McQuatt is spoken of here as the best rower on the lake, as she is also one of the most beautiful girls. Some of the boats owned by the ladies are specimens of naval beauty. The boatowned my Mrs. Judah, with silver-plated oar-locks, is a thing of beaity as fair as Aprodite's shell in Cytherean waters. Mrs. Wiggins has a nice little craft of black and gold, while many others are too pretty and saucy to look at. The scene on fete nights in most beautiful and fairy-like when every boat is out on the lake dressed with flowers and Chinese many-colored lamps, floating to the music of Gondolier's songs, keeping tune with the candance of dipping oars and the merry laughter of young and happy hearts. Every night after the rowers and sailors are all returned dancing and music by the stationed band are kept up till a late hour, and the next day, and the mext, and so on is but the repetition of these happy senes.

If you should ever witness the shores of the lovely Max-in-kuckee you will go again, and be as loth to leave as the heart-brokern Pottawattamies fifty years ago - Pan-Handle. - Courier-Journal, Louisville Kenucky, Jul 27, 1881