The Fairy Stone

The "Mother of Statésuiom" lias produced a number of good thicKS f om irst to last - chivalrous rneu; tasci iating, sof: voiced wonicn; fine horses and the like, but that a popular f ad should origínate with her ifi nn airo ajether new departure. Everythiug must ! aave a begimiing, howevor, and who kuows.now that the fairy atonfl has fouiid such favor in the world of faahion, wbaf possibilitiea sho may develop in this dirrctiou? These queer bits of petïiiied earth are indigenous to Patrick, a Eouthwra border county of Virginia, ent off frorn Henry, ;iud called, like the latter, in honor of the statesüi.jn and orarcr, Paf riek Henry. Theyaro i:ot excavnfefl for, but He looso upo:i t!ie surf:;cu óf tha Boil, and thongh restrictcwl ! to two or Ihruo pnrUi cf tho conuty ' ist in gi-eat uuuibers and varions sizes. Upon each stone a representation of thfl cross is distinc'tly thongh delioately traced, aiid u legend ooncerniug them states that a band of fairios, dwelling at Jernsalem duriog the lifoof our Haviour and itijf.-sing the awfnl soene on Calvary, were o honified by it that they Bed to this remoto región and transí oruied themselves into these petï'iüed emblema. Tho legend has given rise to innumerable superstitions, and from time iminemorial the stones have boen worn a.s amulots by thoae living in the viciuity ia which thoy are iound. The reputation was local, however, nut.il tliat era in Virginia's history knewn as "the boom. " Theu her snperKtitions and sacred traditions, along vf ith her other coinruodities, became objects of bartw. Specxüation ftxedits calculating eye npou the f airy stone, and it v?as taken from its uative bed and experimented with in order that it might be rendered marketable. It was soon discovered that notedious processwas neeessary for ite development. A sharp instrument passed aloug the outline stamped upon its surface converted the jagged stone into a symmetrioal cross and a little polishing and a plunge into a bath of boiling oil gave the requisite smoothness and the rich mahogany color one seos in thu stone of commerce. A tip of gold at the four extremitiosand a ring towhicba chain might beattached gave the finishing touch to it, and vchen thns simply mounted fairy stones sold for $1 apiece. The traditions concerniug their wonder working power are as iuexhaustible as the beds from which they aro taken and would furnish endless thenies to writers of fairy tales" and folklore stories. They are supposed to ward off evil and bring good luck to their possessors, but in order to do this must beworn around