The herald., 1895-08-11
THE OYSTERS TREASURE

Eleven thousand five hundred pounds
sterling for "a pearl necklet! 1t is at the
rate of f32 pearl, ana, if some of them
were OF noble dimensions, others were,
OF course, comparatively minute. AT the
best this treasure OF an oyster" is really
neither gem nor jewel. 1t is neither
more nor less than a concretion of car
Donate of lime which the bivalve depos-
its-so naturalists tell us-to cover up
some speck of grit or sand which neon
veniences him as he lies in his h ouse of
nature. Pearls can be easily spoiled by
acids, and it is perfectly true In a ense
that Cleopatra might have melted the us-
trous gift of Antony in the sour wine of
the Nile. And yet, so delicate is the un-
dulatory texture of the skin of the pearl.
SO subtle, inimitable the iridescence Of
the tiny satin sphere that all the world.
and especially the fairer part of it, has
always been in love with the oyster
product. which suits equally well the
white skin of the blonde and the dar
complexion of the brunette. and which is
priced by queens themselves as a dairtier
adornment, when in perfection, than
rubies. diamonds, sapphires, chased gold.
The easterns. whose fancy is free from
the sad revelations of science. refuse to
look upon a pearl as something which
represents the stomach ache of an oyster.
The Arabs cherish belief tnat pearls are
formed by drop of rain water falling
furnishes it. And Sadi. the Persian
poet, has a pretty apologize on the SUBJ
ject. He describes in exquisite verses
how a drop of rain. falling into the In
| dian ocean, bitterly lamented its insig
nificance, and called upon Allah not to
forget it, although 1t was about to mingle
with the boundless element. Its prayer
was heard; it fell between the open lips
of "a sea shell, and there, after many
months. it was transformed into splen-
did and lucent pearl, which, being tished
up by diver, and brought to shore. was
purchased by merchant and became the
chief stone in the carcanet of sultana.
charming one that nothing is too small
to be overlooked by the Divine Provi-
dcnce. and that the best way to greatness
is by the path of humility.
| In China the minuter pearls are very
| much used to be broken up into dust and
quite specific for sore eyes, anu indeed
] in the higher pharmacopeia of the
+, Orient, powdered pearls is constant
| item OF the prescription. Of course their
effect is precisely that of pinch of chalk
dust. but there is something which graft
remedy so distinguished. A thousand
stories are attached to the pearl. and a
hundred curious things might be written
about the name which le wears in
different languages. That of pearl is.
perhaps, a corruption of the Latin word
which means little pear. since very
mary are found OF that shape. But to
speak thus of the exquisite baubles is to
drag into the regions OF learning and
science and archaeology that which was
meant obviously from the moment of its
creation to be valued only for its lowell
ness end for the divine contrast which it
offers to the educated eye upon the neck
or breast of beauty.
Whatever happy fair is destined in the
future to wear the dainty gewgaw which
Yesterday provoked SO keen a com petit
lion, she may be proud il knowing that
sne carries upon her threat $500 a year
IN reallsable interest. or almost the whole
amount of the ransom we have demanded
from Nicarauga. the price of a steam
Yacht or of a hrst-claSs racer. And If,
indeed, 1t be the case that the sum real
lied in the auction room was to 60 for
the benefit of the needy in London, we
do not know why any feeling of envy
should mlngle with the admiration which
such a sale and such a price are calcu-
iatcd to inspire for that love OF perfect
form and beauty in created things which
seems inherent in our race. and which
leads the pearl diver on one side of the
wolrd tc risk his life. and the rich man
on the other side to pawn his fortune to
procure and possess this treasure of an
OYSTER Is it not Browning who sings
"Are there not two points in the adven-
ture of the diver; one when a beggar he
prerares to plunge, one when prince he
rises with his peaIl?" - London Tele-
graph.