The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-07-08
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THE LOST DIAMOND.

I've knocked about considerable il
my short time, and have perhaps, done
more work with less results than any
man in existence. / have gone through
the law, dipped in theOlOgy,S book {
spell at soldering, dabbIed in mechan.
les, got into surgery, and have at las
settled down as a plain, steady going
old country doctor.
In the year-Well, the date is of moi
much consequence, so that may pass
I was taking hand at matchmaking
west of the State. Being rather a shut
tIecOck on the battle-dore of circum-
stances than rambler from inclina-
ton, I was remarkably steady for q
rolling stone. l was temperate, kept
little company, and would sit of an
evening in the boss kitchen smoking
my old briar-WoOd pipe and reading
some work from my select library O1
fifteen volumes which was a strange
assortment on cunning, locomotive
manufacture, medical culture and the
like. There was q neighbor of ours
who would sOmRtinies drop in of an
tics, religion orskindred subjects, and
his quiet, OpenEWay made him great
faVOrite with me. ~HHis face belied his
nature, for while he was simple, good
bearted and rigidly honest, his features
were extremely hOmely, his nose twist
ed awry, his hair and eyebrows of a
dead black, and a nervous affection,
which coupled with certain snakishness
about the eyes, gave him an extremely
sinister appearance. He was an engi~
neer in factory in the neighbOrhOOd,
a married man, with quiet, plain lit
! tie woman for a wife, sensible and
frank spoken, like himself
Mr.. Greenfield, the gentleman for
whom l worked, was an excellent arti-
san, a man trusted to any extent by
those in the neighboThOOd, and, more
over, being an exquisite workman in
fine work, jewels of great value at
| times passed through his hands for re-
setting.
a wealthy gentleman residing close
! by, q Mr.. Cummings, had left with him
an exceedingly large and brilliant dia-
mOnd, worth at a rough estimate some
four thousand dollars in hard gold.
This diamond was set in an old fash
ioned, singular-IOoking brooch, and
was to be reset in a heavy gold ring.
The gentleman brought the jewel in a
wrapping - issue paper, and in his
pocket BOOK. Mr.. Greenfield re-
moved it from its setting and placed it
in our safe, in an old jewel case, whose
cover had been twisted off, and there it
lay with a napkin thrown across it.
Guy Scott came in that evening, and
while looking over some charts of ma
chinery, the conversation turned upon
safe locks. Mr.. Greenfield placed inn
plicit confidence in me, and knowing
the combination of our safe, l invited
Guy to examine it; it was standing in
the hall, between the store and the
y-sA Il al 10, II Rrior
to explain to him the principle of its
workings. With an involuntary move
ment pulled the napkin from off the
diamond, and a stray gleam of light
striking it, it blaZed splendidly in the
gloom about it.
"What's that?" said Scott, with
start, a diamond ~
Yes, I replied, carefully closing the
safe, "a stone of great value. You
mustn't mention it's being here.n He
promised, and, as thought, there was
an end to it; so we fell to smoking our
pipes and chatted until it was pretty
late in the evening.
Myers" said Scott, as we were
standing at the back door, for mo-
ment, before saying good night, "
want you to lend me twenty dollars un-
til Saturday. TO-mOrrOws quarters
1S4AG bsAJ StL4O Gil I'LL AC$OAASA h0AAOAS
can you do it ?''
"Why, of course" replied, taking
the money from my pocket-book.
You're very kind, old fellow" said
Scott, pressing my hand II felt
squeamish as the devil about asking
such favor, and I'll square as soon as
possible"
t"Don't mention it" said I, pushing
him from me, "ud trust you as soon as
any man living, Guy, and never be
afraid to ask me to split with you
when there's occasion"
He thanked me again and was gone.
rather oversight myself the next
morning, and when / came into the
shop, Mr.. Greenfield was hard at work
at his table, coat off, glasses on, at
watch which a man had just brought
in and was waiting for.
This man was Tom GOssage, well
known in town as a rakish, ne'er-dO
anything, who had plenty of money
and a handsome person, and whose
conscience being flexible, he was not
considered exactly a safe family man.
This was a character Tom bore, and l
noticed, with surprise, that the door of
the safe was ajar. This caTelessness on
Mr.. GTeenfield's part was, thought,
remarkable, and confess it gave me
quite q start.
70 make sure, went to the safe,
lifted the napkin, when I perceived
the diamond iUGs gone.
"Mr. GreenfieldW I exclaimed,
have you taken away the diamond
that was under this napkin ?''
"NO, no." he replied, turning ashy
pale; "yOu don't mean to say that it
is gone?''
at certainly is not here" I replied,
with my heart in my mouth.
"NOt there replied Mr.. Greenfield,
a gasp, "GOod God il must be there (;
no one could have taken it ~
1.-THE stone is gOne," said I quietly
"pray sir, compose yourself"
"Oh heaven, / am ruined man"
he said, frantically pressing his hands
to his face.
| "This matter should be investigat-
ed" said GOssage, moving to the door,
"and, if you like, I will at once send
up a constable.
"N No one shall quit this place." re-
piled, placing my back against the
door, "until thorough Investigation
| has been made"
For a moment his eyes met mine !;
then with deathly pallOr on his face,
he turned away and drew his handker-
chief to wipe away the beads of per-
spiration which had gathered on his
forehead. "JUst as you please" he
said, with q strange quiver in his voice,
"the precaution is no doubt necessary.
Mr.. Greenfield was searching the
shop up and down like one half crazed.
! Even through the excitement of the
moment / felt most intense pity for
him, for he was a kind-hearted, hard
working man, and the occurrence
would lessen the faith that people had
so implicitly put in him.
A boy was passing, and tapped on
the glass of the door and beckOned him
in. He came with eyes opened to the
Siza Of Sanaora and lle scanned stricken