Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-12-26
Thr fireman.
For the Freeman.
Precious Stones.
THE PEARL.

THE PEARL.
The Spaniards who first visited the
American continent found the natives
decked with bracelets and necklaces of
pearls. Montezuma is described in his
first interview with Cortez rs wearing gar
ments adorned with pearls; so we see that
on this continent as well as in Europe,
Jewels were considered very precious
History informs us that Caesar presented
Servila, the mother of Brutus, a pearl
valued ut ne-quarter Of a million of dol
lars; and Caligula, not satisfied with
building ships of cedar with sterns inlad
with pearls, had a pearl collar made for
his fi.vorie horse.
Pliny, in his work, states that he has
seen the wife of the Emperor Caligula,
at an ordinary supper only, SO covered
with omeralds and pearls arranged so as
to give each other additional brilliancy),
on her head, neck, arms, hands and girdle
as to amount to forty thousand scsterces
(a million and half of dollars), the value
of which she was ready to prove by re-
ceipts. These pearls were not the gift Of
her prodigal husband, nor from state
treasures, which had been the spoils of
provinces, but were extorted by her grand
father when in power from kings and no.
bles whom he conquered; which lent a
lasting disgrace TO his name, and so dis
graced him in life, even, that he poisoned
himself that his granddaughter might
show herself blazing with jewels; and
thus captivate the emperor, perhaps, as
we'll as countless lesser lights in her day.
Catherine de Medicis and Diane de Poi
teers, it is said, "almost floatcd in pearls"
Their dresses were prolusely covered with
them.
Anne of Ceves was married in we'd
ding robe made of cloth of gold, thickly
embroidered with great flowers of orient
pearls, probably having the richest and
most snowy costume of any woman that
ever lived.
Mary, Queen of Scots, had many very
rich pearls which the intriguing Elizabeth
got possession of by master stroke of di-
plomacy that disgraces her, even if all her
other acts had been good.
One of the most famous pearls yet dis
covered is the beautiful Peregrina." 1t
was 6shed up in 1860 by n little negro boy,
who obtained his liberty by this piece of
God luck. 1t was in so small an oyster
that he came near pitching it back into
the sea, but thinking better of his rash de-
termination, opened it, to behold one of the
finest pearls ever seen. 1t is pear-shapcd
and the size of Il pigeons egg. 1t was
presented by the finders mother to Philip
H., and is still in Spain. No sum has
ever been fixed upon, as its value. An
eminent ieweler once named five hundred
thousand dollars, but that princely sum
was secuted as ridiculously small.
As in illustration to show the high esti-
nation placed upon pearls, us things of
beauty, in ancient times, l quote in full
Rabbinical story, showing that there is but
one object in nature to be more admired,
or worthy to be placed above Them " 1t
is said that on Abraham's S approaching
Ecypt, that he locked Sarah in a chest,
that none might behold her dangerous
beauty. But when he was come to the
place of paying custom, the collectors
said: Pay us the custom, and he said, i
will pay the custom They said unto him
Thou earliest clothes;' and he said, i
will pay for clothes Then they said to
him, Thou earliest gold; and he ans
wered them, 1 will pay for gold Or
this they further said to him, Surely thor
Dearest the finest silk; he replied, : will
pay custom for the finest silk. Then sale
they, Surely it must be pearls that tho'
takest with thee;' and he only answered
L will pay for pearls Seeing that the.
could name nothing of value for whicl
the patriarch was not willing to pay Gus
tom, they said; 1t cannot be but tho'
must open the box and let us see what
within. So they opened the box, and tn
whole land of Egypt was llumined by tn
lustre of Sarah's beauty, far exceeding eveI
that of pearls
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