The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-08-27

American boy OF about twenty years ago
could have looked down upon Mandalay, the
& capital OF Burmah, he might have seen what
B would appear to hm circus procession wind
ing its glittcring way through the streets, past
the grey bamboo houses. past the glistcning.
golden palaces OF the King. splendid III their bar
barrie magnihccncc, past the gay bazaars busy with
noisy traffic, out into the country roads and up
toward tho hills beyond And tho same boy might
venture many d guess before he would alight upon
the true purpose OF this gay train OF soldiers and
graudecs, and great elephants, brightly trapped,
walking with dignihcd and pondcrous tread For
just such a parade was peculiar to Mandaay, that
city OF tho sunshine. and the palm trees, and the
tinkling temple bells
Around the Burmese capital rise tho Ruby
Mountains with junglc-covcred slopes and wild
bcast-hauntcd forests. holding IN their cefts and
rcccsses stores of rich red treasure, The King OF
Burmah was called the Lord OF tho Rubies" he
owned all the mountain mines OF precious stones.
and when valuable gem found, runner from
the hills bore the glad news the palace. Then
the King would order his troops with all the
trappings Of state and the procession would
on the mountain road to meet the ruby, welcome
1t and escort it back to the monarch and the royal
treasury. For next to the sacred white elephant,
no possession was so cherished by the Burmese
royalty as the ruby.
In 1885, Burmah was annexed 10 England and
the British government took the mines The pro-
cessions longer wind their welcoming way to the
al. h,S, MI nj IN, tbo
sIudgy squdgy creek" and the ruby has lost bit OF
its charm by becoming merely valuable article oi
commerce, instead of almost sacred treasure.
All through the ages the ruby has been called
tho stone of good luck According the old stories.
whoever owned a ruby would fail IN anything
he undertook, for that beautiful jewel held in its
glowing red heart a magic power which always
brought success No matter how dangerous the
task the ruby to give courage and victory.
In the days of ancient Greece, when rich man
wished to express to 4 friend good wishes for wealth
or honor he sent to HIM a ruby engraved with the
figure OF an orator To-day, the ruby Is considered
tho luckiest OF stones. though the good fortune.
We sec it, lies in the owning of anything precious
for even the diamond is valuable gem.
The ruby is the stone OF July, and the hrc which
abidcs in its red heart is truly typical OF that burn
ing month Of summer, According to legend, how
ever this FIRE varied with the fortune OF the owner
4 popular superstition regard to the ruby was
the belief in its power to orctcll danger disaster
by tho changing of its color
il was a favorc talisman and ove-token in the
time OF the Crusaders Many gallant knight
clothed in armor has borne battle his ladys heart
in the shape OF the burning gem; has ridden out
TO wage war with the unbccvcr leaving pledge OF
his true love IN his sweethcars Keeping red and
flaming ruby
Henry wore 4 magnificent ruby at the Battle
Of Agneourt and it proved to be stone OF success
for him Queen Elizabeth had weakness for
jewels Mandcyillc says that she displayed to him
"a iair ruby, great like racquet ball Sir Johns
stories however, will always bear little pruning
Elizabeth presented I ruby ring to each OF her fav-
oritcs the Earls OF Essex and Suffolk, There IS a
sad little story connected with Lord Essexs ruby
When that noble sentenced for treason. was IN the
Tower awaiting his death, he sent the ring the gil
OF happy days, the Queen. Perhaps it would have
sotened her heart with its memories OF old time
friendship but she received it Instead. iel
into the hands OF Lady Nottingham, who. by he
husbands advice. withheld it When She was dying
Lady Nottingham sent for tho Queen and confessed
n May God forgive your cried Elizabeth Il "c'e
can"
The Coronation ring of Scotland was set with
raby 1t was the custom to send this Jewel with IN
eesscnger who notified the heir OF his coming
the throne. When James the Second made his un
iingly fight across the Channel. he had the rin
concealed in his person. and it narrowly escape
being taken by the fishermen who searched thci
royal passenger for gold The ring is now in th
royal collection at Edinburgh.
The finest ruby in the world is owned by In
King OF Burmah The largest European ruby is !
Russia and is the size OF a pigeons egg.