The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-06-24

quite so aSt0nIShed as nnSnC nave Deen'
for know how superstitious the British
matron, even of the highest rank, very
frequently is. The younger ''damOzels, !"
who read Herbert Spencer, and Mallock,
and Darwin, are in many cases free from
superstition, or indeed, belief of any
kind, but their mothers incline strongly
to the fancies and prejudices which are
still articles of absolute faith among the
bourgeoisie. Women of the lower class
always have ''dream-book" hidden
away, and not spoken of before their
| husbands, and scores of them actually
write every year to the Astronomer
| Royal to have their ''stars put right"
1t is hoped that compulsory education in
board schools will put an end to this
miserable rubbish in time, but my per-
sonal experience is decidedly against the
speedy eradication of superstition. /
have seen man of fair intelligence and
great fortune turn back on his way to a
horse-race because the first woman he
met on going into the street had a
squint-eye. This, in his opinion, was
fatal. To meet "squinty-eyed' wo-
man the first thing in the morning signi-
fed bad luck all the day, and no amount
of persuasion could induce him to con-
tinue with the party. Concerning we'd
dings and wedding engagements, ladies
have superstitions concerning other
things than violets. Opals are so fear
fully unlucky to give to bridegroom or
bride that the price of those beautiful
gems is kept down in consequence. 1t
is of no use to argue with the British
of ho
broken down in noteworthy case
in our own time. When the Prince of
Wales was married nineteen years ago
the city Of London gave the bride SUI
perb parure of opals and diamonds, and
the marriage cannot be said to have
turned out badly. But the Dowager
shakes her head or shrugs the over-plump
shoulders she is over fond of displaying,
and retorts with question whether you
would, if you became engaged, give
your affianced turquoise engagement
ring either with or without diamonds and
other gems. Now this is searching
and terrible query, for jewelers. warn
buyers of engagement rings against the
turquoise in clumsy kind of way by
saying: ''Dont ave turquoise, sir; it's
awful unlucky, as the sayin' is" The
meaning of this awkward indication is
that the turquoise is curious instance
of the survival of the ancient delusion
that certain gems had certain properties,
medicinal and magical. Owe stone
would tell of poison in the cup, another
of impending misfortune, and so forth.
Now the opinion still held by the super
stitious concerning the turquoise is that
it represents the heart of the giver. So
long as the lover remains true the stone
retains its brilliant color, but when his
heart turns from the wearer of the gift
towards a rival it becomes pale and dull.
This is the reputation of the turquoise.
and it will be easily understood that it is
quite sufficient to make that gem I'M
popular. 1t is an awful weapon to place
on the hand of an affianced bride, much
more on that of wife. In the case of
Shylock the conditions are reversed.
When the jew hears from Tubal that
Jessica has sold one of her rings for
monkey, he exclaims: 'Out upon her!
Thou torturest me, Tubal; it was my
turquoise; had it of Leah when was
bachelor; / would not have given it for
wilderness of monkeys" Probably
Leah's gift to Shylock had never changed
color.
On Monday afternoon was at Clare
mont when the Queen arrived with the
Grand Duke of Hesse, the Princess
Beatrice and the beautiful Princess Vic
toria of Hesse. All were in deep mour-
ming, of course; and the Queens postil-
lions and outriders in black. The Queen
who was greatly shocked and grieved at
the untoward occurrence, did not make
very long stay at Claremont, but drove
down through Esher back to Windsor.
There are weeping and wailing in the
city of London also over the Princess of
Wurtemburg, whom the City Fathers
have never seen. But their grief is deep
and sincere, nevertheless, and goes nigh
to be inconsolable. For the King of the
Netherlands was to have been received
and dined and wined in the city on Tues
day, and had this been done the Lord
Mayor and Sheriffs would have been re-
spectively baroneted and knighted, as is
the custom when crowned head goes
into the city of London. In no place will
the poor dead princess be more sincerely
mourned than in the Mansion House and
Guildhall. London (Cor.J N. Y. Trib-
| u7ae.