The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-01-10
Rlaek Magic.

Medieval writers had much TO say
about black magic, and those who prac-
ticed it. In our time we have grown so
wise that we have proved no such thing
exists, oreyer didexist. Very good. What
we are not afraid of is not apt TO hurt us
But if there is no such thing as black
magic, what malign influence is it that
enatAes person like the woman Diss
Debar, the so called ''spook priestess"
10 entangle victim after victim in her
net She bamboozled Luther Marsh, one
of the ablest lawyers of New York, out
Of thousands Of dollars, by alleged spirit
pictures She deceived many others by
pretending to produce che same kind Of
pictures upon the stage, though the
fraud was so palpable that it made one
feel bad for human nature TO think any.
body could be taken in by it.
The woman was sent TO Blackwell's
Island prison for obtaining money under
false pretenses. Her career was fully
exposed by newspapers throughout the
country 1t would have been reason
able conclusion that Diss Debar was
irretrieyably ruined.
Was she? Not she. No sooner had
she been released than she went TO Wash
ington and laid her net for rich widow
there. The spook dodge was played sue
cessfully BY slate writing the rich
widow was commanded to give Diss De-
bar shelter Next. the two went to
Europe together, ID. d. claiming to be
the prosecuted and cast off wife of the
rich MIR. Luther Marsh. In London the
widow was rescued from the spook
priestesS while she yet had some money
left, and came home.
Thus the priestess makes her living.
She is not handsome. She is fat She is
not eloquent or learned. Nevertheless,
with her record fully exposed, wherever
she goes she finds rich people who be-
come as babies in her hands. Her case is
not singular, Most of our readers will
recall instances in which, in some mex
plicable way, unworthy and designing
persons have wound themselves around
the best and noblest of people, and made
them do their will utterly. If this is not
mesmerism, or black magic, or some
ihing Of that nature, what is iti
Emeralds and other Stones That WIN BE
Fashionable This Season.
Emeralds will be more fashionable
thar they have been before in years, and
while diamonds will, of course, hold
their customary place at the head of all
precious stones, the gems from Brazil
will be worn by the ultra-fashionable
throughout the season
The demand for emeralds even now
surpasses that of any previous season,
and the price is gradually increasing
1t will not surprise the dealers if 1t gets
to be on a par with diamonds. 1t is but
slightly below that now and unless the
craze wears oil or the supply is increased
there is nothing to prevent its reaching
high-water mark before the holidays.
Emeralds have been gaining populari-
ty for the past season or two, but not
much notice was taken Of them until
last spring, when they became quite
prominent at the aBalfes de soc|ete. The
principal dealers in precious stones in
the city immediately put up the price,
and all summer the largest jewellers
have been setting them in new designs
anticipating ing demand. AS result
emeralds will be found within two weeks
in all sorts Of settings both alone and in
combination with rubies, diamonds and
turquois.
Brazil furnishes almost all the first
class stones, although a few are found
in Europe and the United States which
donotcomeupto thestandard. Emeralds,
with very few exceptions, have flaws in
them. Perfectly pure stones are SO rare
that the &c, kSi ruin are frequently al