Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-08-28
A PLEA FOR THE OPAL.
A DEFENDER OF THAT RARE
AND WONDROUS GEM.
No Foundation Exists for the idea OF Its
Evil Powers-Adventur OF Sibbi
Who Found Nonnius' Lost
Opal.

We find, 800 b. c., Onomacrltus
saying that its delicate colors and ten
derness reminded him of loving and
beautiful child, says writer in the
Detroit Free Press. Cardanus goes on
record with a statement that an opal
costing fifteen crowns gave him more
pleasure than diamond worth 800.
All the old writer's declare il 10 be the
fairest ana most pleasing OF gems.
The Romans adored it and Mark An
tony offered to exempt Nonnius from
exile if he wonld only surrender a
splendid opal. But Nonnius preferred
that one gem to all his other possess
sions and fled with it to Egypt There
he lost it and for /, 200 years it never
saw the light.
The people of the middle ages, ig-
norant and superstitious as they were.
never thought OF accusing it of any
evil power. They actually believed it
united all the special virtues of all
those gems whose colors were TO be
found in its cheerful, glowing heart.
But the story of the finding of Nonni-
us lost opal gives the best proof OF its
good qualities.
One day along in the eighteenth
century poor Arab named Sibbi wan
dered from the fields at Achoris. As
he lay gazing into the depths OF IA dry
cistern and thinking of his wretched
life OF constant hardship the moon rose
and he saw its light reflected from
something on the floor OF the cistern
that glowed and sparkled with won
drous sheen. All night long he gazed
and wondered. but when at sun-up it
flashed in the morning light with
myriad Of glorious colors he scrambled
down TO find out what it was. But
when he saw the opal and was about
to pick it up with "a triumphant shout
he started back afraid TO touch it, for
engraven on it were four mystic letters.
The blood OF thousand story-te'lers
was in his veins and those letters con-
jured up all sorts of frightful things
in his mind. 1t might be the Great
Name'-the tetragrammaton OF the oc-
cident Some terrible JUN might
guard it and his hair stood on end as
he reelected that at the touch OF the
human hand the earth might open and
the mountains fall. So he sat little
ways back; for he could not take his
eyes off it. and as he drank in its
splendor he fsncicd himself in Alad-
din's cave.
Castlebuilding comes easily TO ORR
entail minds half their pleasures in
life spring from this wonderful facul-
ty. In the midst of desert, with a
crust Of bread or n handful of dates,
the poorest easterner can create para
disc
At last Sibbi remembered that what
is written must happen-if he was
killed for touching the opal it was only
his destiny. anyway. SO he picked it
up. Nothing happened. and hiding it
under his cloak, he hurried away to
Cairo-the mother Of cities-whcre he
sold il for untold bags of gold. In.
trusting his fortune TO the Madresi
mosque he set off to Constantinople
and purchased the Office OF cadi. Now,
be might have lived long and merry
life. but he endeavored TO reform the
OF his countrymen and he
reaped the usual reward. One day an
citizen stabbed him in the
back and he died. The gold became
the property of the mosque and to
This day 200 loaves of bread are daily !
distributed from its doors TO the poor
IN memory OF his lucky find
We could tell hundred other tales
but enough. Looking at the opal
before us, we forget everything mean
and vile. Child OF love! You know
naugbt OF evil, your beauty increases
with every glance. Take your place
rs of old, and may you ever gladden.
is by the glowing crimson glory of
your true and honest heart.