Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1890-10-02
THE UNLUCKY STONE.

ILL ~ 4NAO OA l. O1O1NAs
From my earliest recollection we haG
travelled, Travelled the world over, i
seemed, my mother and |. We had M
kith nor kin but one another, so can tht
world wonder that we were all in all tx
each other? Ny mothers face, although
the sweetest and gentlest of faces, was
always sad, even gloomy at times. Sht
always wore the deepest of mourning
for my father, although I could never
get her to mention him. And after sew.
eral inquiries l ceased to trouble her, fol
such look of pain and agony would
come over the dear features at the men
ton of Robert Radcliff. The only Jew
elry she ever wore consisted of two
rings, a plain gold wedding ring and q
beautiful opal set in 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 stranger
would notice my mother looking at hel
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 up in little
town among the mountains of Switzer-
land. Here my mother was taken i'll
with 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. It 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 a fool l wasl Deaths very
sign took to be the hue of returning
health.
''Carl, have no time to waste in use
less words" she said. ssCome and sit by
my side and learn why your mothers
sad face has darkened your young life.
No, do not interrupt, my boy. l know
how much you think of your mother.
Sixteen years ago, when you were a
child of 4, we lived in beautiful coun-
try home in the north of Ireland. Your
father was of that country, you know"
did not know, for she had never told
me anything about him; but 1 did not
interrupt, and she continued: ssWell,
one night waited and waited for Robert
to return. He. had gone to the neighbor-
ing village to buy new carriage horses.
The wind blew gale, and the, rain fell
in torrents. | walked the floor in an
agony Of fear till IL o'clock, then called
a faithful old servant and told him to
harness and to go with me to look for
his master. He thought me crazy, but
did as I told him. Put another pillow
under my head, Carl There, now can
breathe easier.
"We found him, my son; found him
all bloody and beaten to death. Foully
murdered"
Her face was ghastly, and although
shaking in every limb I managed to give
her some drops the doctor had left so
that she was able to continue. 81 can
not tell you more of that dreadful time
except that there never was the slight
est clew to the assassin. We never knew
that he had an enemy in the world. 1t
was not robbery, for his watch and a
large amount of money were not touched.
You will find papers telling you all Of
that. My part is what I wish to tell
you now. I lived with you alone in
the old home for one year. One night
fell asleep in chair by the hearth, and
had the strangest of dreams. dreamt
voice said to me:
"sTake thy child and the opal ring
and travel the world over, and when
thou dost find thy opal turnest blood
red then thou whilst be in the presence
of thine enemy and thine husbands
murderer.
"When awoke pondered on it for a
while, but came to the conclusion that it
was the result of fevered brain The
next night l had the same dream, and
again the next. / then took it as my
mission in life to find the man who had
foully killed my Robert. awoke from
my apathy, sold the place, and taking
you with me started on my pilgrimage.
You know the result. Never has my
ring changed color. Now, Carl, / am
dying, and into your hands I consign
this ring, and I ask you by the memory
of your murdered father to find the per-
son and bring his crime home to him."
Saying this she placed the opal. with
its fine red lines, upon my finger, and
then lay back exhausted
81 promise, mother, never to give up
the search while there is breath in my
body" said, intending to find the as
sassin by modern means instead of super
stitious, but I would not pain her by
doubling her dream.
Three days she fingered, during which
time she told me of her financial stand
ing, and that she did not know of a rela-
tive in the world. The third night she
passed away, leaving me alone in the
world with terrible void in my life
and an unutterable grief / saw her
buried in the little Swiss burial ground.
and then returned to the inn and looked
my future in the face. l had e50,O0O
no friends and veritable vendetta. A
week later l started for Paris, stated my
trouble, and had the best detectives to
work up hopeless case. In London l
did tho same, and then crossed the ocean
and followed the same course in New
York. The opal ring wore, but seldom
looked at it. made several pleasant
travelling acquaintances, and had num-
Der Of invitations to visit in Washing
ton, Baltimore and other cities in the
States. l refused them all, and went
west to San Francisco, staying there un-
til Jan. /, when / returned to Washing
ton, where ran across one of my trav-
cling friends, Ray Darlington.
refused all overtures to go into So
ciety or to visit Darlington, but when I
was taken i'll and threatened with pneu-
monia my friend had me removed,
against my wishes, to his home, where
tall, stately lady smiled graciously
upon me, and where had all the care
and devotion possible during serious
illness. This lady, who was Rays
mother, was an angel Of mercy to me, a
homeless wanderer. One day was ly-
ing ON the sofa deluged with shawls,