The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-01-27

VIII DO In converse aDuSt TINS earth when
1t was yet ahoat and aswing, and we
shall want to tell them about how it
looked at certain times, and then 1t viii
be a.grcat object lesson for all eternity,
AMI we will sly to our visitor from some
other world, ~ point toward the wall
of heaven, 1T cooked like that stratum
of foundation next to the lowest"
John, twenty-f,rst chapter and nine
teenth verso, ~ C second, sapphire"
CHALCEpoNY AND EMERALD.
A step higher and you come to chal-
cedony, another layer in the foundation
of the wall and running $500 miles
around the heavenly city. Chalcoaony!
Translucent, Adivino mixture of agatos
and opals and comedians, Striped with
white and gray. Dashed of pallorhlus
ing into red and darkoning iato purple.
Iceland and the Hebrides hold forth
beautiful specimens Of chalcedony.
But now we must make swift ascent
to the top of the foundation wall, for we
cannot infinitely examine all lilo layers,
and so, putting one foot ON the cbalce-
dony of which we have been speaking,
we spring to the emerald, and we are
one-third of the way to the top of the
foundation. for the fourth row is emer-
aid. That, would judge, is Gods favor
lite among gems, because it holds what
leenls evident is his favorite color on
earth. the green. since that is the color
most widely diifuscd across all the earth's
continents-the grass. the foliage. the
everyday dress of nature. The emerald!
Kings used it us Il sal to stamp pronrl-
ciamentos. The rainbow around the
throne of God is by st. John compared
to it.
Conqucrors have considered it tho
greatest prize to capture. What ruth
lessncss when the soldiers Of Pizarro
pounded it with their hammers. Emcr-
aids have had much to do with the des-
tiny of Mexico. Five of them We're pre-
sented by Cortez to his bride, one Ct
them cut into the shape of rose, ano,A-
er into the shape Of u trumpet. another
into the shape of 4 lell. with tongue Of
pearl, and this presentation aroused TIE
jealousy of the throne and caused to
consequent downfall of Cortcz. But the
depths of the sea were decorated with
those emeralds, for in a shipwreck th"y
went down off the coast of Darbary.
Napoleon wore an emerald at Aus;crhtz.
In the Kremhn museum at Moscow
there arc crowns and sceltcrs aad out
spread miracles of emerald. Ireland is
called the Emerald Islo not because Of
its verdure, but because it was presented
to Henry II of England with an emerald
ring. Nero had magnifying glass of
emerald through which he looked at the
gladiatorial contests at Rome. But here
are 1900 miles of emerald sweeping
around the heavenly city in one layer.
SAkDoNYX AND sARDIUS.
But upward still and you put your
foot ca u stratum Of sardonyx, White and
rcd. u seeming commingling of snow and
fire, tie snow cooling the fire, the fire
melting the SHOW.
Another climb and you reach the sar-
dius, named after the city of Sarlius.
Another climb and you reach the chryso-
lite. A specimen of this, belongi * to
Epiphanus, in the Fourth century, was
said to be 20 brilliant that whatever WIS
put over to conceal it was shonc through,
and the emperor of China has specimen
that is described as having such pene-
trating radiance that it makes the night
as bright as the day.
A higher climb and you reach the
beryl. Two thousand years ago the
Greeks used this precious stone for en-
craving purposes. It was accounted
among the royal treasures of Tyre. TIE
hilt of Murat's sword was adorned witt
it. 1t glows in the imperial crown of
Great Britain. Luther thought the beryl
of the heavenly wall was turquoise.
Kalisch thought it was chrysolite. jose
plus thought it a golden colored jewel.
The wheels of Ezekiel's vision famed
with beryl and were revolving fire.
The beryl appears in six sided prisms,
and is set in seals and intaglios, in neck
laces and coronets. 1t was the joy of
ancient jewelry. 1t ornamented the af-
fluent with eardrops. Charlemagne pre-
scented it to his favorites. Beautiful
beryl Exqnisitely shaped beryl! Di-
vinely colored beryl! It seems like con-
gealed color. 1t looks like frozen fire.
But stop not here. Climb higher and
you come to topaz, bewilderment Of
beauty and named after an island of the
Red sea.
Climb higher and you come to chrysop-
rasus. Of greenish golden hue and hard
as flint.
Climb higher and you reach the jacinth,
named after the flower hyacinth and Of
reddish blue.
THE FABLE OF THE AMETHYST.
Take one more step and you reach the
top, not of the wall, but the top of the
foundations of the wall, and st. John
cries out, 1.-THE twelfth an amethyst
This precious stone when found in Aus
tralia or India or Europe stands in col
umns and pyramids. For color it is a
violet blooming In stone. For its play
of light. for its deep mysteries Of color,
for its uses in Egyptian, in Etruscan, il
Roman art it has been honored. TIT
Greeks thought this stone preventive
of drunkenness. The Hebrews though
it a source Of pleasant dreams.
For all lovers of gems it is a subjec
of admiration and suggestiveness Yes
the word amethyst means prevention
of drunkenness. Long before the New
Testament made reference to the aue
thyst in the wall of heaven the Persian
thought that cups made out of amethys
would hinder any kind Of liquor con
tanned therein from becoming intoxicat
ing. But Of all the amethystine cup
from which the ancients drank not on
had any such result Of prevention.
For thousands of years the world ha
been looking in vain for such prevent
i've amethystine cup. Staggering Noal
could not find it. Convivial Ahasueru
driving Vashti from the gates could NO
find it. Nabal breaking the heart Q
beautiful Abigail could not find it. Bel
shazzar. the kingly reveler, on the nigh
that the Chaldeans took Babylon coul
not find it. Not one of the millions G
inebriates whose skulls pave the cont
nents and pave the depths of the Sc
could find it. There is no such cur
Strong drink from followed amethys
imbrutes the same as strong drink froI