The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-10-18
THE UNLUCKY STONE.

THE UNLUCKY STONE |
From my earliest recollection we had
travelled, travelled the world over, 1t
seemed, my mother and L We had no
kith nor kin but one another, so can the
world wonder that we were all in all to
each other: My mothers face, although
the sweetest and gentlest of faces, was
always sad, even gloomy at times. She
always wore the deepest of mourning
for my father, although could never
get her to mention him. And after sew
eral inquiries | ceased to trouble her for
such look of pain and agony would
come over the dear features at the mem
ton of Robert Radcliff. The only Jew
elry she ever wore consisted of two
rings, a plain gold wedding ring and a
beautiful opal set in n heavy band of
gold. Through Asia, Europe. America,
and even to Africa and Australia. we
had made our way. And whenever in q
crowd or conversing with a stranger |
would notice my mother looling at her
opal ring, which she wore on the third
finger of the right hand.
One summer we had wandered through
Russia, had spent some time ON the
Rhine, and finally brought mp in alittle
town among the mountains Of Switzel-
land. Here my mother was taken i'll
with a general decline of the heart, as
the village doctor called it. was very
much frightened and wanted to tele-
graph for celebrated man from Paris,
but she said; mo, Carl, do nothing
whatsoever My time has come, and !
must have you to myself for the few
hours left me.
l would not believe it. Tt did not
seem possible that God could take her
from me-
Mother" ! said, controlling my emo,
tions for fear OF making her worse,
''you imagine that you are much worse
than you are. You are looking better
than / have seen you for some time,
Your cheeks are bright red"
All, what u fool was! Deaths very
sign l took to be the hue OF returning
health
Carl have no time to waste in use
less words, She said. Come and sit by
my side and learn why your mothers
sad face has darllened your Young life,
No, do not interrupt, my boy ] know
how much you think of yo,r mother
Sixteen years ago, when you were 4
child of A. we lived in a beautiful coun
try home in the north of Ireland, You
father was of that country, you know.
| did not know for she had never tolG
me anything about him; but | did no
interrupt, and She eoptinuedl "Well
one night waited and waited for Robei'
to return He had gone to the neighbor
ing village to buy new carriage horses
The wind blew gale, and the rain fel
in torrents. / walked the floor in al
agony of fear till IL o'clock, then calle,
a faithful old servant and told him t,
harness and to go with me to look 70
his master. He thought me crazy, bu
did as I told him. Put another pillow
under my head, Carl. There, now ca
breathe easier.
I'VE found him, my SOM found hin
all bloody and beaten to death. FOUL
murdered"
Her face was ghastly, ana althoug
shaking in every limb managed ia Civ
her some drops the doctor had left S
that she was able to continue. Il car
not tell you more of that dreadful tim
except that there never was the slight
est clew to the assassin, We never kneN
that he had an enemy in the world,
was not robbery, for his watch and
large amount of money We're not touched
You will find papers telling You all {
that, My part is what wish to te
you now, l lived with you alone j
the old home for one year. One night
fell asleep in chair by the hearth, an
had the strangest of dreams l dream
a voice said to me:
"'Take thy child and the opal rim
and travel the world over, and whe
thou dost find thy opal turnest bloc
red then thou whilst be in the presenC
of thine enemy and thine husband
murderer.
"When l awoke ! pondered on it for
while, but came to the conclusion that
was the result Of u fevered brain. II
next night had tire same dream, an
again the next. l then took it as II
| MISSION III lllt 10 lilAl Altt llitkAA WIN if
foully killed my Robert Iawoke fro
my apathy, sold the place, and taldl
You with me started on my pilgrimag
You know the result. Never has II
ring changed color. Now, Carl, ! a
dying, and into your hands | consis
this ring, and ask you by the memo
of your murdered father to lind the pc
son and bring his crime home TO him.
Saying this she placed the opal, wi
its fine red lines upon my finger al
then lay back exhausted.
Il promise, mother, never to give
the search while there is breath in II
body, l said, intending to find the a
sassin 10y modern means instead of sup'
stihous but ] would not pain her
/ doubting her dream,
Three days she fingered, during viii
time She told me OF her financial stan
ing, and that She did not know of a re
tive in the world, The third night S
passed away, leaving me alone in
world with terrible void in my j
and an mutterable grief. ! saw ]
buried in the little Swiss burial groul
and then returned to the inn and look
my future in the face. had e5O o.
no friends and vertable vendetta.
ad week later I started for Paris, stated D
ne trouble, and had the best detectives
n wosll mp a hopeless case. In Londoi
did the same and then crossed the oce
and followed the same course i'm N
York. The opal ring / wore, hut seld'
looked at it, ! made several please