little commercial importance at present. 

 Opal does not seem to have been ex- 

 tensively known or used by the ancients, 

 although we know the Romans prized 

 it highly and ascribed to it the power of 

 warning against disaster. The Roman 

 Senator Nonius owned one set in a ring 

 which was said to be valued at nearly a 

 million dollars. Historv records that for 

 refusing to sell the stone to Mark 'An- 

 tony he was sent into exile. The next 

 most famous Opal in history is one 

 owned by the Empress Josephine which 

 was called "The Burning oi Troy," on 

 account of the brilliancy of the flames 

 which shot forth from its depths. The 

 present whereabouts of neither of these 

 gems is known. A large Mexican Opal, 

 now in the Field Columbian Museum, is 

 carved in the image of the Mexican sun- 



god, and has a setting of gold represent- 

 ing the diverging rays of the sun. This 

 gem is very ancient and is believed to 

 have been kept by the Aztecs in a tem- 

 ple, so it is probable that the Aztecs 

 knew and prized Opals. 



The Arabians believe that Opals fall 

 from heaven with the lightning's flash, 

 a beautiful fancy, indeed. Modern usage 

 makes the Opal the birthstone of the 

 month of October, some of the proper- 

 ties assigned to it being that it has the 

 power of making its wearer a general 

 favorite, enhancing the keenness of his 

 sight and shielding him from suicide. 



October's child is born for woe 

 And Hfe's vicissitudes must know; 

 But lay an Opal on her breast 

 And Hope will lull those woes to rest. 



Oliver Cummings Farrington. 



THE CROCUS. 



"Rest, little sister," her sisters said — 



Violet purple and wild-rose red — 



"Rest, dear, yet, till the sun comes out, 



Till the hedges bud, and the grass blades sprout. 



We are safe in the kindly earth, and warm — 



In the upper world there is sleet and storm. 



Oh, w^ait for the robin's' true, clear note, 



For the sound of a drifting wing afloat ; 



For the laughter bright of an April shower 



To call and wake you, sweet Crocus flower." 



But brave-heart Crocus said never a word. 



Nor paused to listen for note of bird, 



Or laugh of raindrop * "^ * In rough green vest 



And golden bonnet, herself she dressed 



By the light of a glow worm's friendly spark. 



And softly crept up the stairway dark. 



Out through the portal of frozen mold 



Into the wide world, bleak and cold. 



But somehow a sunbeam, found the place 



Where the snow made room for her lifted face. 



— Madeline S. Bridges, in Ladies' Home Journal. 



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