The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-30
THE 0PAL'S DEADLY SPELL.
A COMMON sUPERsTITIoN's PROOF.
How Thief Restored Family's Happiness
by Purloining Ante-NuptiaI Ring-A
Jeweler Who VIII Not Handle
the Pretty Stones.


soft white wax in which he had ar
ranged in graceful design oriental
rubies and diamonds, as jewellers are wont
to place gems that their customers may
judge OF their effect when set, and of the
form of the ornament, and in response to
question which had been asked him,
said Eyes, although 1 don't wear them
nor low any of my family to do so,
keep them in stock for those who want
them. | believe l can assert, without
fear of contradiction, that this is the
finest stone of its kind in Chicago As
he spoke he held up a magnificent opal,
which from its tender, translucent sur
face flashed forth the red flame of the car
| buncle, the soft refulgence of the purple
amethyst, the golden glow of the topaz
and the rare green ray of the emerald, al
mingling and cleaning in such change
/ ful way as to form a most fascinating conf
binatiOn.
1T Is handsome" said the merchant, in
! response 10 an exclamation OF admiration.
at is really very fne gem. 1t is one OF
the precious opals from the CZerwcnitz
mines in Hungary. This particular stone
WAS taken from Mt. Slmonka The finest
opals in the world come from the two
mountains Simonka and Limbanka.
"Have l any superstition in regard to
them? No, 1 don't know that l have, and
he turned the gem so as to catch the light.
BY the way, it is curious fact in life that
no one could by his own showing DE con-
victed OF being superStitious, notwlth-
standing that it would be quite impossible
to find anyone who has not a strain some
where in his composition of this quality.
reason it often happens that opals are
ruined in being cut and polished, which
is, of course, decidedly unlucky. 1t is
almost impossible to engrave an opal, and
there are very few which are engraved. L
believe the finest and most valuable en-
graved opal in the world is in the Hope
collection. This opal is an inch In width
and an inch and three-quarters in length.
The engraving upon 1t is an alto relieve
representation of the head OF Apollo, sur
rounded by rays OF fire.
at often happens that simply wearing
an opal will ruin it, but aside from the
fact that the gem is SO easily injured, L
believe that the bad repute into which 1t
has fallen is, at least in part, due to Sir
Walter Scott's novel, Anne of Gerstein."
However, in my time L have personally
known some strange things about opalS.
l have been in business now twenty-elght
wears. and | never knew much prosperity
and happiness to be mixed up with
them"
1t needed only an air of interested at
tention and few leading questions to
elicit some OF these incidents.
THE first time" said he, "that 1 ever
sold an opal was few months after L be-
came a salesman. And the first time l
sold one | sold two; there is bull Tor you.
A young couple who had about as bright
an outlook in life as any two people could
have became engaged. They were great
admirers of opals, and they exchanged
very handsome opal rings, which they
purchased of me. There was some dis
cussion in regard to opals being unlucky,
but these two persons were young and
strong and happy, and they did not care
rush for any myth under the sun. So
they exchanged their rings and were soon
married, and were the envy OF all who
knew them. However, no sooner were
they married than one misfortune followed
another as swiftly, as unavoldably, as did
the reported misfortunes OF AntOniO,
the Merchant of Venice Not only did
misfortune, sickness and death seem to
take up their abode with this couple, but
as if there could be no CLEAN LETT to
brighten the gloom of their lot, it was quite
generally known that serious domestic in
felicity existed, which was of such nature
that it threatened the integrity OF their
home.
''After they had been married about five
years, among the the numerous misfor-
tunes-a recital OF which would read like
some doleful, over-eXtravaganttal e-whlch
had overtaken this couple, the opal ring
belonging to the gentleman, together with
a few other valuables which he still pos
sessed, was stolen. He came to me and
requested me to keep an eye out for the
opal Now, both the opals had been pc
culiar and could be recognized by an ex-
pert The one which had been stolen was
not only of an unusual shape but the most
reflected rays were. green and yellow,
dashed in a peculiar way and mingled
with deep blue and bright red. The one
belonging to the lady had small mark
ON the under surface, the shape of
heart
"a short time after the gentleman's
ringand other valuables were stolen, the
affairs of the couple began to mend. The
strained domestic relations were adjusted
and happiness came 10 them with appar-
emily as little cause as had misfortune and
distress. Let me see-that was twenty
years ago. Now comes the strange part of
the story. About five years ago l was
here in the store attending to the usual
round of business, when a ragged little
boy came in and handed me a bit of
soiled paper, upon which was scrawled an
earnest request to come at once to room
not far distant. The note closed with,
This request is made by dying man.
and bore the signature OF man whom |
had known well, and whose name had
been coupled with the lady of whom
have already told you, and whose life, to-
gether with her husbands, had been so
miserable and was then so happy.
1.-THE man was in dying condition
when I reached him and gave me no
greeting, but merely said, 4 know you
will not refuse a favor TO a man who at
most can live but a few hours Handing
me small parcel he continued: 1 think
you will recognize it. l viii tell you at
once, while L have strength, what l want
and how came by the ring
Il opened the parcel and recognized the
opal engagement ring which / had sold
fifteen years before. 1t was not the one
which had been stolen, but the one which
had belonged to the lady, and, to put it
very mildly, was amazed. He saw my
astonished, doubtful look and said, Il do
not wonder you are surprised. | met the
woman who once wore that ring about
ten months after her marriage. We
happened to be thrown together
great deal. and soon became so fond
Of ooob Otbo~ +bat l;fo Irac burdan