The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-11-01

you will take in payment this curious old
snuf box which is Of great value"
He asked for his dressing case, and open
ed It, and took out an octagon shaped china
snu6 box, set in gold and rubies. 1t was
perfectly unique and Of inestimable value.
On beholding it the jeweler well nigh be-
traysd himself. The snuff box which NJ
7, presented to him was the one
which had been stolen from him q few days
before the robbery Of his diamonds. The
box was too remarkable to admit Of the
possibility Of mistake. Besides, it had
secret spring, by means Of which all the
ministries could be taken out Of their sit
tings. On the reverses were painted similar
subjects, but treated in the style Of indeli-
cscy peculiar to the age Of Louis XIV This
circumstance was important in proof of his
claim to the possession Of the box. When
NJ. 7 asked him to set value on il,
he said, without hesitation;
~ consider il worth more than fifty thous-
and francs
Fifty thousand francs'' exclaimed NJ
T, 81 thought it was valuable, but
but this far exceeds my estimation Of it,
"Sir," resumed the jcweler, ~ will not
rstrace what have said. l am an expert
dealer, and to me il may possibly be worth
more than the sum have mentioned. will
make this proposition to you you shall take
the rings you have selected, and you shall put
the box under an envelope, stating il to be
my property and if it does not bring more
than fifty thousand francs you shall have
my rings for nothing"
M. tt, was completely blinded by
this deep scheme He was a good connois-
seur Of objects Of Virfu, and he was not
little gratifed to find his box so much over
valued, and to be enabled to obtain the rings
without opening his purse The most exag-
gerated valuation Of the snuff box would
scarcely have exceeded seven or eight thous-
and francs. He sent for two of his neigh
bors. one Of which was q notary, and the
matter was arranged comfortably with the
jewelers. proposition. This being done, the
invalid said
WHO will fix the price Of the box %
"You, sir" coolly replied the jeweler
"Mes you arc jssting.''
81 assure you, sir am quite serious
would willingly lay good wager that
you will value the box at five thousand
francs.
NJ. T directed at the two witnesses
look which seemed to say, the man is mad;
but the jeweler added
"You will value it at that price ! am
certain you will But first of all / have to
acquaint you with little circumstance con-
nected with this box, which will enable you
to perceive its real value
NJ. T full of curiosity, and anxiety,
consented to hear the jewelers. commune
cation in private. The two neighbors, TAX
ing the box with them, adjourned to the
drawing room NJ. = and the jeweler
being left alone the jeweler said
'.Sir, it Is now about sixteen years ago
since that snuff box was stolen from me. and
n shorttime after you robbed me OF fifty thou
sand crowns worth Of diamonds under tho
assumed name of Prince Gargarin. have
now discovered you. My evidence relative
TO the robbery is on record You have de-
clared the snuff box to be yours, and can
prove having purchased it at public sale.
know a secret which will place the truth
Of my assertion beyond doubt. Now, sir,
tell me whether you are inclined to defend
yourself in the criminal suit which intend
forthwith to institute against you.
Every word uttered by the jeweler fell
like . thundcrbolt on the ears Of NJ. T.
Overwhelmed with the consciousness of his
guilt, his imagination pictured all the hor-
rors Of imprisonment, trial, sentence and
the scaffold He reelected, and the jeweler
said
"sir. I give you FIVE minutes TO form a
determination.
At the expiration Of that interval. NJ
=, in a tal,crng voice, directed the jew
eier to open drawer in which he would
find 1iiiets dc 60ngue for five hundred thou
sand francs payable nj the bankers that
same day This being done, the ,jeweler
called the witnesses.
!" Gentlemen" said he, Il have nj length
convinced NJ. T of the real value of the
snuff box. You see the price at which he
has purchased il back from me.
81 have given you FIVE hundred thousand
francs" said NJ. r.
Here is your box :" said the iewe!er. re-
storing it, and will let you have the rings
into the bargain
The notary, who wns no less amazed than
the other witness, said:
:. There is some mystery IN all this
Probably there is. replied the .jeweler.
q. NJ. T. may explain if he pleases for
my part, promise him eternal secrecy
With these words, he took his departure,
leaving the witnesses hewildered in a maze
of conjectnres. NJ =, though immense
~ rich, The was said to possess upwards Of
three millions) never recovered from the
modification attendant on this unexpected
discovery.