The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-18

big Jewelry House That NevoR
Handles Them

down from generation 10 generaficn with
a persistence worthy % q better cause.
"hat bride, remembering the omen does
not give a shudder when loving hands
clasp pears around her throat? Or what
bridesmaid will wear opais2
Judging from the number oS opals worn
by both men and women nowadays, one
might almost believe tha1 the belief n
their ill-iuck had pasaeA There are YET;
however. many persons. sezs.ble in other
respects. who wi1 not venture 10 wear one
OF these heatftfui stones. II is a wall-
known fact that jewelers. never keep so
large a stock q opais On hand as other
stones S s4 aSs@
A, a large essAhushment in one Of tha
two larxest cities in me country opals are
not han6Ied ~ all The founder OF the
housa-1pK dead--was strongly nrejudiced
against th>uL end Attributed the wonder
ful suec1p ~ his business % the absence
Of o0Alg hoA hiS sock. His son declares
that pessepM0 he. does not dislike them.
but out OF respect 10 his fathers wishes ha
aim oacttne1 70 carry them, AT another
place q = such a usual Thing for Dur
saasSe1S - sreturn opals in order 70 disoel
the ua-i1ch which has pursued them since
WtArmD the stones that the clerks have
of09euto say: This viii be exchanged at
any time you desire" AT the same estah-
Hannlent a lady recently returned an opal
pan she had given her husband al Christi
snas. No inducement she could offer
would induce him to wear IL. SO she WAS
forced 10 exchange il for another stone.
II some young fellow VINO prides himself on
being 'atoye such nonsense happens TO
buy an opal for "a bethrolhai ring. ne al
ways returns it with d shame-faced ex-
preston, declaring that the girl refused
TO even try II on for fear her engagement
Will end disasIrously. Even Chicago girls.
hn
are sometimes afraid Of opaIs. one was
presented with a valuable stone procured
in Australia. She accepted il in fear and
trembling and promptly carried il to
jeweler 10 be set. Three months have
passed and she has not yet raised sufii-
cient courage 10 call for II.
We all know that those persons born in
the month Of October can wear opals with
impunity.
Octobers child Is born for woe
And lifes vicissitudes must know;
But lay an opal upon her breast
And hope will iull those woes TO rest.
In such cases the stones are considered
a mascot. and a society woman who has
won laureis In the literary world is seldom
seen without a curious pin in the form of
a beetle, whose body Is formed from a
large Hungarian opal. She attributes all
her success TO its magic power.
Actors and actresses are known to he
very superstitlous, and nearly all wear
some particular stone, which II mislaid,
causes them much discomfort As the
loss of their lines in q new play For in
stance. Camille d'Afvllle loves the modest
turquoise, which she calls sympathetic
stone. The large one always seen on her
third finger she affirms changes color when
she is i'll or unhappy. Little Jane Stuart.
whose promising stage career was abrupt
ly ended by her marriage with a wealthy
Milwaukee man. would neither wear opals
nor pearls, and used To tell a story OF a
friend who lost his pocketbook containing
q large sum OF money and other valuables
on the main road leading 10 Newport Miss
Stuart told him he would not find his lost
treasure until be DISCARDED. a favogite opal
ecarfpin. He Immediately did so. and re-
tracing his steps. a few hours later found
the pocketbook with contents intact.
Some time ago when Nat Goodwin was
playing "A Gold Nine in Boston IL was
thought best to place Steele Mackaye's
col Tom" on the boards for few nights
The first presentation was Il great disan-
pointment Isabella Coe played the part
of Paula, the Russian adventures Among
the jewels which she wore was a large opal
ring. MIR. Goodwin failed 10 notice Il on
the opening night. hut on the second. rs
Miss Coe stood in the wings waiting for
her cue. he caught sight OF Il. My heav-
ems" he screamed. take off that ring II
you had worn it last night l should have
known that Il caused the failure OF the
play. If you wear it tonight IL will give
Col. Tom its deathblow-" Realizing that
he was really anxious Miss Coe discarded
the ring, and he never knew that she had
worn Il on the previous night The play
ran a week and then was shelved much 10
Mr.. Mackaye's disappointment.
Hungary produces the most valuable
opals. They sell for sloo per carat, are less
brittle than any other and the red lights
they contain are more brilliant. SIX hun
dred dollars was recently paid for one az
a wedding present 10 one Of Americas
daughters. Green is the dominant color Of
the Australian opal. which Is preftrreiaby
many on account OF It's delicate shading.
Many come from Mexico, and quite a num-
Der come from Washington state but the
mines are not worked to any great extent
Jewelers. naturally DO not as a rule en-
courage the idea that any stone is IL
omened. and some say that they s.l as
many opals As any other gem except the
diamond. whose popularity never wanes
and which ia supposed 10 bring good luck
"a the possessor. 4 fortunate business
man In Chicago carries a few unse, dig
nonfs in his pocket tn the most carrle4s
manner His friend. board OF trade man
thinking IL ne followed his example he
= fine blue stone ana dropped It loosely IL
10 his pocket. The next DAY he lost $50
go on the board, and bad luck Aftcrward
pursued him 70 such an extent that ne
concluded the diamond was a hoodOo and
parted Wits II FOR much less than he gave
for il Now & IS impossible TO make him
believe that diamonds bring good for
tame
The charming ope~a singer. Emma
flames, loves diamonds. one which she
wears IN her hair. and which mas uleas-
ant history. has becone 50 thoroughly
identified with the sprano rs q b. called
the "F.aroes diamond" Several years ago
while Eanes was singing IN Parts gne
met ar ct French uobiernan. pasztoaatciy
fond - music ia ana h.s wife. u ri Of
ten 70 heas her sing TIE poor old man
vas in wre,rhed health au5 on his 8asla
shortly afierwa~5 his wife sent Mrs Sorry
a diamond, asking her 20 wear II IN fgs4rn-
org ~ one Who greatly admired her voice
The stone is SET rather high IN wire
which Is Invisible a short distance. 50
tsrae the diamond has tha appearance OF Il
nrefty a8ghstng here ana There among the
singers cBFlx.
ARCHER orna nrent which Mrs Story al
ways wes-s was gwen 20 h-r hy Christine