The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-06-09
PURPLE AMETHYST
THE BEAUTIFUL STONE HAS AGAIN
BECOME VERY POPULAR

The Only Jewel Bearing the Color of
Royalty-The Only Stone Which Can
Properly BE W,rs During Periods OF
Mourning.
The refined beauty of this precious
stone makes the gem lover wonder
why it has never beer generally fash
ionable. 1t is The only representative
Of royal purple s.uong jewels; is the
only colored stone that can properly
be worn in periods of mourning; it
harmOnizeS to perfection with the soft
lavenders and heloropeS in which we
love to attire ourselves. and it blends
admirably with diamonds ana pearls.
Yet its loneliness and its many advan-
taSes seem to be appreciated only by
favored few. Perhaps the explanation
OF this may be found in the rather vul-
gar modern notion that cOStlinpSs is
the only criterion of value. combined
with the equally fallaCiOuS idea that
the amethyst is cheap stone, The
true Oriental amethyst is, however,
very rare, and the old LatinS called it
"the cyelid OF Venus" What we call
amethyst is often nothing more I'M
common than eXquiSitely tinted quartz.
Some old documents belonging to the
period prior 10 the French Revolution
state that at that time only one private
person was the lucky poSsessor of a
perfect Oriental amethyst. the few
others known being i'll royal collec-
tons.
The ancientS honored the amethyst.
1t was one of the gems in the breast
plate of Judgment and the inspired
writer places it in one of the gates of
the Heavenly City, which fact. com
bined with the knowledge that the He
brewS regarded it as emblematic of
human love, planted in sorrow and
perfected by faithfulnCSS, supplies a
very beautiful allegory. The Greek
Stoics did not improve upon this point
of view when they gave to the stone
the name whence our English word
is derived, which signifies Il talisman
against intoXicatien! They believed
that the wearer would be preserved
from all irregular passions and desires
even from impure thoughts. 1t Is
pcrIrpS for this reason. as well as for
the sake of its ecclesiastical color, that
the amethyst is always chosen for the
Stgnrt ring of a bishop. AS the quartz
amethyst was ohtainable in large
quantities. the Greeks fashioned it in
to drinking cups, believing that no i'll
effects could follow the drinking of
wine from them. and that they would
efficiently neutralize poison. The ori-
gin of this superstition q ZiVen by :es
ancient writer named by his conten-
poraries 1.-THE honey tongued." 1t is in
the form of legend and relates how
the noble lady Heraclia. when walking
in her garden, saw Il young stOrk fall,
pierced by an arrow, upon the public
road, and how she ran to gather the
creature into her bosom. She took the
bird home with her. anointed its
wounds, and tended IL until il grew
strong and able to use Its wings.
One day, feeling its y, z renewed
1t uttered cry Of joy and sped away
into the blue sky until II vas lost Ia
sight. The gentle IIeraclia grieved
for her pet. which had but followed its
nature and the secret call of its mates
But the bird was not ungrateful
When the spring brought back the
storks to the North, the lady heard the
well known note again. Looking up
she saw one of the great migratory
company detach itself from the rest
and swoOp downward, bearing cur
of amethyst, which it laid gently al
her feet. Then. after nesting for an
instant against her BOSOM it spread
its great white wings and SCARED
away. Never again did Heraclia drink
from any other cup. but kept it neal
her all her life, preserved by it from
plague and sickness. untouched by
pain and guarded from every danger
When at last her allotted span was
ended and she died in peace, the
cleaning cup was placed beside hel
body that il might be buried with her
But while the watchers bent over hel
they heard whirr of wings, and
| turning, beheld the mysterious treas
ure botne away. 1t was never seer
again.
Modern fancy has abandoned thu
dreams of classic times. and reverting
to the Hebrew traditions. regards the
amethyst once more as the emblem OF
love and fidelity. Hence the gem IL
frequently exchanged between be
trothed lovers or parting friends.
1t enjoys the honor of being the bes
loved jewel of the poets. Its beauty
is sacred to lofty thoughts, encirclet
with dreams and ideals, associated
| forever with the vision which feeds
| our earthly blindness, as 1t fed the eyet
of the sightless idealist, Romney, ''up
on the thought Of perfect noon"