The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-01-05
STORIES OF A TOPAZ.

STORIES OF A TOPAZ.
Belle Believed the One and Jack
the Other.
Thcy had bought music boxes In
Geneva. quaint old silver designs in
Amsterdam. and had picked up some.
thing Of historic interest in almost
every city Of Europe. When they re-
turned 10 London before sailing home
they hnd c,lloc.ion of odd trinkets
md jewels which WIS as valuable for
its historical associations rs for its in.
trnsic value, and more. There were
quaint old silver spoons with the heads
OF the apostles OH tho handles, which
hal been hammered and carved out Of
solid silver way back four hundred
years ago. little Chinese gods which It
was believed ante-dated the Christian
era, broad silver shoe buckles which
had boen worn by some old burgo.
master in Germany who lived three
hundred years ago. curious Jewelcd
rings which had been heirlooms for
centuries. and then found their way
into the pawnshops. It was a collec-
tion that any tourist would be proud
to carry back to America. but they
were not yet satisfied. London, tho
greatest market for relics of past
age, was still to be ransacked, and q
: pilgrimage to Green street and the
.ncighborhocd of the British Museum
was necessary before the mementoes
Of European tour should be parceled
and packed 50 a. to attract the least
attention in the New York Custom
House.
In one Of these celebrated pawn.
shops back Of the National Gallery,
which Americans visit with as much
interest almost as the tower, Jack and
his wife found enough to empty their
purses and fill their trunks, but one
little gem with its story was most
precious in their eyes 1t was topaz.
cut into prismatic seal and mounted
for watch-charm. The stone was q
beautiful and valuable one. but the in.
scriptions on the faces made It more
valuable In Jacks wife's eyes. which
filled with tears as she read thom over
and listened TO the story. The first
face was inscribed with tiny forget
me-not,S out deep enough to bring out
tho flower very perfectly in the wax
seal Of . letter. On the second face
was cut the word '.For." yew tree, o
human eye. and the word 'Iive'' (For
you ] live). The third face was in
scribed with: Tho lost to sight to
n,emoly dear"
Tho story had been told many times
to those who had admired the stone,
aud each time II had been told the
would-bs purchasers turned away In
sadness Il was not the kind OF Q me-
mento to wear upon your watch chain
and feel jovial or Jolly. II was like
taking . sprig from wreath Of inn
mortelles 10 wear In your button-hole
or bit Of Grape from the hearse that
had carried . friend to the last resting
place--a memento' to be buried away
and only looked upon when sad
thoughts crowded In upon the mind.
Way back In tho last century a
young noble Of England had worn
this beautiful stone % charm to fill
his life with sunshine a. bright and
golden - was reflected from its triple
face whenever he looked upon it.
When he met and loved the beautiful
Gwendolin -. one Of the proudest
heiresses In the Kings realm. he said
the topaS had wrought its charm. and
on The day Of their betrothal one
face Of the stone was carved with the
mystsrious device Of the yew tree and
the human eye ('4or you Ilivs''). He
did live for her. and for her alone Nc
lover was ever tyuer,. and after mar
riase no husband moro devoted than
hA Their liis was like Z dream-full
Of love. devotion. and beauty. The
inscription on the seal spoke for both.
and Il they were separated for . day
( hls letters came sealed With this holy
5 assurance, FOR ron live"
Bph aftar fsw months Of this hap
pinsse tlie. young husband was called
TO . high position In the government
and sent, 10 India ON IA importan,
mission. AZ that time he could moi
risk the lits cf his wife In the fai
East nor did lii title to one Of thu
richest Earldom's In England permit
: a him refusing his services 10 the
crown. The parting was . sad one,
end belore he Left London the second
iaoe on ths seal was sngrayen with
3 IL tny Aower 20 that his letter.