Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-10
THE STAINED OPAL.


tique workmanship.
But instead of the sunlit CLEANS
which are characteristic of opals there
was vivid dash of scarlet in its heart,
like stain of fresh blood.
Ethel Lynn turned the case round
and round in her white fingers.
al never saw anything so beautifully
she murmured, her golden-hazel eyes
rejecting the sparkle of the jewel. at
is quite the lOveliest ring ever saw
In my life. 1 wonder if it would fit
me-"
She slipped it out of the case and
over her finger. As she did so a yell
low slip of paper fluttered down and
lay unnoticed at her feet.
Il wonder why Aunt Ellen never
showed it to me-" she unused, as she
admired her new ornament. sAnd
whose could it have been? Perhaps
the name is inside"
She tried to draw the ring from
her finger, but it refused to come.
Ethel smiled.
''How easilyit went on! And / sup
pose / shall have to use soap and wa
ter to get it off again.
But the ring resisted even the in
fuence of soap and water. Pretty
Ethel gazed at it in comic dismay.
This is a fix!' she said. aloud.
"What, my dearP" said quiet voice
from behind.
And Aunt Ellen, who had entered
unObServed, came tC her niece'S side
and gave utterance to an exclamation
of horror at sight of Ethel's hand, on
which shone the opal ring, dripping
with soap-suds.
Ethel! The cursed opal! How
came it on your finger, child?"
''Cursedp repeated Ethel This
beautiful ringP Oh, Aunt Ellenm
Eyes, my dear-cursedi Take it off
at once, Ethel"
''But auntie, it won't come off," said
the girl, despairingly. "Pve been
trying, and even soap wont bulge it
single inch
Miss Lynn turned pale.
''Oh, Ethel! Etheln' she groan ed.
''What evil genius prompted you to
slip the fated thing on your finger?
Did YOU run such a risk after reading
the prophecy"
STOPPING, she picked up the faded,
toward her with a shaking hand.
..Read it again, my dear" she said.
''Whv, | never saw it before" an
swered Ethel, wonderingly, as she un-
folded the slip and read its contents
aloud:
life for life for Morton's sin.
Such shall be the doom of Lynn
Till maiden of the race,
Pure of heart and fair of face,
From the hungry, seething flood
Saves he last of Delmaine'S blood;
Then the race of Lynn shall cease,
And Zorah's soul respose in peace"
What doggerelT' laughed Ethel.
"What is it ali about, Aunt Ellen?
Who was this ZorahP and was this her
ringP"
Il never meant you to hear the
story" said Miss Lynn, regretfully;
''but since YOU know so much, you
might as well know all.
"Zorah Delmaine was a gypsy girl
very beautiful in her wild, pictur-
esque style. So. at least, thought Nor
ton Lynn. your great-great-grandfa-
Their. He paid her great deal of at
tention-wOn her love, in fact and
might have married her eventually had
not sweet Amy Leigh appeared upon
the scene and ensnared him with her
sea-blue eyes and yellow hair.
1.-The consequences were he for
sock black-eyed. queenly Zorah and
married Amy in three months time.
s.Zorah Delmaine met the bridal
party at the church door after the cere-
mony and pronounced curse upon
the house of Lynn, to the effect that
each of that name should perish by
drowning-Morton first, then his de-
scendauts in their turn. She threw
the opal ring given her by her false
lover at the feet of the pale young
bride, saying:
".My hearts blood stains that stone.
Take it, and with it my curSesr
1.-The bride was carried to her home
in a deathly faint; but Morton laughed
at the whole affair. Nevertheless, he
was little startled on picking up the
ring to find dash of scarlet in the
stone. A year later he was drowned
in attempting to ford the Platte river
when the current ran swift. He left
one son, who grew up, married, and
the same fate. His son, your grand.
father. was swept overheard in storm
on the Pacific ocean. Ethel, how did
your father dieP"
HE was drowned" answered the
girl, in low, hushed tones. 'Re fell
from the bridge, and the current car
ried him under"
True" said Miss Lynn. you and
| are the sole survivors of our race,
and you are maiden young and fair
What Inference do you draw?'
Don't ask me- said Ethel, shud.
dering. at is all too horrible. But
do mott will not believe in the curse
What became of Zorah, Aunt Ellen?'
.She disappeared. Hank. Ethel!
What was that?"
A dull, rumbling sound shook the
earth and air.
Ethel sprang to the window.
Half a mile distant the Platte river
flowed darkly, sullenly between its
shaded banks. Like wild Deast il
roared and washed against the bridge
until the giant structure trembled ano
tottered.
Ethel watched it with fascinated
eyes. Suddenly there came a crash
and the central props gave way and
were carried down stream by the an