Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-24
THE BITERS Bi1IEN'

u THE BITERS BilIEN'
M Nathaniel ]: Co2!ing-oeI.l na
4 as Cool Nat-of Coollngton' san
II COUNTY, in the State of California,
feIIow-nassenger of mine on that
IsoWn transatlantic steamship, the
~ famous alike for the rapidly OF
.ssn vovares, the absence OF napkins
sIti,ne. and the bluff heartlness OF
81 commander. IS is, or rather
800 riabIv the case, the Magnolia had
IA = ycry GOOD send of" the friends
- ~ nas.'nrers mastering in great
III, IN and accompanying their hearty
~ - = sWift passage, quick return,
s..ssnod t;men generally, with a brisk
.1St;on If the sparkling fluid which
' ] I'm snch unfailing liberality on the
,a n the Atlantic. Busy as | was
s.;s;nr nv numerous friends, | yet
4, 5mrnt 10 steal glance at my
ste-thc traveller who occupied the
lf17sr berth in my statc-room-and, eX-
"a card, with him over a glass OF
= b. was charmed to find my dom
r7Enarner for the next eight days the
a fd or notorious, person whose
41baye mentioned. Dim rumOrs OF
e1ecds, done, or as some hypcrcriti-
Iifist, would rather say, perpetrated
tin early DAYS of the Golden State.
eechcd nv ears from time to time
I'M many Of these the name of Nat
III was associated.
o1eI Cooling rcjoiced in velvet coat
loo nccktie OF sanguine hue; but
IinpossibIc to enjoy his society fol
agth OF time without observing the
Ise diamond solitaire which adorned
&c but well-shapcd hand. This was
fey large diamond, but a bril-
de- as is rarely seen. 1t threw out
H. a Iimc-light, and blazcd with
Eintolcrable radiance. One splen-
inner afternoon as the Magnolia
In her best to make short work OF
1antic, the Colonel caught my eye
"a admiration on his magnificent
IN launched ut once into the fol
kstory:
II, neighbor, you air takin' advan
i the fine weather To kinder photo
IN diamond. It's worth the trouble
N Not only for the valIy of the
b. Tor the high old time [ had il
81 You see | amt a New Yorker
b. SCI eyes on the Empire City til.
Ftcks ago, when | kim around from
4 to make a EUROPEAN tower. II
ny We are heavy on gold, that's a
IN We don't pan out much on dia
q though they are mighty useful
ERhen citizen finds things pretty
<tercd out in his old dig@ings, and
Eto yamooSe the ranch, and make
I*for a new placer. But no sooner
!. landed, and got we'll fixed at
AeW York Hotel then, making
lin for the bar, | found
n folks run diamond mad. In
Httlements | am acquainted with,
KrunS mostly on dollars, but in the
81 | heard of nothing but diamonds.
rs that some old don married a
Eung gal some little time ago, and
H show OF jewels at the dia-
eddn' had set everybody stark
nad on brilliants. Every boy was
~ on his diamonds, and some of
@ned 10 hold a full hand. Wal,
81 third cocktail, | lit a fresh cigar,
g. to feel that the diamond fever
1mer ketchin', and said | to myself,
0s1oIlng, you never was onc-horsc
TO c)JSs As would take Il back
NY heres. If you air goin' to pan
. lannon's You must do it heavy
70 on such uncommon good terms
sch, | took another drink, and
lsn }alNn, diamonds with a very
10y W., dressed gentleman, who gave me
s o.l - on the subject. After a few
'. $50 aus told my new friend that
.:es' a dIamond hut that il must be
w" ioIk. The gentleman
ailISome stone himself. which he
,ez 80 a. GOOD as he could paw for but
xked that he thought he Knew n,bore
aen \ | brilliant, in fact, thc ave-.
- ~, S:'he 1.-THE world. | LAUGH lido,
sAulInh how anxious I WA, IN 500 #
"a i. ll"tn | lett indrbtcdto theyorlng
"hcn ne consented to men
size Tor the biggest diamond in
~ ~ 20 ms friend He told me that
''l'aN his friend would sell. In
I'd "> pretty sure he wouldn't, but
~ nave a sight of the stone if I
@Aia>l with him at Dclmonico's
orJock next day
,IoNed all right; and the next
Was PunctooaI to my appoint
s "I'"0ced 10 my friends friend
,FSant gentleman-and sat
81 G;l,. .'{ best breakfast | had ever
ii ~. ~, : however, eat much more
t."'r-oid bar, my mind was
II WIN The diamond. Nothin'
~ .r,' ". seen IN the sparkling way
r ,' 'tr'''Ict 10 II. Long before ,e
n "s% and cigars | made a reso-
=. ~ mat diamond. But when |
aS subject the owner said that
~ lfat 't = induce him To part with
- Nd "aa been given to him by
.lolAcr on her death-bed. |
IgaNed at this, and wondered
"N2 never care what their
,.G,,n Snen Twin should pay so
. ., 10 their wishes when dead
VA, ~g party broke up, and | in
rau. " friends to dine with me on
rII nu' | had diamond on the
l. ro,t "s',ner sleep nor drink, and
r -. big pile of dollars at poker
''S Ior straight flush in dia-
nr,n u.F next meeting | noticed
ars4i ~ te'or OF the diamond looked
j bad ,; "o'qt Somethin, and told him
'",e | had had at poker.
u h. N n re, l am the most unlucky
dan Last night L lost ten
ulaFS at faro, coppering the
M an an nineteen times running,
f. 0eSo broke with nary red in
1ln,b5;nh;Iii Is my opportunity; so,
h,osf -ILSin with him. | raked up
subject agin. He did not
Gto all at first, and kicked and
j he car at"' MS debts Of honor must
Ii, at,o neH IN and parted with the
strs in ASSN assn; it agin and agin,
! cash IA o. his eyes, for ten thousand
d want IN IN. my promising that if ever
W Oart viii IL L