The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-04-12
OF What JeaUels are Composed.

Very few persons who admire or deal
in precious stones are acquainted with
the internal structure of these valuable
minerals: and most persons will be aston
ished TO learn that these bodies, appar
emily so solid and homogeneous, are
often full of minute cavities, which in
closes fluid.
Sapphires generally contain fluid cavi-
ties. Sir David Brewster met with one
no less than the third of an inch long,
but other authors nave seen none more
than one-tenth of an inch in diameter.
These are usually half filled with moia-
BILE and highly expansive fluid, which is
considered to be carbonic acid. Sapphires
are composed of pure alumina, colored
by metallic oxide.
The ruby is also colored alumina.
Cavities, we are told, are far less numer-
Gus in these than sapphires, and, more
over, they appear to contain only water
or a saline solution. Occasionally,
liquid with similar characteristics to
that seen in the sapphires, is seen, but
not often; and we are thus led to sup
pose that the stone may be produced by
different reactions and under different
physical conditions.
Emeralds are often full of cavities
which contains a liquid that does not
expand when heated, and is apparently
a strong aqueous saline solution.
The diamond is, of course, the most
interesting of all our precious stones,
the origin and formation of which has
always been great puzzle to chemists
and mineralogists. Its structure has
already been studied by Goppert, who
discovered what he conceived to be
organic remains, and hence infers that
the diamond is the result of vegetable
decomposition under peculiar conditions.
Sir David Brewster first noticed fluid
cavities in the diamond, and explained
the.optical peculiarities of some diamonds
by their presence. But they sometimes in
close minute crystals of different min
erals, to which circumstance they also
owe, in part, their peculiar optical prop
critics. In the diamond, also, the in
closed liquor appears to be carbonic acid,
as shown by its extraordinary expansion,
and that is nitro oxide. The occurrence
of this body in minerals is, it is said,
highly improbable, and it seems, on the
whole, that we may be justified in in
Guiding liquid carbonic acid among
natural liquid mineral substances.
"BlOOd, IagO."
A man went into restaurant in Vir'
ginia City, Nevada, and mounting 8
high stool leaned over the counter and
ordered porter-house steak with eggs
on the side, and some ale and oysters to
begin on. In about half an hour he hac
finished his repast and was beginning tt
deliberate on what kind of desserts ht
would wind up on, when man walked
in, and, tapping him on the shoulder, re
marked:
els your name Billy Hicks?"
eyes, that's my name," said the mai
on the stool, as the hand stole down t.
his hip-pocket, fumbling for the handl,
of a barker: "what do you want?"
"We mad little trouble once befor
in White Pine, and now guess I've go
you dead to rights" continued the ney
conner, pulling out large sized six
shooter.
eff you'll just step into the street ant
pace off your distance, Pm your man,
said the feeder, who had just finished hi
pie, and, whipping out revolver, h
sprang off his perch and rushed after tn
other into the street.
The frightened restaurant man go
down behind the counter and bent hi
ear to listen to the shots and the rush Q
the mob; but he didn't hear any thin
unusual, and in about five minutes h
| recollected that there was $3.50 OWN
J on the meal. Then he went out on tn
sidewalk to investigate.
"Was there row out there fe
minutes ago?" he inquired of sta
gazer on the sidewalk.
d. "Did'nt see any. I've been here ft
the last half hour or So"
e "See two fellows with ulsters and r
!, volvers come out?"
e eyes, they was talkin' about swappi
u guns, and they're over across the wa
n now, takin' drink"
y The restaurant man went back
r. clear IN the dirtv dishes and refIect