Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-01-13
MGSUAlLI,A NT0
An EASTERN TALE.
FROM THE STAR OF FLORIDA.


There an Eastern story which gives an
account of a certain gem, or precious stones
entirely perfect as to be indestructible by any
human agency. 1t was, consequently, greatly
esteemed, and held at price of infinite value
htlcngth itbecame the property of a wealthy
merchant; who, on dying, bequathed it to his
only son, as his principal patrimony.
For time the young merchant considered
himself the wealthiest man in Bag6ad. He
could at any moment have disposed of his val
liable jewel, at the nearest Bazaar, for sum
sufficient to have bought up a whole street of
common merchants, with all their merchandise.
together with innumerabe caravans from the
Indies, with the rarest silks, spices, and other
goods. And the Great CaGph himself, it was
supposed, would have shared his throne with
any one for the possession of it.
But at length the young merchant became
disconnected with his treasure. After all, said
he to himself, if this stone should not be what
, the opinion of the world has so long held it
to be! what instead of being indestructible as
1t IS said to be- it is susceptible of being crush
ed by single blow of the hammer! Instead
OF being proof against the influence Of the
most intense heat,what if the fire might black
en- and defaee it I!
Thus tormented with suspicious which had
prietor OF the rare gem, its possession, instead
of a satisfaction, pride, and an honor, became
to the young merchant only source of dis
quiet of care, and anxiety. He was continu-
ally haunted with an overweening desire TO
lry experiments upon ii. Suppose, says he,
l were to place it under the hammer, and prove
whether or no it be capable of resisting the eff
forts OF mechanical ferce OrwereI to place
1T IN the furnace for few days, and see wheth-
er or no it can Withstand the influence of in
tense heat!
In this state of mind he consulted with an
old Dervise, who had been the friend and
counsellor Of his father ''Be satisfied nv
son" said he, "with your treasure. Do not
all men believe il to be perfect? Is not its
value in the market now as great as it possibly
can be, after it shall have resisted all your ex-
perlments' Be not the first to throw suspi-
clon on your own fortune-the gift of the
prophet
But the young man listened not to the adj
vice OF the old Dervise. He subjected his
gem to the test of the fire and the hammer.
For while ii resisted all his efforts to deface
or to injure it; and it seemed to deserve fully
the reputation it had so long borne. But the
more the precious gem resisted his efforts to
destroy it, and the more itseemed to approach
its reputed perfection, the more was the ambi-
ton of the silly merchant excited to try new
experiments OH it. He went to work and built
very expensive machinery, with new combine
tons of mechanical powers. for the purpose of
spbjecting 1T to more trying tests. All being
ready, the precious gem was placed in posi-
ton to be most easily affected by the accumu-
lated force of the machinery, and the expert
ment was made. The result was soor, ascer-
tanned. The gem was ground to powder!
"Did not do WE'LL" said the young mer-
Chant to the Dervise, ''when ] suspected that
this bauble was not the thing it had been
cracked up to be %
"Truly, my son." answered the Dervse,
'your experiments have prospered, and you
have become begger for your pains. Allah