Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-03-21

Oos Of the aosst gems in the Russian
crown Is magnificent diamond called the
Noon Of the Mountains. Like most csls-
brssed gems, 1t has . history. and . very
tragic - we'll - romantic one It is.
Three brothers. bearing the common
family name Of Chafras--so the story runs
were prom~nading one day the streets OF
Bag dad. Suddenly the eldest Of Tue .n'ee
stopped. and excai ed. pointing TOT stran-
ger who stooc on The opposte sioe OF the
s,reett "Here Is the Afghan that we have
been looking for 30 long
ale shall not escape US this Time" said
the two younger brothers; aud crossing
over they accostod tho stranger. who was
casting uneasy glanceS around him, like .
man apprshending some invisible danger.
| Allah is great fear nothing" said u
hir the eldest Of the brothers. -
| Chsfras, Of Bsssors, whom thou was seek-
ing everywhere. some time ESQ. u sell bin
precious stonss-smong others the diamond
called the Noon Of tho Mountains. These
are my bro,hess; We are very glad to meet
thee, aud We want to strike the bargain ct
once"
"Ah my good sirs, am sorry for you.
but am no longer the owner Of that su-
perb diamond"
"What hast thou done with itf"
"Allah b. praised have just sold 1t to
Mordscai, the Jew, for sx., five thousand
pins res and pair Of fine hor-cs.
Thou art n fool, and Mordecai is
cheat" SAID Chafras, furiously. IL would
have given thee twice that amount for it,
"Alish is great" replied the Afghan.
Il offered tnec the diamond for halt tue
money. ani thou hads the folly 10 re-
fuse IT,"
Il was because | believed thee to be .
rogue, and my conscience wo lid not per-
mt me 10 deal with thee. however, ITS
all over nov. Where lives Mordccai, the
Jswi'
Il shall conduct you to his house. my
, good sirs. SO that no III feeling may remain
between us"
The Afkhan then led thc three brothers
TO the bank Of the river Tigrs. aud, peint-
ing out the dwelling OF the son Of Israel.
> bede them farewell. They entered the hum
| ole abode
"Sen of jacob said the eldest Of the
Chairss, Ia . csjollng manner. II know
. tnou hast here diamond called the Noon
: Of the Mountains, a sapphire named the
Eye Of Allah, aud m'ny ether precious
s.onss. which thou hast purchased Of
wandering Afghan, by whom they were
i
! wishsst 10 sell them, aud allow thee hand
i some profit
What would'st thou givc!" asked the
Jew, with a kuosing look.
: "rhou hast given sixty-fvs Thousand
. pias,res and two horses to the Afghan
Wha, saycst thou Of scventy-fs thou
sandf'
II should be sorry to put thee in false
3 position by making thee the receiver Of sto-
! len goods answered Mordecai, with sar-
10 castic smile.
"Well, let US say one hundred aud hfty
tho1sand."
9 IL would not sell for . million. Go to
IN Thinkest thou know not the value Of wha,
e thou art so ANXIOUS to buy =
Thereupon the discounted Armenian left
the house with his companions. mutter
ing
4. ''lnfdel dog! Brothers, the old rascal il
-. too sharp for as lie will never consent I,
/. SELL
a, Consent or no consent" replied tn
On youngest with . significant gesture, ~,
must have the Moon Of the Mountains. -
n His companions nodded assent. and whei
N II became dark, they went back to tb,
,c house. killed the jew, and after casting hi
= body into tho river, fed with the treas
n uie.
in On the mex: day. the nurderers having
:, by chance, met with the Afghan. they in
!. v,tci him 10 take supper in their tent, which
-. they had pitched on a desert spot near th.
!, rigris. They poisoned his food, aud after
;. he died, they took the sixty five thousand
=, piasires he had received from Mordccai, and
I then sent his body to keep company with
that Of the jew in the river.
, 4 few minutes atter this second crime
q, tho three brothers we're flesing as fast 81
= their camss could AIRY them Towar,
N evening they halted in thick wood, an,
=. proceeded to share III. If booty. The mon
\. ey was easily disposed Of, but when il cam,
. to the division OF tho jewels they began Il
4, quarrel, as each one insisted on having 4,
N ms share the Moon Of the Mountlins, who's,
= value far exceeded that of all the othc
=, gems put together. A long and angry de
.. bate sprang up among them, which woul,
i, have lasted oil night, had not the eldest on
( wound It up by saying, "Although the dis
:. nond ius,lv belongs 10 me, for | Shove,
i. YOU the Afghan, WHO tut for my seem,
him. YOU coad have no, found still. ii
=. order That should be no haired an,
=. bad bt oil between the three Sous Of on
\, mother, let ~ leave this mst ter to the de
4, cislon OF the Prophet. Let Us 20 to sleep
:, and let each oAc relate to-anorrow whatever
>. dream he shall have had. la this manner
IN II viii become ear In whose favor Mo
I. BANNED decides and whoever in GRO
-, lcunced to base received the clcarest ant
r, most conclusive kisn OF the will Of tn,
=, Prophet shall become the owner Of tn,
4, Noon OF the Mountains. Let US all swcs
thy or fathers beard"
=. rhsyouuger brothers accepted the propo
!, sal, each ono with the secret determination
!, OF inventng such . dream ~ would demon
i. stratc to his partners that Mobammed's de
m c'sicn was clearly in his owr favor. $50,
IN the author Of he compromise, he not think
>. ing for one moment OF the dream he was Il
/, relate in the morning bat having placed
}, without being perceived by the others
l. some poison in their cups, he saw, with q
!. tendlsh joy, tho two sons Of his mother
wriihing With the torments Of bodily pam
n and disappointed avarics. Leaving thsis
carcassss TO be dsvoured by the vultures,
and having become the sois possessur Of On
7, immense fortune. he mounted his camel.
. and having sold him on the way. disguised
!. himself ~ beggar. On HE arrival in Con.
, stantinopls. after long and perilous jour-
; ney, no there took passage on = Clutch ves-
i sci bound for Amsterdam. Feeling certain
q that At the latter place he was cut Of the
. reach Of punishment for the crimes, he gave
!. out on his arrival that he was an Eastern
lewelsF, and informed the ambassadors Of
= the vasicus courts that he had soue mag.
!. niticsut diamonds for eaie.
. The fame Of the Neon Of the Mountains
!. snd OF the Eye Of Allah had extended 60
Europe. IL was known that they had been
:. long IN the possession Of the Persian mon.
srchs, and ,hst after the murder Of Nsdis
: Schah, they had been stolen By cane ~.
d'ers, Who hsd disocsed Of them without
being a~arv Of their value For nou,hs,
= Tor years, M purchaser called on Ohsfras.-
! The fr't offer he had came from Catherine
IL OF Russia. From the noslsdgs posses
sed by The Court Of St. Pe,ersburg Of the
, aasirs Of Persia. the true value Of { . Moon
! Of The 00uutains was not unknown in che
I nalacs ofthc Semiramis Of the Norsh.--
. Chafras declared that he would not part
With HE fatnous di,mcnd unless they gave
him patent Of nobility, Eve hundred thou