OPALS AND LUCK.

Evening Star, Issue 9582, 31 December 1894, Page 4 (Supplement)

OPALS AND LUCK.

; In referring to the Wairarapa disaster, Sydney ' Sunday Times' tells a story which ■ will no doubt be accepted by the superstitious as quite correct. The prejudice against the owning or wearing of opals dies , hard, but of late years this beautiful stone has become much more fashionable in court and society circles, and the mines of Queens- » land and New South Wales have greatly benefited thereby. Still, a large proportion b of the population (some of them otherwise hard-headed and not given to superstition) are firm believers in the myth that opals are i the most unlucky of precious stones. There is an opal incident in connection with one of the chief actors in the Wairarapa tragedy which will be heard with interest both by the believers and unbelievers in the ■ ill-luck theory. The late Captain M'lntosh was passing a well-known city jeweller's just prior to starting upon his last and fatal voyage. An opal pin in the window took - his fancy and he entered the shop to price , it. The owner asked a certain figure, and i the captain offered a couple of pounds less. They did not come to terms, and the wouldbe purchaser left the shop. But he was so [ much taken with the, jewel that he called again, and, to " split the difference," agreed i to give £1 more than he had previously offered. The seller, however, would not i abate one shilling in the figure first named, - and after being half inolined to pay that r sum Captain M'lntosh ultimately left the shop with the remark that he would see about it when he returned from the trip '. which was to commence that dav. How mysteriously fatal the trip proved is only ; too well known. Had the opal been pur- ) chased, the believers in the mystic evil fad would have points to the circumstance ; with particular emphasis. ■ i ■ i ———» Professor Virchow was asked by an in-" , quisitive American recently at what hour he , was accustomed to go to bed. " When my day's work is done," he answered. '' It may > be one o'clock, or three, or five, but it is my , rule not to sleep until I have finished what I have to do." In spite of this irregularity of habit, Profestor Virchow at seventy-two , is a very energetic and active man, " There never was a husband," exclaimed MrsStrongmind, " that was worth his salt," "And only one wife," meekly replfed the husband. "Her name, my dear,l thinkj wasMrfsLot," ,'''■„ ■<,