Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-24
OPAL SUPERSTITIONS.
Origin Of Idea They Are Unlucky
Belief of the Ancients.
From the Pan Mall Gazette.

From tine Pail Mall Gazette
The jewel of October is the opal. The
Greeks believed it possessed the power of
bestowing second sight on those under
its influence. provided they did not use
the power for selfish ends. By it's misuse
they became unlucky in love, disappoint-
nlent and misfortune logging their foot
steps.
The theory was started that for occult
reasons the opal was unlucky or that it
brought i'll luck to its possessor, and sue
ceeding generations have inherited the
distrust that was thus aroused.
The idea that opals were unlucky is
thought by many to be on account OF
assigned to it in his "Anne of Geier-
stein" But the gem must have ap-
pealed to so great a lover Of beauty In
animate and inanimate nature as Sir
Walter and it must have been far in
deed from his thoughts to engender Su-
perstition by giving bad name to a
marvellous example of creative energy.
The opal is also associated with miSfor-
tune by Russians of both sexes, who
should they chance to see an opal among
the goods displayed for purchase will
buy nothing more that day, and ii is a
curious fact that the Japanese being
under the sign that this stone belongs
TO, should be the nation to bring such
i'll luck to the Russians during the dis
astrous war between these two coun-
tries.
The Romans of old loved the opal so
well that they bestowed upon ii the name
of lovely youth" 1t never occurred to
them that il was gem which carried
i'll luck TO its poSsessOr. Lucky indeed
did that Roman esteem himself who was
the owner of an ORAL that filed his
Ieighbor with envy.
In the middle ages there were not want
ing men who shared the Romans weak
ness, for opals did not lose their popu-
laTity time went on. Each century
brought its own JOYS and sorrows. luck
and i'll luck to the human race, and each
age brought its fashions iE jewelry as
in clothing. but the opal remained high
in favor and entered largely into the
adornment of both sexes. It's frangi-
bility was well known. but this was re-
garded not as failing so much as a
special claim on the care of all who
handled il.
Alone among jewels the opal defies the
ingenuity of the initator. IL owes its
charm not so much TO its OWN intrinsic
merits as to the spiendor of the rays OF
light that il reflects. 1t is "a chameleon
of stones. Pliny. writing 1.s13 years ago.
piercing fire of carbuncles, the purple
Drilliancy of amethysts and the sea green
OF emeralds, the whole blended together
and refnlgent with It brightness that is
quite incredible.
Unlike other gems. the opal IS a stone
with temper The diamond rises SUI
perior TO climate, Ak also does the ruby
the emerald and the sapphire, but the
opal has an organization so delicate
that IL loses color when exposed To Sc
we're cold and becomes dull under the
Influence OF moisture. But when warmed
10y the rays of the sun or even by the
temperature of the hand IL RECEIVERS its
good humor, resumes its exquisite bril-
liancy. Prejudice dies hard, but with re-
card TO the opal it is the wane and
the day is probably not distant when
he gem Will not longer be regarded with
superstition.