New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-11-12
strange taallncsnatton.

A MYSTERIOUS ALoHEMrsr IN PURSUIT or FoR-
TUNE.--A very singular instance of the haliucina-
ton to which the human mind is sometimes subject
came to our knowledge a few days since in such a
manner to leave little doubt OF its truthtulness
and under such circumstances as to make it worthy
of mention. The case in question was that OF
monemaniac, fer he can be called by no other
name, who has for several months been engaged
| in the pursuit of fortune through the medium of
chemistry and alchemy in the effort to convert into
precious stones some of the clear lint-like agates
| and comedians OF the Lake Superior region. The
| operator is chemists clerk who came here from
New York. His name is James Huss and he is o
Prussan by birth, silent, morose man, of uncon-
genial and solitary disposition 1t seems that
while operating in his employers laboratory in
New York he made some accidental discoveries
which led him to believe that our native fints
agates and comedians could be Crystali2ed, puri
fed and hardened to such an extent as to make
them Of consistence nearly if not quite equal to
the diamond, both in point Of brillianey and
hardness.
He came here about seven months ago, bringing
| with him about $1,000 of hard-earned savings, and
set himself about the realization of his ehimera.
! Visiting the Lake Superior regions he spent two
months in collecting specimens, travelling foot
over the mountains and along the beach, and sleep
| ing in blanket by night. He returned with the
| finest collection of native stones that ever was
brought from Lake Superior, built his furnace in an
/ old house in the upper part OF the city, near the
| outskirts, and alone and unattended bent over
the fires mixed his chemicals, and watched day and
4
| the house, and an inseparable air of mystery
always surrounded it, and but for very natural
accident the occupation of its inmate probably
| never would have been known
/ One day last week, some boys, playing around
| the honse discovered smoke issuing from the Gre
vices in the windowshHtters, and gave the alarm,
| There was nobody near but some women belong
! ing to the families of laborers who were absent,
| and these, by the aid Of heavy sticks and cord
| wood, burst the door open and found fire gain
| ing rapid headway in one corner Of the solitary
4 room which the house contained. This was easily
i extingnshed when the inmate was found lying on
| the floor on pile of straw, fast asleep. Over
come by fatigue and watching, he had fallen
asleep while waiting for his chemicals to mix in a
/ crucble over furnace, and the fire had commune
| Gated with some charcoal lying near by and con-
| sumed considerable portion of the floor He was
nearly stupefed by the charcoal gas and the clouds
of smoke that filled the house. Without youchsaf-
/ ing any thanks he ordered the interopers all out
/ of doors, and closed up the house. People began
4 to suspect counterfeiting operations, and in the
/ evening he was visited by number of his neigh
/ bors, who again burst his door in and demand
| ed an explanation. He gave it - showed his
| apparatus, his chemicals, a hydraulic hand-press
| and half bushel or more of disintegrated agates
! some of which were burned, Others showing the
action of acids which seemed to have eaten out the
/ impurities and left the flint as clear and transpa
rent as crystal, which was, doubtless, the nearest
he had come to the perfection of the sparkling dia
mond. He was rritated beyond measure by the
| intrusion, and showed no ciyility. He showed the
| last man out OF doors with q force winch sent him
reeling down the steps, locked his door, and the
next morning was gone, leaving no trace except a
few smoked bricks which had composed his little
furnace, and the pile of straw which had made his
| bed.
Whether he has gone to some more undisturbed
locality to pursue his chimera, given it up and
| returned to the world and common sense, can only
be surmised. He was evidently wrapped up in q
defusion which absorbed every faculty and swa
| lowed up all reason. He seemed to be sensible Oh
| all other topics and gave his name and told his
story in a perfectly rational manner.
| Detroit Free Press.