Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1922-02-11
CONDENSED
CLASSICS
THE MOONSTONE
~
By wILKIE COLLINS
Condensation by
Miss Jessie A. Parsona Smith
College Library

When wiIkie Collins met Charles
dickens, h's future was shortly de-
msssIv cor.sctsa .har..s ~" "1 NM. mi.
was conducting aRousehoId word. :,
and for II Collins contributed. as he did
Ior .An sns Year Hound also In
tales. ' "
The close friendship and co-oper.t,ov
Of Dickens not only found the directiou
,or collins 60 follow but Il seemed t.
,e.s. NJ. ZANE .s.t !. -s,a Is On on w VINE
full unwinding Of an intricate and ex.
citing plot, and the construction OF a
s .aos involvea mystery babies the
cumstnnces. He might lack S,mor a.,
to appreciate the finer shades of char
acter, but ne certainly conceived some
Of .tory he wa. mnsn.n LOT ma s own syps p.
his contemporaries.
"The Woman I'm white" (1seO) was his
.,s INC moonstone. tis0s)
large ana aevo,aN so,,np,n ~ -.
readers.
I'D EFORE the Mohammedan con-
quest the Moon-god, in his
Brahmin shrine, wore upon his
forehead one of the most beautiful dia-
monds In creation. Partly from its
peculiar color, partly from a supersti-
ton which represented it as partaking
OF the nature OF the deity whom it
adorned, and growing and lessening in
iuster with the waxing and waning of
the moon 1t first gained the name by
which 1t continues to be known In In
lila to this day-the name of "The
Moonstone." After passing from one
iawless hand to another, In 1850, after
the lapse of eight centuries the Moon
stone looks forth over the walls of the
sacred city In which It's story first be-
gan."
Throughout this long period the
Moonstone had been sought diligently
by three Brahmins and their success
ors. Their vigilance was, in 1S48, re-
warded by the sight of the Respondent
gem cleaning on the bosom of light
hearted girl. Rachel Verinder had re-
ccived the Moonstone as legacy from
an INSCRIPTIONS uncle who was in high
disfavor with the family. Knowing
that the Moonstonc brought ill-luck, the
sift was made In revenge
Although thoroughly admired at
Miss Verinder's birthday dinner. the
uncanny influence of the stone made
itself felt in the atmosphere of the
party. Two rival suitors were present
both cousins of Rachel verinder.
One, Godfrey Ablewhite, persuasive in
manner and eloquent as chairman Of
many charitable organizations, lived in
the neighborhood and had hitherto
gained the advantage which propinqui-
ty gave him over Franklin Blake, late
ly returned to England, bringing the
Moonstone, after several years spent
on the continent. The latter was a
,uest of Mrs. verinder three weeks be-
fore the birthday, where his gracious
ness and congeniality to Miss Verinder
made him most welcome. Hence it
was not surprising that Rachel fell in
love with him and refused the impor-
tunities Of Godfrey Ablewhite just be-
fore the birthday dinner. This major
tension, accompanied by various mis-
understandings on the part of other
guests, ended In a dispute between the
family physician and Franklin Blake
over the latter's sleeplessness In which
the doctor failed to convince him that
medicine could triumph over mis-
nerves.
On hearing a drum the guests rushed
to the terrace to be confronted by
three Indim jugglers. At word from
one of the diners, celebrated Indian
traveller, the intruders hurriedly re-
treated. This surprising turn of events
argued for putting the Moonstone into
especially safe keeping, but Miss Ra-
chel, with ideas of her own, insisted
on placing 1t in an unlocked Indian
cabinet in her dressing-room. The com
pany then dispersed. leaving Franklin
Blake, who looked wretched, and
Mr.. Ablewhite together. After much
Urging Mr.. Blake decided to take
brandy and water to help combat MS