The Legend of the Lake……

Let us close our eyes to the scenes around us. The huge sugar and rice mills, the large business houses and pretty homes, the handsome churches and college buildings. Let us forget for a little while that Eagle Lake is fast growing into a city. Now let us look through the vista of time, seventy-nine years. What do we see? A broad prairie covered with luxuriant grass, where herds of deer and buffalo are quietly feasting. Flowers of every hue, "objects of the wild bees’ love," are blooming here and there, planted by the hand of God to soften the savage hearts around them, with their beauty.

On the south side of this lovely expanse there is, seemingly a forest of live oak trees. Let us peer through them. Lo! There are camp fires and wigwams on the margin of a beautiful lake, whose waters are dotted with canoes paddled by brawny Indians. Oh, horrors! They are the savage Karankawa.

Let us silently watch the scene on the shore. There are free and happy children playing amid the leaves and flowers. Sad and weary women are seated on the ground, women who are only beast of burden to their masters; women who know nothing of the elevating influence of the Gospel of Peace. Look! There is one quiet, young, pretty "Prairie Flower", the pride of the tribe. The name is evidence enough that the parents’ hearts had been touched with the beauty of Gods’ flower gardens.

Prairie Flower is apart from the company of tired squaws. She is seated on the low limb of a live oak, wistfully gazing out on the lake. Two young warriors are approaching the shore. They step from their canoes with a determined look and glance at each other with the red eyes of rivalry. It is quite impossible to discern the choice of this uncultivated Indian girl; she is so kind and courteous to both.

Leap High is the first to present his claim. With a look of assurance he takes her hand, saying, "Prairie Flower we move; will you go with me to build new camp fires, and dress my venison?" She answers briefly, "wait!" She could not say no, for she had seen him leap from the ground upon his pony and gallop to the massacre of the pale face bringing back his bloody trophies to lie at her feet. She knew that he was brave.

Light foot, "the swift in the chase with his free foot step and unfailing bow," now approaches hesitatingly to the side of the coveted prize and with the low voice of love says: "Will you go with me? You know your duties, but I will lighten your labors."

He had found the key to her heart. But, she cannot say yes. She arises and points to the opposite shore saying, "The tree is high, the wee ones cry for food. The bird of the broad and sweeping wing will go hunting for her babes. I want one of the young ones to look at, who will go to the nest and bring it to me?"

Leap High and Light Foot now sprang into their canoes, each eager to accede to the wishes of their beautiful enchantress. Prairie Flower calls her brother who has just emerged from a thicket, and tells him of her love test, asking him to paddle with her to the lofty tree that bears the eagle’s nest. They reach the scene.

Fifty canoes are there, and lusty red men are cheering their favorites. Leap High has gained an eminence several feet higher than Light Foot. The tree is an immense cotton wood, smooth and hard to climb, their only aid being their scalping knives, which they use as clinches, inserting them occasionally in the tree. It is a painful venture.

Look! Leap High has reached a limb. He mounts it and sits with angry brow. The test of his love is too great. He prepares to descend, although the cries of the eaglets are only ten feet above him. Light Foot passes on the opposite side of the tree. He to finds a limb, but pauses only a moment when he starts with renewed energy to the nest. The mother bird is coming; he hastens.

He has reached the hungry young eagles, and places one in the deer skin hunting pocket on his back. Leap High has rapidly descended into the shallow low water at the foot of the tree, and skulks into the forest on the southwest of the lake, amid the taunts of the red men and the sneers of Prairie Flower. Light Foot now descends and leaps into the water near the delighted girl. He now springs into the canoe to receive her smiles and embraces. He presents the eaglet to her, and she commences the long journey with her hero.

Thus, was our lake named Eagle Lake by the cruel Karankawas, in 1823? Time speeds on. Thirty-six years have rolled by. The white man’s settlements are nearing the romantic spot. In 1859, a little town arises on the prairie adjacent to it, and the name of Eagle Lake was given to it without dispute.