The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-17

pie,ous Of the stones; sroundlcss super
stision. ayr ,,.,...
~ be;leve women regard them unlucky'
another prejudice ike the number 'h''-
teen" "a.
Hero the Turk vcntured to express MS
| convictions. mo use 10 ten me muse
things amt conjured," said he hrmiy'
stopped him with ses'ore, az"
through curiosity reviewed tne are, u
the stone. The foreigners eyes oi" ~.
az l,d also those OF Doctor Bellamy. Inc
s,bvsic,an was fast becoming convert OF
tbc qS,rl<s views. There's no suspicion
! aho,,t ~, said he. you cant overlook
the facts. III were you wouldn't think
~ irving the examination until i got ria
of that stone. Take my advice. ana YOU
won't regret IT," he concluded, shaking
I bis head significantly.
How superstitious you are, salo j.
smilngiy, feeling. however, graver uouD'
than | cared TO admit" Those Gomez
! dences were nothing more than chance
+ "Some people WANT 20 subject every
/ thing TO the test Of reason sneered tne
doctor. "They won't believe anything
fbc can't explain. Why. II Jesus chtlst
biroself should come down on earth, ana
nergorm a miracle tefore their very eyes
{ thev'd go 20 talking about JukEie's
/ sleigh % hand, or something equaiiy ao-
s,ird. For me. I'm satisfied there SUI
pernatural power that we don't hhue'-
stand connected with Cpals ] once Khe"
n woman TO wear .one around her hech,
T.vervtbing she lid turned out badly TIL
che discarded the thing. People said twas
mere chance. / don't believe H. II you
take nv advice. youll get rid OF that
thing before Tomorrow
TO all Of this the Turk shook MS head
approvingIy / raid little attention 70 IT,
however and two hoIrs later my work
for the night was over The doctor was
gone.
The Final Test.
Having worked faithfully for teveral
weeks. I felt confident Of success upon en-
tering the examination room An houI $
hard thought. however, brought disc0Ir-
aCemcut. Facts with when / was tnor-
oughly familiar the day before escaped
my memory. it was impossible 10 recall
them. My mind was muddled; / became
excited The perspration stood out IN
great drops upon my forehead. To add
10 my troubles violent headache SGT N
Failure stared me I'm the face. An hour
more. and / threw up tire examination
IN dlspair. and repaired to ny room,
where / staggered to ihe bed al FOL in
a semi-conscious condition. WITH I'll ds
nearly exhausted. prospects scattered TO
the winds. and pride crushed l fell INTO
the realm OF dreams. The strange warn
ing of the Turk reappeared. l could see
yividlv a serpent coiled around the opal
NV vision was interrupted ~ some one
TAPPING me upon the shoulder. l awoke
10 find DR.. Bellamy ben ling over mo. At
first | was dazed The Doctors voice
brought me TO myself. He s.rut!nized my
features keenly.
''You failed" said he. confidently.
Eyes: hut how did you know"
Because you wore that devllish opal
in the examination ROOM" came his finn
reply.
l smiled carelessly with nm effort, as
though attaching little Importance TO the
doctors views. I had always accounted
for things apparently supernatural upon
the ground that he effects were not dis
tinct enough 10 permit one to reason out
the causes, or else. that the phenomena,
while due TO natural agencies. were be-
clouded with intricate subtletes battling
the power OF deduction.
Was it Conjured?
The more I thought of the Turks
warning the stronger became the grip OF
superstition. / was inclined 10 attach
more value TO the views Of DIR. Billemy
than before. The possibility that the
stone was possessed Of some unnatural
power gradually strengthened into a sort
Of sceptical opinion, and finally APP
preached the dignity Of a belief I was
gradually slipping away from myself.
IF youll take my advice" said the
Doctor" you'll have nothing TO do with
that stone. l don't like the looks Of the
thing Il chills me TO touch II. I'm conf
dent IT'S power is genuine. There's some
thing"
Here he took out small lens and he
gan a ecrutnous examination. A signif-
icant frown settled for n moment upon
his brow. He rubbed the lens carefully
and repeated the experiment. A mystfied
expression spread over his features. His
eyes opened wider. Finally he adjusted
the magniGer and FaZed with a puzzled
countenance for several moments. a dis
tinct paleness told me that something was
wrong ] was astonished.
"a demon! A demon!!' he Kissed in
my ear.
For moment stared at him.
"See for yourself" he whispered. read
justing the lens nervously.
I was almost afraid 10 look My blood
seemed freezing I'm my vains Finally l
grasped the instrument. The doctor
leaned breathless over me, his eyes bulg-
ing to twice their normal size. One look
at the stone was enough. Dropping the
lens suddenly, ] should have fallen back
wards but for the timely support of DR..
Bellamy.
We stared at each other for full five
minutes, neither OF us uttering a word
Finally the doctor broke the silence with
one word uttered in a half audible tone
"convinced2'
81 am" said J.
Within the opal when subjected to the
instrument could be seen a distinct coun-
/ terpart Of a serpents head. The eyes
were Of a pale reddish hue. From the
/ mouth protruded the viper's slender ton
/ que in manner suggestive OF anger. The
whole was inwrought In the stone. part
! Of the substance.
When the shock had worn away eX-
| planned to Dr. Bellamy whence came the
| jewel. lie held firmly to the belief that
| there was some strange affinity between
the devil and the stone. l discarded the
! opal forever My misfortunes ceased.
ROB q. HlDEN.
The Theology OF Childhood.
No, al ..,lfr .