Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-03-15
OUR FAMILY OPAL,
By R. K. Munkittrick.

My great-grandfather was the first one
Of the family to become the possessor of
the opal. A widower for the third time,
he engaged himself to my old Aunt Cor
nelia, and the opal was set for the en-
gagement ring.
As soon as he had given her the ring he
began to regret his engagement. Aunt
Cornelia concluded that the old man was
cooling off in his attentions, but she
didn't blame him. She regarded it all as
i'll luck, which she attributed to the opal.
Now, another curious feature Of the
case was that my great-grandfather's
eyes, from looking long and fondly into
Aunt Cornelia's. had suddenly acquired a
peculiar habit OF necessarily whirling, her
only in6rmity.
A day or two later she noticed that my
great-graudfather's were whirling and
thought that he was mimicking her and
making light of her optical popularity.
She would listen to MI word of explana-
ton, but broke the engagement on the
spot and handed him back the opal ring.
That night he made a misstep on the
way up stairs and sprained his ankle,
and on the following day a railroad was
wrecked, and the stock he held in it drop
ped from 100 to GO. He then had the
opal set in a scarfpin and gave it to one
of his nephews for a birthday present.
Suddenly Bills salary was cut down in
the fullness Of its bloom. His hair began
to fall out, and the doctor, not knowing
just what the matter was, ordered a sea
voyage on general principles. Fearing
shipwreck, Bill gave the opal scarfpin to
his brother before sailing. Bill went to
sea and returned with Il full head of hair
and his salary restored.
After Bill had sailed his brother, who
went to the wharf to bid him goodby,
started up the street, when his hat blew
off and went spinning along SO fast that
he could not overtake it. and a street ur-
chin started the cry. stop theft
Others took up the shout. and finally a
crowd followed in hot pursuit. until he
was overtaken and arrested. His ex-
PLANTATION was laughed at, the police the
DRY being that he had fled from the scene
Of his crime without his hat.
So Bills brother was locked up over
night and had the modification of seeing
his name in print in the morning, when
he was discharged.
So he gave the opal to Tom. and Tom
was very glad to have it and lost no time
in sticking it in his scarf. Bills brother
on the way home picked up a $40 bill on
the sidewalk and when be arrived home
found a man waiting to make arrange.
ments to mortgage his property to him
for $4,000 at 6 per cent, a gilt edged in
vestment. which made him believe that
the other man had been presented with
an opal.
Tom bought a turkey on the way
home and left it in the train rack when
he stepped off. And when he went into
the house he was Mortified to learn that
his wife had been cajoled into purchas-
ing 81 worth Of glee club tickets.
II am surprised that you should yield
to the arguments of those ticket iends.
Indeed, you are a jewel of consistency"
he said, with biting sarcasm.
Talking about Jewels" she replied,
with a vim equal to his own, II believe
that opal you have there has changed
Il luck. Where did you get it?"
cousin Luke gave it to me-"
"That explains it. Luke would never
give you or any one else anything of any
value to himself. What time did he give
1t to you?" asked his wife.
cat 2 o'clock this afternoon"
"And it was at 3 that l bought those
tickets. l didn't want them at all, be-
cause I needed the 50 they cost to buy
some velvet and other things to cover my
old hat and make it do for winter and
thus save the price Of a new one and
give you a chance to buy an overcoat.
But l couldn't resist. Have you had any
bad luck today?
II left a turkey on the train" said
Tom.
"Of curse you did," snapped his wife,
"and I suppose you had counterfeit mon
ey palmed off On you in change. Just take
out your money and see."
He ished some silver out Of the pocket
In which he carried his small change, and,
sure enough, there was a lead so cent
piece.
"That about cancels my purchase of
the glee club tickets, doesn't It" she said,
with an air of triumph seldom equaled in
a battle picture. "Now look at your
bills"
= He thrust his hand into his vest pocket
and found that it had been cut out-sto-
len-money and all.
She buried her face in her hands and
sobbed:
"Oh, Tom, why did you buy me those
tickets"
II didn't" Tom protested.
Twas yov, Ala orJ ~ 800 o1.o Jsl
and
She was interrupted by a crash. The
cook appeared, frightened out Of her wits,
and shouted Historically:
'The boilers burst, and all the hair is
scalded off poor Fido."
So Tom rushed out and met me.
"Here's a beautiful opal s%carfpin," he
said. "Wouldn't you like to have It'll"
l thought of the ill luck it had brought
my poor great-grandfather and Aunt Cor
nelia, the antique virgin with the whirl-
ing eyes. l was almost afraid to accept
the proffered bauble. l did summon up
courage and took it, however, determined
to dispose Of it in such a way that 1t
would not be likely to cause any more
trouble in the family.
0O i tuIcEcu u JcWclEy DuOp uuU, SObblu8
the opal carelessly on the velvet pad that
lay ON the glass case, said: "Will you
kindly appraise this so called precious
stone, this opal? You as q dealer don't
share the superstition that possesses me,
and will therefore probably purchase 1t
at a fair valuation. 1t has made trouble
enough for me and mine, and I want to
rid myself Of it at any price,"
The dealer examined the stone for .
moment and said with a smile:
"Opal your grandmother. This Is not
an opal. It's a cats eye!"-Criterion.
Simply HORRIBLE.
"No, Weary, / shall never approach
that mans inhospitable door again."
"But, Limpy, it's six miles to de next
house."
Cant help 1t, IL it's 20. That man