Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-01-21
A DIAMOND STORY.
The Latest Slight Of Hand I'm q
broadway stage.
From thu Navv York Mail

broadway stage.
From the New York Mail.l
About two weeks ago Brooklyn lady
1 left her home in - street TO do some
shopping in New York. She crossed by
Fulton ferryboat, and took Broadway
stage at the ferry. Her destination was
buy out that gentleman, as the purse
which she had in the pocket of the walk
ing-dress she wore contained only FIVE
dollars and some cents-enough, how
ever, for her present wants. Quite a
number of people go to Stewart with
even less money than this, toss things
about great deal and give good many
dollars worth of trouble. The ladys in
tention, however, was different. IL was
run up town to get a yard or two of
something in the silk way, of which she
had purchased too little some days be-
fore. Women rarely purchase enough
for dress at the first buying; never too
much. But to the story. She got into
the Broadway stage, as we have said,
and some time after paid her fare.
This she remembers as she does
that she restored her purse to its
cosy resting-place again. The stage
stopped several times on its way up Full
ton street and took in passengers-good-
looking, everyday sort of people But
as it passed the Astor House the driver
pulled up to admit one who was not of
the everyday sort II was he, and he
was COTTON up in the most princely
fashion. He might have been railroad
director or an alderman. He sat down
opposite the Brooklyn lady. She ad-
mired the gentleman from an aesthetic
point of view. He was embodied ex-
cellence from his boots to his hat. But
what most attracted her attention was
magnificent solitaire diamond ring,
which he wore upon one of the fingers
of his left hand. She wondered who he
was and what he was worth The stage |
soon became crowded, and the gentle
man rose to give his seat to lady. By
and-by seat became vacant beside our
lady friend, which the gentlemanly |
stranger, with the nice clothes and the !
solitaire, took This he kept until he
left, which he did opposite Bleecker or
The lady rode on, and had !
forgotten all about the embodied elegance
and the ring when she arrived at Stew
arts. She is married, and her husband |
is young and good-looking. She |
went into the store, chose what she
wanted, put her hand in her pocket for |
her purse, but found it missing. She |
borrowed ten cents from the clerk to pay |
her stage fare home. She wondered, all |
the way there, who had picked her |
pocket, and blamed, alternately, all the |
honest people who had ridden with her
in the stage; but she never for mo-
ment harbored suspicion of the gentle |
man of the ring and things. She got !
home and told her neighbors, who con-
soled her, in the usual neighborly way, |
by hoping it would be warning to |
her; she was very lucky to get off so |
easy" etc. She told her husband, who |
laughed at her till she cried, then kissed |
her and gave her ten dollars to buy a
new purse.
A friend dropping in after dinner, she
had to tell the story all over again. |
Strange to say, he suspected the gentle
man with the solitaire.
WAS he in when you paid your fare ?"
He was"
Could he have seen your purse and
where you put IT'D"
Why, of course he could.
Didn't he get up and then sit down
again-the second time beside your
He did, but"
Where's your pocket?'
"Why, here, said the lady, plunging
her nervous fingers (for she was excited
by the cross-questioning) deep into the
pocket of the dress which she still wore
:" right here. And, God bless mer'
said she, as she withdrew her hand
again. "As I'm living woman, but
here's the ringP'
True enough. The exquisite, in abb
'tracting the purse, had left the solitaire
behind him. A Broadway jeweler values
{ at $500 If the gentleman will send
his card to Joseph Bowling, Esq, Tombs,
ie may see his ring again. Should he
,e disappointed in this however we can
assure him of an addition to his jewelry
II the shape Of bracelet or two.