The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1869-08-31 00:00:00

A GREAT JEWEL ROLM AT
_ .. •

I •eill not t—ilentlon the name of the "74:sir,' arm
wiih which I was Sown sears .40 cone • ""sd, but tat it
malice that their name was well Imo and that tha
male ofseture vi or, than one regal visdem had been
intra.t al to their abided 006611060. I was with mama:.
&me twelve or fourteen 700.0• it was during that
perio I that the i.e. ent. I MT allOO., to relate occurred.
A. • matter of *muse, the strut lost, injunctions reapeet-
ing c.re, caution, and gratobfulne• • are tuned to all the
• elotC., especially to timme eh,: le daily bosines• bring.
ton, into comsat with the pabli ; and being Marcyi in
tar • show run,, myself. 1 tycs 0 jest them in 166.00 the
ele era of the erre phi, ed coati dee", 'the
• that being tolerably the. aehtfel, sharp of ape. and
• llood fudge of Items, 1 row a to occupy one of the inoot
ro,poositile positions, land 'to 01 were always intresteu
t 00... rather dellioste, cri•menl, and cautiomdeinandio•
no 16.00 ii. s, where Cu Source wished for jewel. to be vent
ti their houses for %impaction.
In ma: course of Mine, a little feeling of jealonay
wrens ;t u 11 not tamable nor, for, either born
r, tra c.v., or ft um gond fortune, 1 bad not is any 'lnds
a., or been C an.. of tom to my employers—• state of
tiafsemon I Arany to be enjoyed by either of toy
10 other.a.al* emits, so many, so ingenious, and so cue-
ft.lly color ...pi win*, in those day., the plans for defraud.
I. g thr• g: rat jewellers. Ido sot know that any vary
cre4 ini',irovvinent has taken pima of late yews ; but
ti isteoo.. is with the put, and I relate accordingly.
Net • so many were the trick., that when • visitor
to the show rooms, the first qu. 'Moo we bad to
was : "Is this • lady or • sharper
try oftvn the swindlers, or thieve., wore tatty to
at,ct ; for though dressed in the extreme of fashion, ,
and arrivint in a brougham, there would be
mu slip of the teegue—seetne vulgarism—which would
ay them. Frequently, • I.lololoeed hot II wrongly
4.l.iival verb bee mom.' suspicion', shish defeated •
ttavlevly tleuned swindle, and sent the disappointed
am, to lament thvir ill success, or often to gaol. HIV
Wlth all care, the jewellers' enstui a am. no many, and
their io6llcll 60 heavy, that, in spite of enormous
prolit., the balance-sheets et the end of Oho year are
nal so uttiefastory as is supposed for those who follow
this artistic business. Now a well.dremed 'maple would
•....e and look at tome rings, turn them over half an
heir, and then leave, declaring there was nothing to
perhaps before, more often after, their
departure, ono or two valuable gems have been missed
—taken no one could tell how. Twioe over, sadatants

:.:1;;d jewels to to taken into the ocit room, at lartbe
It in, to show • sick lady, and risme back ruefully to
sinrumice the sick, as well ea the wand, lady had di.-
at Time. out of number. ring, Chain, ur bracelet
Las bCD snatched Ifolit COWAN' or table ; °um such a
tl, ug happensd when I well. waiting, bet • prevented
114 1 etoppiil the marauder before be reached the door
--a doer already bolted by the porter • and my (rimed
wi c .uonitted for trial, and afterwards transported.
(Ice •• ect oompany of visitors purobasel Novas to the
tout of nine hundred pounds, whet the gentiourin of
iiir pair wrote cheat on ilia spot for the amount—
liurn,..nls, of Charing Croat being his bankers—hut
aa I ut•pited ts the jewels being takes away until the
ch. it ci. Armoured, I was courteously told to semi
tlAm to M.rley's Hotel, anil, half a irry to be compeller'
rw the ala..llllli. I bowed the dieting ginned customer
t-ut.

-
.• Here, .toliason," I said to on* of our torn. 'run
tit"th ot on to Lfrotuntoial.', .4 proaaot tilts cheque ;
to+, t cab." .

In half•an-hour Johnson was back with the cheque
Lt.nd. I with the words " o «Heat,"
I rvesived an invitation to dine with the head of our
tarn. alter that, and returni g home at night wearing
sic'Aildwnrn gold watch. "A reward for your
swd the o!il gentleman clapping me on
alsollder. " You'il be in the firm 7.1, Willis, that
poi with.'
••I tope I may," I thought, as I went home that
Lt .bat the happy constoomati.in never arrived, since
out mortal, cud like other men, liable to be
Jr toad ; though, upon amateur-0r consideration, I
lon% t iuk I ma. very well geed.
I was stated one day beefily examining some stones
4.1 h awe lobe vast faith. Counter of Maraschino,
0r1..,ra the ',lantana came softly an.
"1.., alit,. up Willis," he said,"and go anal attend
• I' Ott.', in the frost show room. Thomas is
Silt il ii, 68.,1 I don't half like their looks."
hca.a. al Iwo the elauw room to relieve Mr. Thomas
of I. is •k, which be gave op with very bad epee, and
.1 1. Iteien to the demands of a tall lady and
.21 loon in black, both of whom wore reepiratort, and
14001° an low 1111• Iii voices. The gentleman looked very
pot at, I X, said the lady was very cloudy veiled as to
Um lapin a loin of htf face : but noon any approach she
tl.rew althea fall, mud diaplayed the bright bold eyes of
loslaisoute

lioss't look suipleious,” I thought, se I evaded the
glstsze Mies:toast use ; for OUT rule is not to look at the
but bawls—or rsther fingers, which sometimes
zII. OUt to I.e lilst. hi this Cue, though, the laay's
',Oa palace, siod the geatleusass's thus, white, isud
4s - us isissola's hands, in feet, and I proceeded to
1.-z to tbear dames:a. _ .

...............
" Well, Las, what., it to be?' said the gentleman. 11
" I thought you had decided, love," was the reply.
" s ,rntosing simple, and not too expensive now. whet-
ev, r wee may deride upon hereafter. Why not keep to
•11141 tou said—a brood. t, or a rims ?
" Well show me some bracelet.," the gentleman sad. i
"We no not went anything of high pet., hut ameeth mg
pretty, lisht, and utted for • young lady of eighteen,
about to be inarrieiL"
I iro.eded to open seas setter case of bracelets of all
prices, from ten to five bombed guineas sash; but
thetiAli they were fastidious and bard to pleeee, I was
beund to conk, the lady's taste was exeellent, and
that the gentleman WAS no Mean eCiationlartir in gems.
" I rather like that," said the gentleman at 1.. t,
selecting a eery pretty but blight be...let, set with a
sapphire suerounoed by pearls. " What is thy price r.
" 'I hat is .ixtv geiaaris," 1 Said-
" Yes. it's pretty enough." said the lady, " but not
sufficiently geed,"
" You mean not valuable enough," rid the gentle-
man ? "hut )ou know the old proverb about the
itift.borlrei Latins, eill nut study the value, depend
upon ii; and besides, I don't me anything I lake half so
well."

"lie's it then, dear," was the reply ; sad then,
directly ahoy, " Ah, whet • sweet cross V' exclaimed
gbe lady, looking at an enamel end gold °filament
lying in • cage- end whi...h I immedietely opened—for
I must confess I had almost forgotten our principal's
s uspisions.
" It is • sweet thing!" exclaimed the lady, examining
I.b, ; "such a fine pear;, too. io Ulu metre. 1
▪ out lieu it.
'• Wind, to give to Locelle r said the gentlemen
No;CDII
of douse not. I lane Id it myself."
" .My dear Lillis, this is not a linen disuse's shop,"said
the g :utleman with a shrug, and then thcre wee • smile
ao.l A whisper between them,
n het is the price of the cross !' said the gentleman
at hot
"Ii ty guinea-. " I said.
"It *gems e cOod deal for a* small an ornament,"
allid 1.0.11.11, tUrnin4 and returning the cross ;
bat I oxi.lmmd that the size of the pearls inorerom
It .. Cob ; and after a little hesitetion decided ta take it
alien I sew that he was rewarded by • quiet pressured
hr he n.I from hi. o .inpsnion, whose eyes then met
ma, at 1. northfully for moment.
..VOl erea nice ervature, I expect," muttered I to my-
▪ coax bon nut of everything you fancy, and then
161.41. Ir, your sleeve," but my eyes were wanted
gnarl tiai valuable assortment of jewellery displayed,
aad 11.e7 were bolt the neat instant to business.
Wham, coal .in three sir ?" I Inquired.
" .11. ! we'll take them," said the lady ; "we will not
Would. you to mud."
I mtpleined that it would be no trouble, but they held
to their determitortion ; and upon payment being re-
que,4o.l, the gentlemen drew out. cbeque-book, asked
gor pee and ink, and wrote • cheque for one hundred
tad too guineas upon a small city bank.