Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-05-18

gin OF pearls is OF comparatively recent
date: when it was really comprehended,
we knew that we had made a long stride
in natural science. Great Britain was
glad to honor the discoverer, and knighted
him
The fact is also put into use by another
class of men beside the scientifc-the
priests of Japan. They, of course, are
Jealous for their religion, desiring that
their highest god, Josh, should receive
the homage of every being. To accom-
plish this they do not scruple to practice
many crafty tricks upon their people, the
mass Of whom are ignorant and supersti-
uous. 50, when they knew how pearls
were formed, they had made many little
silver images of the head of their god:
then they took great number of oysters.
carefully opened the shells, slipped the
images in, and gently laid them back in
the water. They kept them in a quiet
little bay, closely guarded, for several
years; then secretly distributed them
among the pearl fisheries. When they
were caught and opened little pearls
were found, shaped in the exact image
of Josh; for the oyster had covered the
silver up as he had the bits of sand. Then
the priests said: Behold, the proofs of
our religion are found in nature even.
Josh is surely the great god, for even
pearls are in MS image" and the people,
not knowing of the silver images put in to
deceive them, bow lower than ever to
Josh, who can produce everything in his
own image
Do you know how oysters are gathered?
Perhaps some of you, like myself, have
been out in the Sound, and noticed the
oyster boats filled with men busy at
work. 1t is regular business of itself.
The oyster beds, as they are called, are
staked off into farms. This means that
the space between the stakes is the prop
erty OF one man, the same as land
farm. At certain time of the year,
the owner sends out a boat filled with
small oysters, which are "pIanted.''
These will not be ready to be gathered
for several years. Later in the season he
gathers in what he has planted a previous
year. The men use a large rake, which
will hold bushel perhaps; this they put
down into the water, and bring up filled
with oysters and plenty Ct rubbish; they
pick out the oysters, toss them into the
boat, and put down the scoop for another
haul; so they work all day, and day after
day, until the season is over.
So much for our ways; but the pearl
oysters are too precious to be put at the
mercy of rude scoops. Divers are sent
down, trained men, who go under the wa
ter gathering the oysters in their hands,
bringing them to the surface with great
care. There is a great deal of danger in
this work, for the water is infested by
many terrible fish, which are always on
the alert for their prey; and yet the value
Of life is risked'against these pearls they
are put in the scales and weighed, one
against the other.
Tradition gives accounts of many ia
NOUS pearls. Cleopatra, to display her
wealth and grandeur, drank one dissolved
in wine. A great Duke of France had
pearls for buttons in his clothes; his
shoes were covered with them, strung
under the soles, that he might crush them
at every step.
But these people, in their pride and
overlooked the fact that they
were indebted for these very possessions
which were so dear to them, to brave,
patient little creature, on whom if they
deigned to look at all, it was with con-
tempt. Neither did they see the lesson he
taught. Let us not forget it-not even
stop at the simple remembrance, but take
it home to ourselves-carry it into every
day practice, make Of our Affections
blessings, and that not to ourselves alone,
but to the whole world: for believe that
each human being has an influence in
every act and at his own door lies the re-
5ponsibility Of the result.-N. 7. Observer.