Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-04-28
HE sun SAPPHIRE.

StIme years ago had charge Of larg,
harGi wood lumber business ON the wes
COAST Of Mexico. Toward the evening o.
buly day, during which we had beer
loading one Of our large lumber schoon
ers With the aromatic Spanish cedar logs
two hen rode mp to my jacal. or tenn
p0raty house Of cane and palm leaves
ON tho beach where held my Office a
superintendent. They had come dowr
from the village Of La Chola, where We
kept bur permanent Office, upon my in
vitatlon TO see us load the lumber vessel.
OLf was an Englishman. mining
engineer. by the name Of Pickwick. who
had dharge Of some gold mines not fal
from La Chola; the other, DR.. Moses,
who. as his name implies, was Jew.
He whs man Of the world, accustomed
to dabger. 1.-the, quick eyed and quick
witteh, fatalist, an expert In games OF
love ,Ind chance, generous and friendly,
his m Prality not Of the highest order.
BE whs "a good shot. good liar. n good
irinktr and good fellow.
Was glad enough to see them, for q
whitd face is eagerly welcomed in that
county OF brown ones, and after had
showil them tho manner Of loading the
logs ch the schooner. and we had watch.
ed th,I big logs battle with the breakers
as thtE were slowly but surely yanked
out on the endless line, We repaired to the
jacal for our supper.
Du|ing the meal the doctor entertain.
ed us by recountipg his adventures and
shovel MS this ring which ] now wear.
"L Iok closely" said he, "and you
will 81 10 cleaning far down in the liquid
blue depths Of this bisected oyoia stone
a bril- ant golden sun, with its sparkling
coronJ darting ont until its rays are
quencbed in sea of sapphire blue.
We examined it and greatly admired
its beluiy. Its central sun shone clearly
and STEADILY.
"TJe Peruvians, continued the doc
tor. "brized these stones very highly.
They held them sacred and called them
opu abd have very pretty tradition in
regard 10 them: Whenever an inca ruler
was PORN the sun, who. according 10
their belief, was his father and whom
the Ptuvians worshiped as the giver OF
all things. dissipated world--a sort Of
pyrotcthnic display in honor Of the
happy bvont. Allthat was pure and good
in thai world was concentrated into this
one liluid lump and deposited some
where 10 be discovered by some lucky
person| in the empire, When the inca
ascendid the throne, this lucky person
came FORWARD, presented the sapphire
and relieved from him some high sine
cure.
18th inca carefully guarded the stone
and usbally had il set IN Respondent
sunbuI kt OF pnre gold, This he wore on
his rtast ~ insignia Of his Office.
Thenc.!forth il was his lucky stone, his
guidinE star, his life. AS long as It's
centra sun remained bright, SO long did
that ruler prosper, but when the central
sun commenced TO pale he knew some
dangerl was coming, and when II went
out entirely bis death accompanied ii
extingl lishment.
"wiih stately pomp they inferred the
inca ai|d placed all his jewels with him
in mutt testimony Of his earthly wealth.
OF the,ls rulers Of the Huacan dynasty
there hill remain 8 tombs undiscoyer-
ed. and il her os you gentlemen f
DESTROYS a. l.oSsessing one Of these stones
Won ca,l take pick and shovel and go q
Peru u prospect. Another curious
thing il that no Que has ever found one
of ,hest stones In the rough. and no one
in modI-n times has been able. as some
folks hive thought could be done, to cut
n uiecelof curundum, the material com
rusing Iapphires, in such q manner As tc
concentrate the rays Of light in one spot
Is this loes. and thus produce sun.
"NoE." continued the doctor, sup
pose wie turn our attention from the
dry subject Of jewelry and indulge Il:
tie Frtb bch cay. in 20 American game
Of poklre.' Are you all agreeablei"
Bidding Dona Maria, the cook. re-
move ]he remains Of the supper, ant
Abingdon fourth hand Theodore, oul
Mexican foreman, a protege Of mine
who, Among other accomplishments
could hive instructed Hoyle III card play
ing. wd sat down TO play.
Playing the game Of poker to mo Il
not verf enjoyable, owing, no doubt, to
the flcl that invariably lose. II has
howeyet, always been my pleasure Il
hear al Il tell poker stories, all OF course
absolutely true, but never in the course
Of my bservation or hearing, nor in thC
widest flights Of my imagination, have
| known Of such luck us that Jew pos
sessed. THE way he held cards that tool
in our shekels was awful, atrocious
blood ctrdling. Ii had pairs. he hat
better Dies if l had threes, he had 1
| full house; if / had full house, he hat
fours od a straight flush. This continued
until WAS thoroughly disgusted. Ever
TheodoIo lost
Preseb pity The doctor, who during th'
last few moments had grown quite pale
much tb my surprise said "Had w
not better quit? 1t is not very valorou
in me, Who have been winning. to sug
gest it, but feel sleepy and you have
| a hard iay before you tomorrow, If yoI
wish to|fnish loading the schooner. Yo'
may baIe your revenge on me at late
date" And, Notwithstanding our losses
we wer1 very glad to stop.
In tile early mananita, long befor'
the sur| had risen and while the thin
veil Of mist hung low in the massive
forest, ibaking it cool and pleasant Z
travel, / bade the doctor and Pickwicl
adieu, l|ut before they left ! intrustet
Pickwidk with 81, 900 in bills TO take t
La Cholh and exchange for silver to sent
me by messenger. The raya, or pay roll
of the hen fell due next day, and bill
were entirely beyond the comprehension
or use ot people to whom dollar wa
Q small Eized fortune.
The dbctor looked very glum and un
easy, ami it seemed to me that he wa
watchink something about his hand
Was il lyossible that he believed in tina
old Peruvian superstition and that tn
signs wei Re inauspicious? As babe then
poodby Ais face frightened, and he salt
IN as clIeery voice as he could com
mand. .iWell, old man. goodby. and
hope yeh hr revenge will not he put OF
too lon,i." Then, waving a graceful
adios, tSe two rode away.
That evening Pickwick's messenge
arrived lin camp. but instead of tn
money lie was to bring, he brought onl
81 900 md the following note:
DEAR RERBERr-l have been able 10 u
change n! more than one-hah the amount
your billsl and now messenger comes iroi