Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1845-09-27

IA rich case Of this kind in which two !
the fraternity, one Southerner and th.
other a New Yorker, figured pretty con.
spicuously, occurred in this city last week
! We give the facts as related to us; indeed
they want no amplifcation. The whole
sporting world Of Gotham has had pail
in the side for several days past, in conse
quence of the paroxysms Of laughter il
which it was thrown by the deno.,msnt
We omit the names of the parties, but il
other respects the statement may be reliet
on as full and faithful. i
It appears that in the early part Of las
week Mr.. -, Of South Carolina, an cup
per crust" gambler, arrived in town, wild
plenty Of the fluid, for the purpose Of bet.
ting on The approaching race betw cen Pey.
tora and Fashion, and Of picking up any
thing verdant that might come in his way
Soon after landing from the Phil ,delphis
boat he wendell his way TO we'll known
restaurant in Park Row, where blackleg.
most do congregate, for the purpose d
meeting some Of his old acdiiaintances and
making professional inquiries. He had
just lighted his segar and was in the act 81
raising glass Of brandy and water 10 hi,
lips, when the flash Of large Jewel on the
finger Of one Of the craft who was perform
ing the same operation arrested lis a,ten-
ton. :s9ii
i "That's fine diamond" exclaimed the
Southerner, setting down his tumbler, and
STOPPING forward TO obtain closer view Of
the jewel.
4 "Yes," remarked the other, carelessly
cit ought TO be; ! gave FIVE hundred dol
lars for it, and got it cheap at that. wisl,
! had the value Of it now though, for got
regularly cleaned ont at --'s, Barclay
street, yesterday.
"What'll you take for 1t cash down.
said the Southerner, who, like most of his
tribe, was fond Of showing biiiionterie, and
having pocket full Of rocks, felt emark-
ably self-complacent.
WELL" said the New York land shark
speaking slowly, and taking puff at this
segar, at every second word, "as I want
money and you are pretty clever fellow,
| don't care if let you have il at four hun
dred and fifty dollars
'sSay four hundred, and it's bargain. .
"Well, as its you, the half hundred dol
lars shan't spoil trade. You shall have
it,"
The ring was transferred and the money
paid. BY this TIME the parties had become
the centre Of little knot Of knowing ones,
upon whose faces sat sneering express
sion, which the Southerner, who like all
gamblers, was good physiognomist, per-
ceived and did not relish. When the trans
action was completed, his keen ear caught
the sound of staggering whisper which
ran round the little circle, and he at once
concluded he was done. He showed no
symptoms Of suspicion however, but called
for champagne, treated the company, de-
clared himself delighted with the purchase,
and bidding his friends good evening, left
the place. Proceeding TO the store of an
eminent jeweller in Broadway, he placed
the ring on the counter, and asked the val
ue Of "that BRILLIANT" The ieweller look
ed at him and smiled. cit is paste,'' said
he, 'sand worth about Fifty cents
"Have you real stohe about the same
size and siape?" said the ,Southerner.
q have was the reply; and a beauti-
full table diamond, Of which tile mock stone
seemed fac simile, was prodliced.
The price was four hundred, dollars
The Southerner then exclaimed that he
wished to borrow it for a few days, and
would leave the value in the Jew ellcr's
hands until it was returned, and pay twen-
ty-five dollars for the use Of it. The pro-
position was agreed to, the real diamond
substituted for the counterfeit, and The
Scutherner left the store.
On the next evening lie paid another
visit to the restaurat, and found the old
party assembled. They all began to quiz
him; declaring that he had been regularly
sucked INF" that his ring was not worth
dollar, &C., the former owner Of the trink-
ct appearing 10 enjoy the joke more than
the rest:
aWell, gentlemen said the supposed
dupe, with self-suiicient air, ssyou may
think what you please; know it's dia-
mond. I've travelled some, and I'm not
to be taken in so easy as you think for
I'll bet hundred dollars this is real
brilliant"
The bet was taken up in an instant, and
others offered to the amount Of FIVE or. six
hundred dollars more, all Of which were
promptly met by the Southerner. The
stakes being put up, out sailed the sports
men to find a jeweller. The first they
questioned pronounced it fine diamond,
and worth from four to five hundred dol
lars; SO said the next, and the next. The
betters stood aghast!-it uds real dia-
mond, and no mistake; and as the South
erner pocketed the stin," he coolly OBJ
served: - tod you, gentlemen, had trar-
elled somel" II,
The following day he took The stone back
to the ieweller Of whom he had borrow cd
it, and had the composition counterfeit re-
placed in the ring, and in the evening he
sought The restaurat for the third t;me.-
The same set were there, but looked crest
fallen. Alter joking with them for some
time, our hero gravely addressed the cute
/ gentleman from whom he had purchased
the ring, after this fashion:
'sWell, my dear. fellow, i have lad my
| laugh out Of YOU; don't want to rob you,
and don't want the ring. Marquand has
offered me three hundred and fifty dollars
for II; you shall hare il for two hundred
and fifty dollars, and you can 60 to him TO-