Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-05-21
Precious stones.

| 1t is not perhaps generally known
that large ruby is of more value than
large diamond. Mr. Streeter, who
wrote book about jewels, states that
"the ruby ranks for price and beauty
above all other stones. When q per-
feet ruby of five carats is brought into
the market a sum will be offered for il
ten times the price given for diamond
| of the same weights; but should il reach
the weight of ten carats it is almost in
valuable"
With respect to the romance of pre-
elous stones, the author just quoted
tells curious story about sapphires. A
native OF India loaded 100 goats with
these gems, and reached Simla after a
ten days journey. Arriving at Simla.
he tried to dispose of them, but the
value not being recognized, he could
not even obtain rupee a tolla for
them, which he would gladly have
taken, being in state of semi-starva-
ton. lie 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 a
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, lido
erase (briefly described in dictionaries
as 'hard mineral and questionable
transparency, kyanite (more common
ly cyanite, blue mincraD, lynx-sap-
phlre, milk opal, natrolite, opal:
pyrope, quartz, ruby, sapphire, topaz,
uranite, yesuvianite Ga species of gar
metz water sapphire xanthite Gan own
brother to idocrase), and zircon Ga Gin
galese stone).
The superstitious have in all ages be-
lieved that precious stones had pecu-
liar properties, and for the most part
benefcially affected their wearers. At
the present time a vague idea that
opals are unlucky, and that a gift of
opals brings misfortune to the recipi-
cnt, 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 stones.
so they were considered to be the lucki-
est. A turquoise bestowed as a Gift used
to be, and in some countries is still.
believed to carry blessings in its train.
Do these things neutralize one another?
Surprising lady receives from the
same donor handsome turquoise and
an equally handsome opal, would the
good luck carried by the one overcome
Il bad luck carried by the other? 1t
is possible that ladies willing to try the
experiment might be found. London
Standard.