The Press., 1890-02-27
{Monson Mirror.) BEAUTIES OF DIAMOND LEDGE IN STAF.
 FORD.

BEAUTIES OF DIAMOND LEDGE IN STAF-
 FORD.
 Much is said at the present day about the dec 4dence of New England. Oonspic- uous among the indications, is the almost fractions, once popular. This state of things is probably owing to the fallacious supposition, that to see anything worth seeing, one must go abroad. We visit points of interest in distant places, and are overaowing with enthusiasm. Moth ing criminal about that. And there is certainly nothing laudable in forgetting that had we but sought it, our own neigh borhood might have furnished us as good and as wonderful entertainment For ex ample, I invite yonr attention to Diamond Ledge, a natural curiosity in our neighbor ing town, Stafford When the mineral springs of this town were in the zenith of their popularity, and distinguished guests hocked to the Springs House as they now flock to Saratoga, Diamond Ledge was a place of frequent resort. 1t is located but few minutes walk from tEe village of West Stafford, at the terminus of drive way leading northward past the village school house, and IS the property of M. A. Cady of that place. It is charming spot -one of natures jewel caskets. Irrespect i've of the diamonds" which nature's artist has formed and polished with great skill and precision, and nature, from her wealth of resource seems to have carelessly tossed together, large and small, promiscuously, the spot is gem in itself. Looking back ward as you ascend the hill, picture pre- sents itself that is most pleasant to look upon. It may not impress one as being especially grand, but the eye loves to finger on the scene-a union of the physical and political. With background of hills and forests, village and borough seen to nestle here and there in hooks of the meadows, through which the tortuous streams thread their way.
 Arrived at the Ledge, you have reached Acadia. All is retired, and all things in harmony. Six persons, with their team, camped here for three weeks during the past summer,
 "Far from mortal car es retr eatirg," and the echoes of thelr enjoyment have doated across the line. The ledge is crowned with evergreen, and an ovation from the hemlock screens the features of its dearest crystals, which peep through the veil to exchange sparkles of admira tion with Diamond brook. Detached crys tals lie scattered about, while the rock from sometime blasts, lie about the base ot the mother ledge, in every size and shape, | Crystals of various hues are found, many of them so hard as to cut glass. The pre-. vailing shade of those upon the surface is that of pearl, or a subdued cream tint some deepening almost to amber, others resembling amethysts, and rare samples show rich carmine. Specimens most prized contain fossils of vegetable life cylinders, probably plant stalks, lying carelessly about, imbedded among, and il some cases in the crystals, showing that the vegetable and mineral kingdoms joined hands in the frolic with sun and water il an interesting past age. You cannot doub that there was frollc, and there is no de nyiDg that there is great deal of coquetry between Diamond Ledge and Diamonc brook. The sun fiirts through the dancing foliage, now here, now there, as if il obedience to the streams laughing com mands
 "When say hold on, let go!
 Let go! hold on! let go!"
 A regular glee club, all by themselves and the muslc-master seems to have mad 8 point of lmpressing the happiness of ex istence upon the face of every crysta while the purest crystals are indulging il a game of hide and seek, requiring visitor to look beneath the surface If they fnt them, the brook below dashes over natural dam, with ''Catch me if you can accent, and you are left to look up to tn, ledge itself for balance of dignity.
 It is only fair to Say of Diamond Ledge that it is getting to be apprecla'ed again A gentleman from Chicago, who visited his old home in the vicinity of Crx sta lake, two summers ago, WAS so charme, by the beauty of the diamonds, that, al though having lived many years within few miles of the ledge, without ever ono, thinking to visit it, he transferred 3O( pounds of the rock to his home in thu western metropolis. He had it cut int blocks and polished, aud they now form border for the walks of his front lawn Springfield cemetery contains severa specimens from the ledge, and a marble store in that city recently displayed one o the largest and rarest that 1t has yet beer the fortune of the writer to see.
 By an analysis prepared by Dr. Frank fort, of Middetown, who owned 8 silve mine there, the ledge is said to contain large percentage of silver and lead, whicl could be best obtained by following th laws of cleavage, beginning at the bed 0 the brook and working toward the ledge But 1t is to be hoped that one of the mos noticeable freaks of nature may not be de stroyed for the sake of desire for gain winch would probably prove chimerical.
 LEoNA IDA MONTE.
 Here in Connecticut advocates of SC cret ballot will not be ready to endors Grover Cleveiand's suggestion that tn