The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-01-17

drive away bad dreams, sharpen the
intellect, and act as an antidote AGAINST
poison. 1t is, according 10 the lam
guage of gems, the natal gem" of all
born in the month of November, and in
ancient times was worn as an amulet
to propitiate good and repel bad spirits.
The turquoise was believed by the
people of the East to preserve ali who
wore it from contagion, and even now,
not in the East alone, but in Christian
lied countries, it is still worn with full
belief in the superstition. 1t was con-
sidered of priceless value, and many
strange and contradictory stories were
told of it. An ancient writer says:
Zone of my relatives possessed
ring in which a very fine turquoise was
set, and wore it as asuperior ornament.
While he remained in perfect health
this stone was noted for its remarkable
beauty and clearness. At lastthe owner
was seized with malady, of which he
died. Scarcely was he dead when the
turquoise lost its luster, and appeared
faded and withered in appearance, as
if mourning for its master.
&c had originally designed to pur-
chase it, and could have done so for
very trifiing sum. But this loss of beauty
and luster in the precious stone took
from me all desire to posses>iA, and so
the turquoise passed into other hands.
But as soon as it obtained new mas
ter it regained all of its original bril-
iancy, and all defects vanished.
Tho a x.,o O onnht both
Romans and Greeks to bring good
health and kind fortune to the weare.
The Shah of Persia never allowed any
of the best and most brilliant of thess
stones to be taken from his kingdom.
The cornelian, worn in a ring on the
finger, was thought by the Arabs and
Hebrews to shield its owner from the
plague, and is still used by many of the
Hebrews to stop profHse hemorrhage.
The topaz was believed to discover
poison, by becoming instantly dimmed
or blurred when brought near to any
poisonous substances; that it would
subdue the heat of boiling water, calm
the passions, prevent bad dreams; but
that its powers were governed by the
moon, increasing or decreasing with
that luminary.
The old legends, particularly those of
the East, assure us that an immense
carbuncle was suspended in the ark, to
give light to Noah and his family. 1t
was called "the flashing stone," and by
some " the thunder stone." and that it
and the diamond drop from the clouds
in the flashes of lightning during
thunderstorm.
In ancient times the ruby and car
buncle were the names Unfortunately
used for all red stones. The Brahmins
still believe that the dwelling place of
the gods is illuminated by rubies, car
buncles and emerald. The ruby and
carbuncle were believed to be amulets
against plague, poison, sadness, evil
thoughts and wicked spirits.
Among the Hebrews the sapphire
was transparent stone as blue as the
vault OF heaven, but among the Ro-
mans it was supposed to be mixed with
gold. 1t was asserted in ancient times
among the Hebrews that the Ten Com
mandments were engraved on tablets of
sapphire. To it were ascribed the mag
ical power of preserving the sight, and
strengthening both soul and body; of
warding of: wicked and impure
thoughts; it is sure antidote against
poison; and if put into a vessel with
any poisonous creature would kill it.
st. jerome says "the sapphire pro-
cures favor with princes, pacifies enc
mics, overcomes enchantment, and re-
leases its owner from captivity" On
account of its purity il was worn by the
high priest.
The onyx was said to cause strife and
melancholy and to cure epileptic fits.
The jasper if hung about the neck
was supposed to be a cure for indiges-
tion--a wonderful strengthened of the
stomach.
The bloodstone, or heliotrope, is cred
tied with the same curative power as
the jasper. There is legend that
during the crucifixion the blood that
flowed from the wound caused by the
spear fell upon dark green jasper
lying at the foot of the cross and trans
formed it into bloodstone.
The opal, one of the most beautiful
OF all the precious stones, has had any
amount of superstition attached to it.
BY some the i'll luck attributed to its
use is said to have arisen from Sir
Walter Scott's mention of it in canine
OF Geierstein." He ascribed it to SUI
pernatural agency; and long after that
novel was published the belief in its
evil influence was so strong that no one
was willing to wear an opal. That
may have been the first conception of
evil from wearing opals, but we think
1t sprang from Eastern superstition, or
at least that there were many and va
rious legends connected with it. Some
believed that it often changed from a
brilliant luster to smoky, dull color,
and that any such change foreshadow-
ed misfortune and trouble, but did not
bring it. We knew of an instance where
a lady brought an elegant opal neck
lace to a jewelers., desiring to sell it.
They attempted to dissuade her from
such folly, saying that the setting being
old-fashioned they could give her very
little for what was really valuable. To
this she replied that the necklace was
given her as bridal gift forty years
before, and she had never had an hours
luck since they came into her posses
sion, and she would never carry them
home with her. No matter how little