The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-02-14
Gem LONG PRICED
Emerald Figures Largely in His.
tory and Legend.
Princess Mary's Love Stone has III
spired Both Saints ard Poets-Re-
ferred TO in Scriptures.

Emeralds wili be set in the mos!
fashionable engagement ringS "f tiiH
future. for Princess Mary bad an einer-
aid engagement ring.
The emerald o. acreage quality IS
much more valU;iria S4n the diamond
Of equal quality, o..,,F,a,' The London
Tit-Bits
The finest emeralt}S &.e Nth S22.3D
q carat. While good-s;zed gem might
weigh anything from Eour 10 SlS
carat>: $500 10 %-!uO 4 carat IS = MINI
mum price. The output OF emeraldS Is
very small.
The emerald is given place OF
honor in history and literature the
beautiful gem was most praised among
the ancients, not only foT its beauty.
but alsG on account Of its rarity. 1t
VAS a favorite stone with The Roman
.anrer0rS and, later, with high dGnl-
fa;ies of the church. Il IS named
twice in tie book of Exodus as one OF
the /. Jewels in the high priest
hreastplaie Of judgment. ranking n
the second row with the sapphire and
he diamond.
The heSt-known scriptural references
are in Revelation. where the rainbow
around the throne is compared IN ITS VI
vid greennaSs 10 an emerald: while
he same jewel forms one Of Tie l.
foundations If the new Jerusalem.
George F.lior. in "Middlemarch,' re-
fer - the singular beauty of these
pass -. '.!t is strange" she says,
how n~epIy colorS seem 10 penetrate
Gne. tike scent. | suppose that IS the
reason Why gems are used as spiritual
emb3 srus il the Revelation OF st. John.
They look like fragments Of heaven.
in 9e.nysoH's poem. Columbus,
The &iScurerer used the passage III
Revelation 10 describe the San Saliva
dor as he first deserted it.
In contrast We nay mention the
emerald monocle' through which
Nero. whom the latest commentators
regard as the Beast" of the ReVeia-
ton. gaZed at the agonies Of his VIC
TINS in the arena.
A more pleasant legend may be
quoted from Montaiembert, the famous
French author. He describe how IN
the early ages of monasticism q Ger
tain monastery was transformed by
its founder into a hospital for lepers
and cripples. Behold said he, IL
showing the ladies OF Alexandra the
upper floor. which was reserved for
women. behold, my iacinths" then.
in conducti:is them To The floor below,
where the men were placed, See my
emerald.
The nlosr celebrated medieval gem
was the so-caiied emerald of Genoa.
known as the Sacro Catino. 1t was
presented early in the Twelfth cen
tury to the cathedral by the crusader
Embrace, having been brought by him
from the siege Of Caesarea.
The relic. huge single stone. WIS
said 20 be Ehe dish from which our
Lord ate the Last Supper. 1t was
believed by some 10 have been SlEes
bv Solomon 20 the queen of SheDa.
The Sacro Catino was removed to
Paris during Napoleon'S wars. and was
discovered to be only an ancient piece
of Venetian glass. It is still shown,
much mended. in the cathedral OF
Genoa, to which place it was restored
by the French.
In the Fifteenth and Sixteenth cen
turtles the emert3G s mentioned fire.
among inv@ntor;es Of crown
Jewels. Mary Que. o. Scots pos
sessed at one time many specimens OK
this regal gem.