The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-08-03
. TALISMAN EMERALD
GUARDED WITH REVERENCE
By MEXICAN INDIANS.
An American Woman is the First
Foreigner to Touch
the Gem.
New Orleans States.

New orleans 6tdlSSs
For years-ever since Mexico was open
ed to the white man--every traveller to
that romantic land has heard of the en-
erald of Oajaca. Rumor said that II was
huge almost beyond belief; whatever its
size, 1t was certain that the Indians be-
lieved in its magic properties. No white
man ever saw 1t; but now an American
woman has succeeded, through sister
woman's gratitude, where men found
failure.
This emerald of Oajaca has for ages
been the object of covetous interest on
the past of Spanish Viceroys. Mexican
Presidents and provincial Governors.
Great dealers in precious stones have
sought 1t, too. but the Indians, as the
lineal descendants OF the Aztecs, to whom
the emerald is supposed to have original
" belonged, hold 1t in superstitious rev.
erence and such safe-keeping that. until
recent years, little but unconhrmed leg
ends of the stones existence was known.
A few years ago President Diaz be-
came SO interested in the matter that he
decided to prove the truth or failacy Of
the reports of tf1is emeralds size and
value. without warning he suddenly APP
peared In the village where 1t was said
| the gem was secreted. He summoned the
| people into the plaza, and announced that
| If they would show him the emerald
| known to be in their possession he would
| in return proclaim public holiday and
| entertain them with fiesta at his own
| expense. He promised, as President, AMI
| by virtue of the same blood in his and
| their veins, that II they would accede to
/ his request he would not attempt to take
| the emerald from them Upon this a pro-
| Icnged consultation ensued among the In
| dams, the result of which was that from
/ aFa tn too ana Of fhaun held
| at arms length between his forefinger
| and thumb, the famous emerald, scintil-
/ lating in the rays of the sun. Diaz was
! DESTROYS of a closer inspection. and turn
/ ing to his guards, ordered the man to be
| brought to him. His actions, IL not his
4 words, were at once considered by the
| Indians to be suspicious. So they prompt
\ ly raised tumult, and amid the shouts
Of viva Porfirio Diaz!' Viva La Fies-
| tai" the man and the emerald disappear
| ed, and this was the only glimpse the
| powerful President was able to obtain of
it.
| An American woman had better for
| tune. 1t happened that her husband was
/ appointed to superintend the medical de-
/ partment of tho railroad being built
| through Oajaca. and incidentally saved
/ the life of an Indian woman. In her
| gratitude this woman begged to be al
| lowed to make some recompense. as the
American doctor had refused to accept a
i fee But half In jest he replied that II
she would show him the Oajaca emerald
he would be satisfied AT this the wo-
| man seemed greatly disturbed. She at
| first declared she knew nothing about 1t,
| but on being pressed further by the doc
tors wife she admitted knowing where 1t
| was hidden. Finally she agreed that II
| the doctor would solemnly promise to abb
| sent himself she would obtain the stone
and show 1t to his wife. For some unex-
planned reason she held so steadfastly to
this point that the wife must be alone
when the emerald was produced, that 1t
was yielded, though much to the doctor s
| disappointment.
So one morning shortly after the Indian
woman appeared at the physicians tenn
porary residence She made sure that the
doctors wife and herself were alene.
| then she produced the emerald from a
fold of her clothing. For about minute
only was the doctors wife permitted to
inspect the gem, while it was held Sc
curely in the Indian woman's fingers. In
size, according to the fortunate visitor :
account, the stone is as large as pig
cons egg, crudely polished, and of a rich,
grass green color. In its depths she no.
ticed a few black spots or flaws. which
goes far to prove that 1t is genuine
emerald and not volcanic glass, as has
been suggested. The purest emeralds are
seldom without flaws, this being one OF
the tests taken into account by experts.
In great haste the Indian woman again
secreted the gem and went out; but one
curious circumstance the doctor and his
wife remarked subsequently. During the
remainder of their stay in the village,
neither by word nor sign would she rec
ognize their previous relations. She
treated them as absolute strangers. To
her mind the risk she had run in show
ing the talisman of her tribe was full
compensation Tor the service rendered
The general belief is that the stone Is moi
secreted in any place but is concealed
on the person Of one of the Indians. and
passed on as circumstances may require.
II stssh is the case, the woman must have
obtained the gem by stealth, and during
the time 1t was in her possession she was
doubtless in no little danger of her life