The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-04-05

resolution TO have that diamond. But
when led up 10 the subject the owner
said that no money would induce him 10
part with gem which had been given TO
him by his deceased mother on her death.
bed. l ielt kinder streaked at this, and
wondered why boys who never care what
their parents say when Twin should pay
so much attention 10 thei! wishes when
dead. However, the party broke up, and
l invited my now friends to dine with me
on the morrow. But had diamond on
the brain, could neither sleep nor drink,
and actooally lost a big pile Of dollars at
poker throug h trying for straight flush
In diamonds. At our next meeting no
tIced that the proprietor Of the diamond
looked discouraged about somethin, and
l told him what q bad time 1had had at
poker.
"'Ah said he, 4 am the most unlucky
man in the world. Last night l lost ten
thousand dollars at faro, COppering the
Jack. lie won nineteen times running,
aud left me dead broke with nary red in
my pocket
after sympathisin' with him, ! raked up
tho diamond subject agin. Nc did not
like the idee at all at first, and kicked and
cavorted like vicious mustang, but at
last, relectin' that his debts Of honor must
be met, he caved In and parted with the
diamond; after kissln' it agin and agtn,
with tears in his eyes, for ten thousand
dollars cash, on my promising that II ever
should want TO part with tho stone, l
would give him the option OF repurchas-
ing It at the same price, addin' seven per
cent interest for the time l had laid out Of
nv money. Unjust own that felt pretty
hunky over my bargain. and, promising
myself great pleasure in New York and
in Europe out Of my big diamond, got
pretty high, and proposed a game Of
cuchre to my companions, just 10 while
away the time. l have played all sorts Of
games in my time in all sorts OF company,
but that game of euchre was caution. II
seemed square enough even TO me, but the
cards certainly ran Rgin me in the queer
est way SO, after losing quite pile, l
thought it time 10 give over, and went to
bed, thinking that, alter oil, my diamond
was some consolation. But when, next
morning, my friends did not drop in 10
breakfast, as they promised, began 10
feel myself weakcni1' on the business al
together, and made tracks for great lap
idary down town. After examinin' the
gem, he told me CoOlly that 1t was about
the best bogus diamond he had ever seen,
but that q sham it was, and no mistake.
You, sir, may imagine my feelin's, not so
much at losing ten thousand dollars on the
diamond, and o heap at play, as at the
thought that l, Cool Nat, OF San Joaquin,
had been gobbled by a couple OF New
York deadbeats. guess my language
was pretty heavy when, just as had
cussed all the wool of Of my new over
coat, an idee knocked up agin my brain
and struck in al once. inquired where
the greatest ieweler and diamond mer-
chant in the city kept, and after showing
him my bogus gem, and swearing him TO
secrecy, asked II he could find me real
diamond like It
ale told me he would do his level best
to match 1t, and did so within three
hours, charging me twelve thousand dol
lara for the stone. l then had 1t set in
the ring in the place Of my bogus one,
and, putting Colonel Bogus in my pocket,
walked into the bar Of my ht)tel. As l
had Judged, there was more than two in
the speculation had suffered from. My
friend and his friend had cleared out, but
smelt powder when heard the talk
run upon the number oil sham diamonds
worn. Yes, SIR said one young blood
dressed up like BARRIERS block; II guess
them very big stones is mostly bogus,
casting at the same time o snaky look at
my ring. i went on taking my bitters
quite silent, and seemed kinder wrapped
up in my ring. But they wouldn't let
me alone, and presently got up o bet
among themselves about their rings, and
pitched upon me as umpire, for said one
of 'em, Guess that strange gentleman as
wears the Kohinoor ought to understand
the subject
II own felt very like drawing my six.
shooter and clearing out the crowd, but
kept my temper, and said Gentlemen, l
don't understand small potatoes. Them
little bits o things may or not be genuine;
but II you want to brag on diamonds l
guess I'll take the pool at this they
kinder snjggered, and asked TO look OF
my ring. Ilct them look as long as they
liked, but kept the ring on my finger. At
last one Of them said, That stone must
have come pretty high, l judge Yes,
SIR said; ten Thousand dollars cash.
At these words they sniggered agin. So
I, putting on that was riled, rounded on
cm sharp: ~ don't know, gentlemen,
what you see 10 laugh at Then the
graceGullcst and polltest Cuss in the party
says, quite solemn.like. 4 fear 1t Is no
laughin' matter for you, sir. l guess you
arc q stranger, and suspect some rssCals
in the city here have stuck you with q
imitation stone At this pretended to
rile right up, and swore that bought the
ring Of perfect gentleman, and had had
no end Of trouble to buy It at all. The
polite man sLiiIened up his back at that,
made some remark on gentility in gener-
al, and wound up by Offering to bet
thousand dollars that my diamond was
bogus, to put up the money right away,
and leave the matter to be decided by any
ewGler named by the proprietor Of the
hotel.
"Thcn l felt that had struck a lode,
and turning round sharply, says, 'Lookee
here, sir; bets Of thousand dollars Is
good enough for small game, but when
my word Is questioned, and my property
Is run down, put down tmy whole pile,
and will back my diamond with my bot.
tom dollar They kept their faces very
well, but l could see their eyes glisten,
and knew that had 'em safe. One said
'he couldn't put up much Just then, but he
could find eight thousand in half an hour,
and would stake It with pleasure agtn
mine Then another struck in, and
thought as 4 didn't look satisfied with
such a little bet, hO would back his friends
opinion for five thousand, and % ! still
kept on sayin' l was not goln' to show my