The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-12-30

s-Do i believe the opal is q gem Of i'll
esnen? DO believe in life. in love. in
music? Have any little pet belief that
is dear to my soul : Let me tell you a
story FOR answer"
Then let Us 60 out and stroll on the
piazza. It IS pieasanter there than here
ia the BAH room. and vastly better for
conyersatic Besides, think you are
tired Of dancing,
the path to paradise for me. But / VIII
80 Satside With you, for It Is very warm
The long piazza faced the beach, and
the music Of the tapping waves mingled
with the Strains that came floating out
from where the dancers gayly circled:
warm and tao moon and stars shone
down with a soft radiance. Yet Miss
Merton shiE cred 8. little as tie salt wind
touched her and drew her hlmy mantle
We viii go inside If you are ccld,'
seid rher companion, Noticing the move
ment Perhaps you ere not used tc the
NO 1T always makes me cold to
thf,Sk Of an opal They cali the light IL
thein fire. but it chills me instead Of
treacherous as the sea yonder-'
The sea has been my good friend. F"
said the ether; II have found that its
That IS all very well for a man. lieu
tenant, But a woman needs something
different from uen There SHOULD be
1othing IN Their lives to disturb its calm
That is why j hate opals-one did that
for q friend OF mine =
The young officer laughed gently.
Fancy Till do much-for a woman, : .
II you are sDing to laugh and fling
at o1f sex, hsve DONE, said Miss Mer-
ton. Il can find better amusement than
being laughed at In the bah ROOM
i beg Dar0OD. i will be very
good, he answered, ccntritely.
For few moments they walked OF ST.
Of the piazza. Then Miss Merton began
her story. Her voice was low and must.
cal, and az first Lieutenant Pheips-Wno
had long been beyond the sound OF any
wolnans voice whatever, was content
simply 70 listen to its smooth flow. But
she had only spoken a few words before
ne began to find her story OF absorbing
This opal,'' said Miss Merton, was
given by a man to the woman whom he
said he loved, The man believed in the
evil power of the strne. New, sir, you
f1ay laugh and have Your fling at us. He
Ayas afraid OF it, but she was not. When
he told Ter to choose she asked for that,
ana he gave it to her, with many a eau
I IF any asa1an comes ITO ft harm win
come TO US, be told her. You must never
let it be upon 1he hand of another, fol
s$hen that one viii come between us
"She promised, of course. but she was
yours and careless, and did not believe
in locking at the serious side of life
when there was a brighter aud better one
TO see
THE stone was very beautiful. In its
depths i; held all the glowing coiors OF
chameleon. 1t fascinated me when ]
looked at 1t, but frightened me because i.
was SC inccnstant. As l told YOU. my
ed how very serious matter life is. The
ring kept other men away from her, cur.
tailed her pleasures, her freedom
Her companion began some protest, but
Miss Merton stopped him.
Yes. know what you are going to say
THAT she should have reclxoned upon that
really loved him. But you cannot change
the nature of a girl in a day.. She found
tlat the ring narrowed her life and sc
one day she put away
IF she was not willing to wear it she
should have given it back to the man
who gave it TO her. said the lieutenant
He would have misunderstood it,
said Miss Merton He would have said
that she did not care for him, that she
had never loved him, that she had played
him false, and all the other nice things
their point OF view happens to be differ
e1t. So the poor girl did what she
thought was best and laid the ring away
and met him one day without il on her
hand. don't know what he said to her,
but he was SO brutal about it that the
poor girls proud spirit rebelled. as ii
should have done. Then she brought the
ring to me.
Helen she said. 7 know you love
me. / can trust you. He said that If any
other wore it, that one would come be-
tween US. Now want to Show him how
silly his superstition is. want the ring.
but / do not want It to be my tyrant.
Take it and wear it tonight and let him
see it on your hand. And (NIiss Merton
voice grew very sofO you won't come be-
tween us. will you, sweetheart" she ask
ed kissing me-"
Miss Merton paused, and they both
stood silently and looked out upon the
sea, bathed in its glorious moonlight, for
long time. The lady stole a glance at
the mans face, to see if he took any in
terest in her story. But it told no more