Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-11-04
3f(isttIlanp.
W. Hica dnd its Mineral Treas
UFGS.

UTCS.
from Dr \. c. IIamliu', work upon
"roarmaliue' recently published by O,.
good X Col
The most remarkable locality OF the
t,urmaliue in the United States, and
which is also one OF The most celebrated
iu The world, /, in the town of Paris. in
jhe State of Maine IL occurs on the
y,ow OF lut.e hill, which has been
named by The miueraiogis,s Mt. Mica.
from the abundance ul the muscOvite
which occurs there. The uiii is one OF
ihc spurs OF more considerable eleva
,ion called S;rcaked Mountain. from the
ragged and deuuded appearance OF its
sides Il Is but ieW rods square ia cN.
tent. aud Is covered With turf and al
iuyia, earth. with the exception OF a lit
t.c space in the centre and at The summit.
where the ledge bursts oul 10 the view
Although IL appears coarse and utterly
y..Gr.e,s 20 The casual glance, /, is never
Jac.c,,, one OF The most remarkable min.
c-,l deposits ou the globe; Tor it has
Yielded i,om au area tuIty lcot square
to,y.y ior,y varieties OF minerals. some
,l hem ct them ol eN,tymo beauty and
rarity.
il wa, discovered in ,Ae year 1920 by
Two students by The name OF Elijah L.
ll.m.iu aud Ezekiel Holmes. They had
t,cu >osching Tor minerals during the
Gay along The mouu,ain.ridse To- the
sos,uwagJ, aud were then descending the
western decjyi,y ON their Way TO the
village.
/, was on The las, day OF autumn; and
the gjmmeyiug rays OF the setting sun
were gliding with renewed spicudor tie
faded colcg, ol The landscape Is the
s,GJcu,, were passing over the top OF one
OF Tie lowest kno,ls The view ot the
distant mountains (Which are the ioitieSt
in New Eugland), the intervening valleys
soi,,ued with purple shadows the patches
ot green grass in the meadows untouch
ed ly early frost, the yariegatcd hues OF
the forest leaves left by The auIumnai
winds. the broad eXteut OF russell brown
OF .ue s,uOo.c fields, contrasting NNidiy
Ni,h The glorious hues Of the sunse, SAY,
composed scene OF exquisite loye'iucss.
The youths, spell bound 10y the eujrsuc-
iug beauty %, the landscape, fingered
upon the hi.i top until tie valleys were
,a,oudcJ with the shadows Of couu.enc-
/ ug twilight A. they turned TO descend
the hil.ocS, vivid gIcam OF green flash
ed from an object on the Ioots OF tree
/ upturued by the wind, and caught the
eve eol Young IlamIin. Advancing TO the
spot. he perceived a fragment OF trans
/ parent green crystal lying loose upon
some earth which still clung to the roots
oil the fallen tree. The student clulched
the gem with eagerness; and calling
back his companion, who had passed
over the brow OF the hill. they closely
searched the surrounding soil for other
specimens. But the rapidly increasing
twilight soon compelled the young min
eralogists to abandon the search. They
however. resolved 10 return at daybIeak
and continue the exploration. But dur.
ing the night storm arose, and covered
the hill and its adjacent fields with thick
mantle OF snow, which remained until
spring.
As soon as the winter SHOWS had mel,
ted away, and left the hill and its sides
exposed, the students returned to the
search. They went directly 10 the ledge
which crops out on the summit of the
hill, and which they had not examined
before darkness overlook them on theII
previous visit. A. they climbed up ovei
the smooth and denuded surface oil IhC
rock, they were astonishcd TO observe
many crystals, and fragment OF cry stalls,
lying exposed upon the bare ledge. ans
sparkling in the rays CT the sun These
they carefully gathered; and tracing
I others to the earth below the ledge, and