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Show The Opal. While most gems owe their tint to the presence of some foreign coloring mat-. ter the many hued and beautiful opal ' differs. It is opaque, deriving its beauty j from the marvelous property it pos- j . . Besses of decomposing the rays of light, 1 and thus reflecting from its polished , eurface all the colors of the rainbow. It needs, therefore, no brilliant, but appears ap-pears to the best advantage when alone. It is at present among the most prized of gems, and has held its place for ages. -, Mark Antony once offered 170,000 for an opal the size of a hazelnut, but the owner, Nonius, a Roman senator, pre- I ferred exile to parting with his treasure. I In spite of their value opals are unsafe investments, for time and exposure dim - their luster, while their sensitiveness to heat is go great that the warmth of the hand has been known to crack them. The finest stones come from Hungary, and among the Austrian crown jewels are gems of greater size and beauty than that which tempted the Boman emperor, i London Court Journal I |