The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-11-28

the Prophet. But the eldest brother
mixed some Of the poison he always car
ried about his person in the evening
meal of the other two, and saw them die
with fiendish delight.
lie now gathered together all his treas
ures, mounted his camel, and rode away.
The other camels he left to their fate and
the bodies of his murdered brothers to
the vutures. His plan was to leave the
country as speedily as possible, and to
make his way to some European court
where he could dispose of the Moon of
the Mountains" for high price. On
the road he sold his camel dressed him
self as beggar, and so, after, many ad-
ventures and great fatigue, he reached
Constantinople, where he took passage in
a Dutch ship for Amsterdam. Here,
feeling himself safe, he no longer made
any secret of his possessions, but giving
himself out to be jeweller, he offered
his most valuable stones for sale to the
ambassadors of the principal European
courts.
The "Moon of the Mountains" and the
Eye of Allah" we're not wholly unknown
in Europe. They had been for many
years in the possession of the royal family
of Persia and it was said that after the
assassinations of Nadir Schah they, to-
gether with other precious stones, were
stolen by common soldiers, who were ig-
norant of their value. 1t was, there
fore, only necessary for Schafras to state
what he had, to excite the interest of the
amateurs.
But for long time there was no one
who seemed inclined to enter into nego-
tiatons with him for the purchase of the
large diamond and the wonderful sap
phire. AS, however, the Moslem was
well supplied with money, and had beside
a number of small stones that were easily
available, he waited patiently, feeling
certain that sooner or later customer
would present himself
The first serious inquiry after the
price of the &" Moon of the Mountains"
came from Catherine II. of Russia, In
St. Petersburg, where they were always
well informed with regard to what trans
pired at the Persian court, they were
most competent to judge Of the real
value of the stone.
The robber and murderer demanded
500, 900 rubles, life annuity of 10000
rubles, and patent of nobility.
Catherine III. ordered one of her
ministers to invite the pretended diamond
merchant to St. Petersburg that the
court jeweler might examine the dia-
mond, and estimate its value.
The minister ordered the court Jewell
er to hold out to the Armenian the hope
that the Empress would accept his propo-
sal, and in the mean time lead him into
all sorts Of excesses and expenditures.
Schafras went to St. Petersburg, and
readily fell into the trap that had been set
for him. Soon all his ready money was
gone, and as he had credit everywhere
it being known that he had business
with the court-it was not long before he
was g over head and ears" in debt. This
was what the minister wanted BY the
Russian law any foreigner may be pre-
vented from leaving the country so long
as he is in debt. The supposition was
that the Armenian would be at last COM
PEELED to dispose of his diamond for what
ever price he could get for it,
"Tell him that Her Majesty has de-
cided not to accede to his exorbitant de-
mands; and then If he must sell, pre-
tend that you will buy it on your own ae-
count, and offer him one quarter of what
the stone is WORTH Such were the in
structions of the minister to the court
jeweler.
This message and the offer Of the ew-
eler opened Schafras's eyes. "God is
good and Mahomet is his Prophet p he
murmured. "These Christian dogs want
to cheat me out of that for which I have
periled my soul The fools have got me
in debt, and think now I shall be COM
PEELED to take any price they choose to
offer me; but they shall see that follow
er of the Prophet is match for this
whole nation Of rascals."
Schafras now very adrotly encouraged
the belief that he would soon be compell-
ed to part with the diamond for the price
offered him while he secretly disposed of
portion of his smaller jewels, paid his
debts, and left the country on board Of
an English vessel f lt
When they came to look for the Mos
lem he was nowhere to be found, which
was very embarrassing for the minister,
as Catherine was greatly incensed at the
loss Of the stone, and demanded that it
should be obtained, cost what it might.
For several years every effort of the
Russian court to find Schafras proved fu-