Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-03-01
Mr.. BAKERS RING.

Mr. Baker himself told us this story
He said il was true; nor is this unlikely
| have known Mr.. Henry Baker person
ally for a number of years, and | am in
clined to think he has hitherto never in
all his life told the truth. Now, it is SC
manifestly improbable that the most con
sistent man should protract long and
useful career Of story telling to such ex-
traordinary limits, without at some period
telling the truth by sheer misadventure
that it is quite likely Mr.. Baker may have
committed himself in this instance. Al
least, the time has arrived for human ma
ture to assert itself, according to the doc
trine of averages.
"Only once, gentlemen" said Mr. B.,
''have | been deceived William Henry
keeps his eyes open, in general way;
William Henry also takes the liberty of
seeing out of them. He uses them, as a
rule, for the purpose of observation, gen
tlemen. Still, admit was, once, taken
in by as dead swindle as could be; am
not ashamed to own it. | made money
by it, after all; but ! was swindled. =
ut was about a diamond ring. knew
the fellow who had it for many years in
the way of business. He was CONNER
cial traveller, and used always to flash
this ring whenever he came round on
his journeys. A jeweller friend of mine
who happened to be in my office once
when Mr.. Block called, asked, | remem-
ber, to be allowed to examine it; and had
pronounced the stones to be diamonds of
the purest water, telling me afterwards
the ring was worth about seventy pounds.
Mr. Block initials were engraved inside
the hoop of the ring h. b. and besides
that, it was ring of peculiar and rather
old-fashioned make. Indeed, having once
seen the ring no one would likely mis-
take it for another. Well, Mr. Block got
into difficulties, and went so entirely to
the bad, that | never saw or heard any
thing more of him. But about two years
afterwards, whilst walking down back
street. my eye was taken by ring ex-
hibited in pawnbrokers window Mr..
Blocks ring, | exclaimed directly; I'll
swear to it, Itwas in a tray with num-
ber of very seedy-looking rings, and was
as discolored and dirty as they were. /
went into the shop and asked to look at
it. The pawnbroker, an old jew, said,
Yesh; / might see his ringsh; but he
didn't know mosh about ringsh himself.
They wosh unredeemed pledges-thash
what they wosh-and they wosh all mark
ed at the monish advanshed upon them,
with a very shmall overplusli for interesh
-thash all he knew
"There was no mistake about it. 1t
was Mr. Block ring, and had his initials
inside. But how did the jew get it? He
would soon tell me. Referring to his
book he found it had been pawned two
years ago in the name of smith Thash
all he knew. Would | buy2 1t wosh
dirt sheap-three poundsh twelve; and
cosht him all the monish
"'Three pounds twelvel | repeated,
he had made mistake; for the
ring was worth twenty times that amount
"'Well, ifit wosh too dear, he had some
sheaper ones--beautiful ringsh, he dare
he knew sho leetle about ringsh
you shee, exshept that he alwaysh ad-
vanished too mosh monish on them. One
couldn't understand everything in his
you shee, from hat-ironsh to
IL bought the ring, after beating the
Jew down half a crown, partly to prevent
his suspecting its value, and partly-well
knowing the disposition of the peculiar
oblige him.
81 wore my purchase about, with no
little inward satisfaction at having pet
tered a jew at bargain. In my own
mind accounted for its coming into his
somewhat in this way; MIR.
Block must have sold the ring when in
difficulties to some one else. TWAS quite
certain Mr.. Block had not pawned 1t at
the Jews, or the jew would have known
its value The ring must, then, have
either been lost by, or stolen from, a sub
sequent possessor; and the finder, or thief
whichever it happened to be), being ig-
norant of its value, had taken 1t to the
lew, who knew no better.
"There is certain commercial club in
our town, which ! occasionally visit;
he members of an easy and somewhat
lively disposition; generally given to in
iulge in that playful style Of banter pop
ilarly known as ehaff. Ny diamo nd
-ing came in for share oft. | can sulnd
,haff as well as most men; but | put it
% you, If, when you know very well your
Drilliants are real, it isn't little annoy
ng for the chaff Of whole body of peo-
pie TO assume the character of persistent
disbelief in the value of your jewelry2
For instance, thewaiter answers the bell
did any gentleman ring?
40 yes, one Of the members would
retort; 'itwas the gentleman with the paste
Again, there are kinds Of sham bril-
iants known as Irish Diamonds and Isle
Of Wight Diamonds The club (not one
OF two members, but the whole body re-
fused to recognize such distinctions, and
insisted on designating the whole class Of
shams as Bakers Diamonds. Bakers
Paste, my gems were also denominated.
They actually sent me by post a circular
of somebody's Baking Powder. adding to
L nj tiar end, where II says the public is
respectfully cautioned against spurious
limitations, but more particularly a.
gGiHsfa a spcci0us preparation 10 deeeire
The unraTy, knotca as Bakers Paste
Now. after two or three weeks, this be-
came tiFcsome. Still. / took no notice,