The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-10-19
THE FIRE OPAL AND OTHERS.
Magic's Precious Stone, and Where it
 is Found.

Some months ago, a man passed through western city with gem that created a sensation when it was eXhib- ited, and owing to the subsequent his tory of the stone, it is looked upon by some credulous people as being the me- dium of a miracle. The owner, in pass ing through Mexico, was particularly attracted by the opals that were eXhib- ited by fakirs-men, women and chill dren-which could be bought from ten cents apiece to as many dollars He was desirous of buying a large and particularly fine stone, and by constant inquiry finally found an opal seller who knew of fine gem, but was positive IL could not be purchased.
 For a consideration the man agreed to take the American to the place where the gem was owned, and after ree-days' journey on horseback into the mountains they came upon little hamlet so desolate and poverty-strtck- en that it would seem the last spot in the world to produce gem of any, thing of value. The traveller was con- ducted to one of the huts made of grass, and upon entering, found lying in 8 corner, upon some rags woman so withered and wrinkled that she might have been a century and half old. The guide said he doubted if the woman, who was the possessor of the stone, would show it, much less part with it. He approached her, evidently with poor success, but finally she was induced to show the gem. She would not move until they had retired from the hut. When they returned, she with much muttering and protest, un- rolled the gem from some rags and fiber, and as the sunlight flashed into the dingy hut it seemed to fire the ob
 ject in her hand and it blaZed out like coal. The Mexican crossed himself, while, the American could not refrain an exclamation of surprise and wonder.
 The stone was a splendid fire-opal that seemed possessed of life of it's own.
 How did this old woman get posses sion of such gem?" the stranger asked.
 Many, many years ago, when she was girl white man left it with her,
 saying that he would return" was the reply. "She was a good-looking girl
 then, and she thought he was coming
 back to marry her But he never came, and she has had the stone ever since"
 The woman refused to sell it, as Mex
 jeans are apt to do with any of their possessions, but ultimately she relin- quished it for a large sum, but telling
 the purchaser that bad luck would go with 1t and that it would lose it's fire. This seemed true enough, as before the new owner of the opal had reached civ ilization he was several times attacked and narrowly escaped with his life.
 The stone was taken to the east and exhibited to eeveral people, all of whom
 wondered at it's beauty. The owner told the story of the old woman and her
 tradition that it would lose it's fire
 when taken away. Finally wishing to
 have the stone shaped, he gave it to a
 lapidary A few days after he was
 sent for and shown the stone. It was now an oval, but had entirely lost the
 fire and gleams that had characterized
 it. For moment the owner was dum-
 founded, believing the threat of the old
 woman; then he thought that the stone
 had been changed. This could not be ] proved; so he took the gem. Later he
 accidentally broke it, and threw it into
 drawer to keep merely as a curiosity. | } the drawer, he was amazed to see a blaze of fire. It was the opal, which,
 in some incomprehensible way, had re- newed its life.
 To those familiar with opals there was nothing peculiar in this, as many stones have the singular faculty of losing their fire. This was well illus
 trated several years ago, when a num- Der of Mexicans took some rough opals
 to New York, which by their beauty l and fire attracted much attention. ) They were sold to lovers of gems, who } valued them for their peculiar light, which was said to resemble that of a gIow-worm. One of the purchasers was Dr. A. c. Hamlin, mineralogist. One of the stones was so beautiful that he carried it in his pocket; but gradu- ally this and all the others began to fade. According to the owner, faint nebulosity appeared at first in one end of the stone, Hike the dim and distant ; haze of summer sky" Gradually this increased, until finally the beauti- } full glow and fire. entirely disappeared. , The opal is one of the most interest ing of stones, and has found its way , into popularity despite the ill-omen } that is supposed to surround it and the misfortune that follows the wearer. The gem is g. favorite with Queen Vic ) toria, who wears some of the most l beautiful opals known. This fact has probably had much to do with the dis sipation of the prejudice.
 , The noble opal is the most valuable: l the fire opal where there is a blaze of all colors, the most common; while the ) Mexican variety, or lechosos, is very common. There are a number of : names given to the different tints. ' The opals come from Hungary; but l the noble opals of Honduras are very , fine, one specimen being known that l weighed over one pound; but the really fine pieces are not large or common l One of the most prolific deposits has been found at Erandique, Mex. upon a hill about two hundred and fifty feet
 high and along half-mile of it's sur ) face. Some localities are very produc- , tive of various kinds of opals.
 , Fine specimens of fire opals have been found in Oregon, Srook county, and a few years ago discovery was made in the state of Washington of
 fire opals Georgia has several veins, and traces have been found in Pennsyl-
 vania and Colorado. White opals oc- l..