New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-30
THE GREAT AFRICAN DIAMOND.
How It Came Into My Possession.
From the PHILADELPHIA Times.l

dian god, who typlned the moon, was con-
| sidered, land as it is still in existence), the
most costly diamond in the world. This
/ however, is an error, but the incidents con
nected with the history of the great Mogul
diamond, have, no doubt, magnifed its
/ value. That history dates back to the
eleventh century, while that Of the African
gem commenced in the latter part of the
nineteenth
am not writing a history of the diamond
although it has one of most strange and
romantic character, but simply furnish an
| episode wherein I acted part.
HOW II CAME INTO MY POSSESSION
Business called me to New Orleans, and
| as it was likely to occupy some months,
/ took rooms with a Madame FOntenelle
The house was situated on Baronne street
and was one of those old-fashioned edifces
| that could date back to the earliest Spanish
settlement. 1t strongly resembled, al.
though in miniature, a fortified castle. 1t
had numerous balconies or verandas
around it which, with certain Southern
vines, gave it a somewhat rural aspect.
During my sojOurn in the Crescent City,
my life, although lonely, was a happy one.
had my books and other comforts around
me, and, taking things generally, my time
passed pleasantly.
/ was not an entire stranger In New Or
leans, having lived there some ten years,
as far back as-no matter, knowledge of
dates is sometimes incpnvenient to men as
well as women, more partie ularly, however,
to myself, who wished to retain the appear
ance of youth, if not its elasticity
1t was while indulging in one of those
dreams which frequently overlook me in M
bachelor life, that the servant entered sud
denly and announced that gentleman
wished to see me.
"Show him up, Jackson, and up he came.
Good heavens my old friend, James Sey-
mOur had left him a few months back
in New York, he having just returned from
the newly discovered gold and diamond
mines in Africa, and was busily engaged in
disposing of some of the fruits of his dig
ging expedition.
Seymour was, and is, a whoie-souled
generous fellow, wild, rattlebrained, but
just as noble as he is bold and venturesOme.
"Why, Seymour" exclaimed, "what, in
Heavens name, brought you here ?"
ITO see you, old fellow"
"No, you did not come all the way from
New York to see me; but am right glad to
see you, SO sit down. You look worried ?"
"Well, old boy, / am, and as have but
few hours to devote to old friendship, let
us make the most of them. Is that brandy 2"
"The best in the land. There is wine, if
you prefer it.
"Pll taste little of both"
Help yourself. Now tell me some
thing
"What about 2"
yourself, of course"
"Ah yes. Well, the facts are these. You
know have considerable property on the
Red river. 1t is important, before 1 leave
for Europe, that l should 90 there"
"To Europe9"
eyes, old boy (my friend has habit of
calling anybody whom he respects ''old
boy" although their ages might range from
twenty to sixty; now / am Only-but no
matter about that nOw). eyes, go to
Europe Immediately on my return from
Shreveport, and, what is more, old boy, you
must accompany me-
What 60 with you to Europe Why,
Seymour, that has been the dream of my
life; but you know
81 know nothing but that you are to &C.
company me; So during my absence, pre-
pare"
eve will talk about it when you return"
"I'll take no excuse. l know your bust
ness can not be urged as an objection"
"But"-
"Stop your butts, as you say we will talk
about it on my return"
''Well, now tell me abOnt the diamonds"
"All sold, except and here his voice de-
seended to the lowest note, ''the great Afri-
can diamond, and here it is"
What the African diamond e.
q Yes, in this little casket." So saying,
he took from a side-pocket a miniature iron
safe. There, take it."
Take itF
AYE, old fellow, for l am off in the
morning. and want you to keep this until
my return, which will be-let me see-in
about one month from this date"
"I-I-take charge of diamond worth
fifty thousand dollars p
"About that, old boy; and who else in
this city do l know but yOu9 l got your
address just before 1 left New YOrk-and
here l am"
But why bring it with youl"
Because the Internal jewellers in New
York would not give me more than $4,000
for it, and | was told by an Englishman
that it would bring much more in London,
and as proposed going there, 1 brought it
with me-"
"But"-
mo butts How often must repeat this?
So take the casket and keep it until l re-
turn, and then, as Hamlet says, 'Ho for
England | think the mad Prince says
something like this"
We parted. He went his way, and was
left the custodian of $4,000 diamond
Now commenced a renewal of that anx-
iety which always kept me in a nervous
state whenever had money or valuables
in my possession belonging to other people.
/ cared nothing for my own, nor did even
take the trouble of guarding carefully that
which l carried about me. One reason of
this was the fact that never had much of
my own to carry. The question now was,
where was to keep it l could not carry
it about me, nor could trust it in my room
during my absence. There it lay before me
in all its glorious magnIfcence. As gazed
upon it and watched its prismatic-like
changes, as the light shOne upon its bril-
liant points, | thought it another star, and
only required astronomical calculation to
place it among the brightest ones of the
sky. This, the reader will perceive, is a
poetical idea, and must be received with
some degree of leniency.
What am / to do with it ?" Aye, that's
the question. A bright thought struck me.
will procure another casket, and instead
Of the diamond, will place in it a specimen
quartz. This quartz l brought from Cali
fOrnia. 1t was Of little or no value beyond
the fact of its being dug up from one of the
mines. Still it was something of a curiosity.
This, for the time being, shall represent the
great African diamond. While in my room,
the gem shall remain in its original casket,
or rather miniature safe, which / kept hld.
Reader, that place Of cOneealmenf must
ever remain a secret, for reasons which are
not necessary to give here.
When / went out, / placed it in a belt
which / had made expressly for the pur-
pose, and here again began my trouble.
Surprising l was taken suddenly i'll in the
street. or struck with apOplexy, for since
the diamond was in my possession l had
fearful indications pointing that way; or
supposing partoOk Of some poisonous stuff
at the restaurant, and died victim to a vile
plot, or again, | might be knocked down
and robbed The diamond became my John
Jones in the day, and huge nightmare at
night.
Thus some weeks passed away, when one