The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-05-23
5Miscel lancnms.
For tile 1Egis md HqteNigencer
THE MINE OLD FIELDS
OR,
The Enthnrinr of fhn Witches

Two miles northeast of the Rocks of Deer
Creek are the mine Old Fields" This To-
cality is the ARABIA Petra" of this section of
Hartford county; but it is not without GER
tain degree of interest, and may be cata-
logued with the many curious and attractive
natural objects of the neighborhood of the
Rocks. 1t is an elevated plateau of many
hundreds of acres, Astounding in iron ore,
chrome, and other minerals. Much of the
rock is soapstone of superior quality. From
this stone the Susquehannocks and other In
dams of the vicinity made their culinary YES
sells. Occasionally there is found pot or
other relic, which is treasured as q souvenir
of the distant past. These "Fields," as they are
called, have never produced wheat or corn or
other cereals, but did for time yield an
abundant harvest of iron ore, which, being
smeltcd was manufactured into various arti-
Giles that the necessities of civilized life de-
mand, and it will, doubtless, upon the compile
ton Of the Railroad, yield again its valuable
treasures.
A tradition exists that on this territory
was found, many years ago, rich mine of
lead that it was known to the first Mr.. Rig
don, settled near by on land now in the occu-
pancy of some of his descendants. He was,
in his day. Il great hunter, and obtained il is
said, all the lead he used in the Mine Old
Fields. There is II similar tradition that in
the immediate vicinity of the Rocks there is Il
gold mine, known to the Susquehannocks, the
original inhabitants the knowledge of which
was communicated TO some white man who
visited the locality at an early day The con-
tractor who is working his way with powder
and crowbar and pick, through the formidable
rock in the hill Immediately opposite the
creek, above the mill, found in the rock
substance bearing SO strong a resemblance to
gold that he conveyed a large specimen to the
shanty. There it now is, to be examined by
the curious. But like the discoveries of gold
mt the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia, eX-
pectants may be doomed to disappointment.
The Mine Old Fields do have iron and
chrome, and perhaps lead.
Like other portions of this far-famed sec
ton of Hartford, the Mine Old Fields have a
mythical history. The story ofthe gathering
there by moonlight of the witches to practice
their mysterious rites, has come down to us of
this generation. We shall relate it substantial
ly as it was told to an aged citizen by that
venerable hermit, whose romantic and
touching history is written in that forthcom-
ing book, "The Rocks of Deer Geek; their
Legends and History" That my story may
be properly appreciated, it is necessary to pre-
face it by some preliminary statements:
Many persons believe not only in the pow
or of the devil to assume corporal form, but
also in his capacity of acting injuriously upon
mankind through the instrumentality of 9TH
ers. Baxter, the author ofthc Saints Rest"
shared this opinion with many of the wisest
and best of England in an age of culture and
refinement. The same credulous tone ofmind
| existed in New England in its early history.
1t is true that at that period belief in witch
craft and other diabolical agencies were pop
ular decisions which were rapidly disappear
ing from the world, but such men as Cotton
Mather and the intelligent inhabitants of Sal
EN- were always ready to sustain their belief
in such superstitions both from holy writ and
philosophy. 1t was an excess of the imagina-
ton, affecting not only the stupid and the
dull, but also the highest wrought minds.
The early residents of our vicinage were
simple and enthusiastic people, primitive in
their manners, and were doubtless affected by
the sentiments of their more pretentious fei-
| low-citizens northeast ofthem. The Puritan,
then as now, despite the prejudice and repug-
nancy felt toward him, singularly impressed
his sentiments and opinions upon others. In
the existence of witches and other malevolent
beings and their power of harm, many of our
| ancestors had the most implicit faith. They
saw spirits and witches; to them devils an
| peared; strange sights were seen, strange
sounds were heard. The Jack O the Lantern
was recognized as spirit of thought and sem
| timent and action-a personality whose every
purpose was evil and whose following GER
tainly brought perpleXity, and even peril of
life. The Fay, though extremely diminutive
in size, was greatly feared, not SO much on
account of its physical ability to do harm as
of a supposed moral power of evil. The DO
| tent words were spell, charm, witchcraft.
Why witches practced incarnation on MOON
light nights may possibly be explained on
philosophical principles. There is no pecu-
liarity, that we are aware of, in the visual or
gans ola witch. The singular construction
of the eye of an owl or an Albinos adapts their
sight to moonlight. The retnas of witches
are suited to the light of day. IT'S not that;
| tits this, perhaps. The moon is idiosyneratic;
psychologically she is peculiar; and by the
well-known law of sympathy impresses her
own nature upon the natures of men, Unjust
be so, or else the word lunacy would not have
found place in our photography Other
reasons why the witches were won't to assem-
BILE in the Mine Old Fields on moonlight
! nights are apparent They had light. Be
sides, the fears of the people were defence to
them as strong as the walls of fortified city.
The witches were there, and there they prac-