The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-12-22
THE UNLUCKY STONE.

From my earliest recollection we had /
Travelled. travelled the world over, 1t |
seemed. my mother and l. We had no .
lith 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 men
ton of Robert Radcliff. The only jew
elry she ever wore consisted of two
rings, plain gold wedding ring and
beautiful opal set in a heavy band Of
gold. Through Asia, Europe, America,
and even to Africa and Australia, we
had made our way And whenever in
crowd or conversing with stranger
would notice my mother looking 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 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 l
must have you to myself for the few
hours left me-"
l would not believe it. 1t 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 fool [ was! Deaths very
sign 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 darkened your young life.
No, do not interrupt, my boy. | know
how much you think of your mother.
Sixteen years ago, when you were a
child of 4, we lived in IL 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 l did not
interrupt, and she continued: "Well,
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
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 | told him. Put another pillow
under my head. Carl. There, now l can
breathe easier.
1--WE found him, my son; found him
all bloody and beaten to death. Foully
murdered"
Her face was CHASTITY, and although
shaking in every limb 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 We're not touched.
You will find papers telling you all of
that. My part is what | wish to tell
you now. | 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:
"'Talle 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 l awoke pondered on it for a
while, but came to the conclusion that ii
was the result of fevered brain. The
next night | 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. awohe from
my apathy, sold the place, and taking
you with me started on my pilgrimage
You know the result. Never has IN,
ring changed color. Now, Carl, an
dying, and into your hands / consig1
this ring, and l ask you by the memor,
of your murdered father to find the per
son and bring his crime home to him."
Saying this she placed the opal, will
its fine red lines, upon my finger, ant
then lay back exhausted.
Il promise, mother, never to give VI
the search while there is breath in my
body" said, intending to find the us
sassin by modern means instead of super
stitious, but | would not pain her b,
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 rela
tive in the world. The third night sh,
passed away, leaving me alone in thu
world with terrible void in my lif,
and an unutterable grief. saw he
buried in the little Swiss burial ground
and then returned to the inn and looked
my future in the face had ESQ, 600
no friends AID veritable vendetta.
week later / started for Paris, stated IN,
trouble, and had the best detectives b
work up hopeless case. In London
did the same, and then crossed the oceal
and followed the same course in New
York. The opal ring | wore, but seldom
looked at it, l made several pleasan
travelling acquaintance, and had mum
Der Of invitations to visit in Washing
Gon, Baltimore and other cities IN the
States. ! refused them ALL and went
west 10 San Francisco, STAYING there un