New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-08-03
DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.

Colonel Nathaniel J. Cooing-be:te
known as Cool Nat-ot Coollngtpn. Sar
JOAQUIN county, in the State OF California
was fellow-passenger OF mine on tina
well known trans Atlantic steamship. The
MOI cola, famous alike for the ray ldity o.
her ocean voyages, the absence OF napkins
n. meal times and the bluff heaTtlness O.
her excellent commando.
Colonel Cooling rejoiced IL velvet coat
and loose necktie of sanguine hue. but ii
was impossible TO enjoy his society for any
length O. time without observing the I'M
nenge diamond solitaire which adorned MS
large but well-shaped hand. This was not
merely d large diamond, but brilliant
such as is rarely seen. 1t threw out flashes
like lime light, and blazed with almost
.nt0lerable radiance. One splendid summer
afternoon, as the Mongolia was doing her
best TO make short work CT the Atlantic.
the Colonel caught my eye fixed III admirs-
zion on his magnificent jewel. ana launched
81 once into the following story
IL guess, neighbor. you air takln' ad"an-
tage of the fine weather TO kinder photo
graph my diamond. Its worth the .:cuble.
yes, sir-r-r. Not only for the valley of the
stone, but for the high old time | had in
Cettin' it. You see amt a New Yorker.
and never set eyes on the Empire City till
few weeks ago, when kim around from
Frisco to make EUROPEAN tower.
mo sooner had l landed, and got we'll
dxed at the New York Hotel, than, making
a bee line for the bar. found all the folks
run diamond mad. In most settlements
an acquainted with, the talk runs mostly
OIL dollars. but in the big city heard OF
nothing but diamonds.
Every boy was Sraggin' or his dia-
:nonds. and some OF EN- seemed 20 hold a
fsll hand. Wal, after my third cocktail /
1t fresh cigar. and begun to feel that the
diamond fever was kinder ketchin'. and
said TO myself, Nat Cooling. you never was
a one horse person nor cuss as would take
back seat anywheres. II you ar goln to
pan out on diamonds you must do II heavy
"Bein' on such uncommon good terms
with myself took another drink, and then
fell talkin' diamonds with a very elegantly
dressed gentleman, who gave me a lot of
points on the subject After few more
cocktails | told my new friend that I must
get diamond, bu. that it must be the big
gest in New York. The gentleman wore a
handsome stone himself, which he said was
As good as he could pay for. bu. remarked
that he thought be knew where to find an
Al brilliant in fact, the ayewunnest stone
in the world. laugh, do. when l think
how anxious ! was to see it, and how much
] feel indebted TO the young gentleman
when he consented 10 mention my desire
for the biggest diamond in New York to
his friend. He told me tina: he did not
think his friend would sell. In fact. he
was pretty sure he wouldn't. but that l
might have sight of the stone il would
breakfast with him at Delmonicos az twelve
O'Clock next day.
This looked all right, and the next
morning l was punctual 10 ny appoint
Ment, was introduced to my friends friend.
also an elegant gentleman, and SAT down to
the very best breakfast had ever seen.
didn't, however, eat much more than a
three.yearRld bar, my mind was so took
UP with thediamond.. Nothin' that had
ever seen in the sparkling way was a cir
Cumstance to it. Long before we got to
the coffee and cigars made a re solu,ion to
have that diamond. But when l led up to
the subjec; the owner said that money
would induce him to part with a gem which
had been given to him L.: IT,. deceased
:nother on her death-beG.
However, the party broke ~. aId in
vited my new friends to dine with me on
the morrow. Bat had diamond or the
uc:ooally lost big pile OF dollars at poker
through trying for a straigA: flush in
diamonds. At our next meeting i noticed
that the proprietor OF the diamond looked
Giscoura ged about somethin. and told :l.n
what a bad time had had at poker.
".Ah y said he, Il am the most unluclsy
'nan in the world. Last night lost $4,000
-: faro. coppering the jack. He won nine
teen times running, and left me dead broke,
with nary red in my pocket.
"Now thought !, is my opportunity, so.
after sylupathizn' with him, +! raked UP the
diamond subjec: agin. He did not Ike the
i.ee ar al al first, and kicked and cavocted
Ike {, vicious mustang, but al last, retectln
:ua. his debts Of honor must be met. he
.ayei il and parted with the diamond.
after k;ssin' II agin and agin. wit. tears i'll
lis eyes, Tor Sl0.UG0 cash, on my promising
that 4 ever should wan; to pant with the
..one. | would give him the optitn of re-
purchasing il at the sa!ne price. .ddin'
- ven per cent interes: Cox the :ilue lad |
lad ont OF my money.
Next morning my friends d.. 10: drop |
II 90 breakfast, rs they promised. began |
20 feel myself wsakenin' on ;be business |
altogether and mad. tracks 10. "a great !
laridary dovn :own. After exa.rnin the |
ce,a. he told me cooily tina: Il was about |
IL. best bogus diamond I'd had ever seen.
br. HAT sham i. was, and no mistake. !
\ o.,, sir. may imagine NY irelin-. nos so
E.uch at losing :lG01o on the diamond. and |
q heap at play. ~ NJ the though: tia. |.
Coo. Nat o. San Joaquin. had been .obelel
Iy couple oi New York dead beats. | /!
guess NY language was pretty heavy when.
Just as hat cus>ed all TIE wool OF o. my
Lew oyercoat. an iGee knocked, L. asjn nav |
brain and struck in AZ onc- | INQUIRED
where the greatest jewcit. AID diamond |
merchant in the city kept. ..aG .tte. show
~. him ny bogus gem. and swsarIcc him
H. secrecy. asked II he could TIM. !l.e a real
i! u lnoni like it.
-. He told NE lIc woUlo dc si- level hes.
e. match /. and did so within .L!,. hours.
charging me $4,000 for the stone. then
had il set in the ring in the place Of nv
bogus one. and. putting Colone! bogus in
my pocket, walked into the bar OF my hotel.
IS i had judged, there was 10 n.ore than
two in the little speculation had suffered |
from. NV friend and his friend had cleared |
lu.. but ! smelt powder when l heard the |
ak run upon the number o. sham dia-
ronds worn. Yes. sir, said one young |
blood, dressed up like a BARRIERS block: 4
ruess them very big stones is mostly bogus.
lasting 81 the same time snaky look at
nv ring. / went on taking my hit,ers quite
iieut, and seemed kinder wrapped up IN
NJ ring. But they wouldn't let he alone.
md presently got up a bet among them
elves about their rings, and pitched upon
ne as umpire, for. said one OF EN-. Guess
Ia, strange gentleman as wears the Kohl
oor ought to understand the subject
II kept nv temper, and said. Gentlemen,
don't understand small potatoes: Them
- NJ. a, thin "a may or NAV not be yenu- |