The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-11-08
TWO TALES OF BLOOD
AND ONE OF THE Evil INFIU-
ENCE OF OPALs.


man possessed gem which he valued highly
and each had story to relate touching the
superstition attaching to the opal and how
the truth OF it had been proved in his indi-
vidual case. The conversation soon extended
to others, and for an hour or more there was
perfect fusillade of the mysterious and the
uncanny poured forth in the nature of per-
. sonal experience. A mild-mannered man,
With low, sympathetic voice, told the follow
ing:
"a friend of mine moved to an old town
In one Of the Middle States, and bought a
very pretty home for his young wife. She
was gentle, home-loving little woman, and
In short time had made the place a sort of
paradise. Such flowers grew In no other gar
den in the community; vines ran over the
walls, the orchard yielded abundantly, and
everything fourished.
"At the height of the young couples enjoy
ment of their home they invited under their
roof an old lady who had spent her youth in
that town, but who had been away for num-
Der of years. She was now revisiting the old
haunts, and, of course, was the guest In turn
of many Of the citizens. She noted many
changes, and on this occasion, being the guest
OF comparatively newcomers to the commu-
nifty, she garrulousy went over the whole
history of the town from the beginning
"'What on especially great change is right
here, my DEAR she said, addressing the young
wife and referring to the pretty home. Have
you ever heard the history OF this spot p
"Neither husband nor wife ever had Then
the old lady told it; how there was once hill
there, upon which stood bomely frame house
occupied by drunken butcher and his
wretched family; how one night the man
came home in a frenzy of drink and with a
long sharp knife murdered his wife and
children, and was afterward hanged for it,
How the premises remained unoceupied ever
afterward, people shudderng even as they
walked past. But how charming q spot the
place has become now,' the old lady said in
conclusion. The compliment went unheeded
The charm of the spot to the young wife was
gone forever.
'The husband noted the change in his wife
almost Immediately. She grew to be nervous
and preoccupied. Her interest In the flowers
slackened. Her health after time seemed
siderately for her. Pretending that the place
was not healthy for some reason, he sold it,
bought In another part of town, though at
great loss and Inconvenience to himself. In
the new home the wife's health and spirits re-
vfved, and no reference was ever made to the
haunted premises they had left"
bachelor present who evidently did not
sympathize with the great consideration that
had been shown the young wife's nerves.
81 had been Ill for several weeks of low
fever, and was on the mend. My rooms were
over restaurant, and my landlady was a
French woman who had refused to permit me
to be taken to a hospital, but had kindly been
looking after me herself. The fever was
broken, but somehow 1 was slow about rally
Ing, and the doctor was little worried about
ffnno @tnyN, "a
up to my old-time interest in things. 1t was
the habit of my landlady to drop in after din
ner, count her rosary in my behalf, and talk
to me. She did the best she could, but her
topics at times were far from being cheerful.
One night while / was in my sluggish state
she came in and began entertaining me as
usual. Looking about the room with furtive
glances she said: And you know not what
happen in zis room once p said no. "A
woman Kill herself She cut her throat, and
all over bed was re blood. find her myself
In re morning. Her husband has run re way
She leaves re home in France to find him.
He be not in Washington, and 80 she kill her.
SELF
'sThat was cheerful thing to tell a man at
night about his sleeping-room. Well, 1t was
not much Of q sleepiDg-room that night, can
tell you. The docter next morning found
slight rise of fever, but said that otherwise /
was better. You are wider awake than
usual he observed
eyes said, that's because got such
good start haven't been to sleep since {
saw you, 1 replied. Then told him about
madam's little story, and he said owed her
fee for 1t. 1t was the very thing necessary to
break the lethargy that had taken possession
of me. was up and about in week"
Snow here is an opal story, and true one,"
said man who formerly lived ON the Ohio
River. SIN my town was very attractive
young married woman whose mother had left
her handsome set of opals. The mother
had always secuted the popular idea about
opals and dying, had bequeathed her gems to
her daughter. The daughter was not so firm
In her faith but still was inclined to accept
her mothers view about the gems. After
long period Of mourning she put on colors
again, and with the brighter costumes came
the opals. They were very handsome stones
and greatly admired. Within a month after
little daughter, who before that time had been
a robust and beautiful child, sickened and
died. Both the mother and the father were
plunged into the deepest woe, and were in
consolable.
"'John,' said the wife one day, Il want you
to take my opals and dispose of them. L
won't have those stones any longer In this
house.
"The husband tried to reason with his wife
about the matter, but finally gave 1t up. He
saw that the death OF the little girl had car
ried his wife over to supreme fear of her
gems. He took the stones to jeweler there
fore, explained the matter, and asked to be
allowed to deposit them with him for safe
keeping. Il don't want to sell them,' said the
husband. My wife is in low spirits now,
but when she is altogether herself again I'll
take the stones back to her,
'The jeweler took them and deposited
them in his safe, saying as he did so that the