Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-05-15
Precious Stones.

1t Is not perhaps generally known
that large ruby is of more value thar
large diamond. Mr.. Streeter, who
wrote book about jewels, states that
''the ruby ranks for price and beauty
above all other stones. When per-
feet ruby of five carats is brought into
the market sum will be offered for it
ten times the price given for diamond
of the same weight; but should it reach
the weight of ten carats it is almost in
valuable"
With respect to the romance of pre-
cious stones, the author just quoted
tells curious story about sapphires. A
these gems, and reached Simla after
ten days journey. Arriving at Simla,
he tried to dispose of them, but the
value not being recognized, he could
not even obtain q rupee a tolla for
them, which he would gladly have
taken, being in state of semi-starva-
ton. He then proceeded to Delhi,
where the jewellers, knowing them to
be sapphires. gave him their full value.
A man starving while hundred goats
laden with precious stones were in his
possession reads like an extract from the
"Arabian nights" The addition of
heroine and a villain suggests the
framework of an effective romance.
An alphabet of precious stones has
been formed-indeed there are two al
phabets, one for transparent and one
for Opaque jewels; but of the latter,
few except, in the first place. turquoise
and, in the second place, jasper, wood
opal and onyx, look tempting, basalt,
granite and other stones hardly coming
under the head of precious. The trans
parent alphabet contains some few
doubtful gems. but it is for the most
part made up of those that are doubt.
less beautiful. The alphabet of course
forms the basis of language Of jewels,
which can be spoken In the shape Of
rings and other trinkets. 1t comprises
amethyst, beryl, chrysoburgh, diamond,
emerald felspar, garnet. hyacinth. ido-
erase (briefy described in dictionaries
as a ''hard mineral and questionably
transparency, kyanite (more common
ly cyanite, blue mineraD. lynx-sap-
phire, milk opal, natrolite, opal;
pyrope, quartz. ruby, sapphire. topaz.
uranite, vesuvianite "a species of gar.
| metz water sapphire xanthite (an own
brother to idocrase), and zircon "a Gin.
galese stone).
The superstitious have in all ages be.
lieved that precious stones had pecu-
liar properties, and for the most part
beneticially affected their wearers. At
the present time vague idea that
opals are unlucky. and that gift of
opals brings misfortune to the recipi-
ent, fingers among those who are ready
to believe anything. The odd part OF
the superstition lies in the fact that
opals were formerly supposed to bring
good luck to the wearers. As they are
now considered the unluckiest stcnes,
| so they were considered to be the lucki.
est. A turquoise bestowed as gift used
to be, and in some countries is still,
believed to carry blessings in its train.
Do these things neutralize one another?
sapposing lady receives from the
same donor handsome turquoise and
an equally handsome opal, would the
good luck carried by the one overcome
the bad luck carried by the otherP 1t
is possible that ladies willing to try the
experiment might be found. London
Standard.