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


Colonel Nathaniel ]. Cooling-better
known as Cool Nat-of COolington, San
joaquin county, in the State OF California,
was fellow passenger Of mine on that
wcll.knoWn transatlantic steamship, the
MONGOLIA, famous alike for the rapidity OF
her ocean voyages, the absence ofnapklns
at meal times, and the bluff heartness OF
her excellent commander. AS Is, or rath'
er was, invariably the case, the Mongolia
had received q, very good "send Oft" the
friends of the passengers mastering 10
great strenth, and accompanying their
hearty wishes for a swift passage, quick
return, and a "goOd time" generally, with
brisk consumption Of the sparkling fluid
which flows with such unfailing liberality
on such occasions. Busy as | was In
pledging my numerous friends, l yet
found moment to steal a glance ut my
room .matc-tho traveller WHO occupied
the one other berth in my statc'roOm-
aud, exchanging cards with him over
glass Of champagne, was charmed TO find
nv dOmiciliary partner Tor the next eight
DAYS the celebrated, or notorious, person
whose name have mentioned. Dim ru.
mors OF daring deeds done, or as some
hypercritical puriRts would rather say,
perpetrated during the early days OF the
Golden State, had reached my ears from
time to time, and with many OF these the
name Of Nat Cooling was associated.
OF tho origin Of this great man but
little was known. Those who loved him
best and obeyed that excellent law,
Speak well OF the rich" declared that
his youth had been passed In the lucrative
business Of importing "blackbirds".in
other words in the slave trade-while
those who were aCtuated by higher prin-
ciples, that Is, hated or envied the sue
cessful Spectator, declared that short
but brilliant career Of piracy had laid the
foundation Of his great fortune. All that
was certainly known was that the colonel
turned up in California during tho first
symptoms OF the gold fever, and that his
speculations in mining and other opera
tons had been attended with solid sue
cess. Where he was ''raised" remained o
mystery, for the colonel, although very
communicative on al subjects relating to
his residence in Cali brniH, maintained q
severe rcticencc as to his happy b0yhood
and probably stormy youth. Neither his
appearance nor his speech betrayed his
supposed nautical antecedents, nor did
his outline betrsy the numerous angles
that the American physique Is often cred
tied withal. lie was o plump, broad
shouldered man, the said broad shoulders
being surmounted by large bullet.head
covered with close.cut crop Of still
black hair. His face, with the exception
of the upper lip, was clean'shaVen, and
his general expression was one OF frank
bonGomio. There were moments, how
ever, when singular expression flashed
from his fine dark eye, and on these rare
occasions 1t was not difficult Tor persons
Of an imaginative turn Of mind to CoDjure
IN scene in the summer seas OF the In
dian Archipelago with a sCuttled ship
slowly settling down in the dark blue
water, and akish.lOoking craft almost
hull down upon the horizon.
Colonel Cooling rejOiCed in a velvet
coat and loose nCcklie Of sanguine hue,
but II was impossible 10 enjoy his society
Tor any length Of time without observing
the immense diamond solitaire which
adorned his large, but well shaped hand.
This was not merely large diamond,
but q brilliant such as Is rarely seen. II
threw out flashes like lime light, and
blazed with almost intOlerable radiance.
One splendid summer afternoon, as the
MONGOLIA was doing her best TO make
short work OF the Atlantic, tho colonel
caught my eye fixed In admiration on his
magnificent Jewel, and launched at once
into the following story:
~ guess, nelghbor, you air takin' advNn.
tage Of the fine weather to kinder photo
graph my diamond. It's worth the trou.,
6Ie-yes, sir Not only for the valley OF
the stone, but for the high old time l had
in gettin' 1t. You sec amt q Now
Yorker, and never set eyes on the Empire
City til few weeks ago, when ! kim
around fIOm Frisco to make q EUROPEAN
tower. In CaliIorny We are heavy on
gold, that's q fact, but we don't pan out
much on diamonds, though they air
mighty useful goods when citizen finds
things pretty well petered out In his OLD
digglns, and wants 10 vamoose the ranch,
aud make tracks for n now placer. But
NO sooner had landed, and got well fixed
at the New York Hotel, than, making q
Decline for tho bar, l found oil tho folks
run diamond mad. In most settlements
am acquainted with, the talk runs most.
lyon dollars, but in the big city l heard
oI nothing but diamonds. 1t seems that
some old don married a pretty young gal
some little. timo ago, and that the show
Oijewels at tho diamond wCddin' had set
everybody stark staFtin' mad on brilliants.
Every boy was braggin' onhis diamonds,
and some Of EN- seemed TO hold full
hand. Well, after my third cocktail, |
1t fresh cigar, and began to feel that
the diamond fever was kinder ketChin'
aud said l to myself, Nat Cooling, you
never was onG,horse person nor cuss
IS would take a back seat RnywhGres. II
you air goin' to pan out on dtamOndsyou
must do 1t heavy
"Bein on such uncommon good terms
with myself, | took another drink, and
Iaeh lell talkin' diamonds with 4 very
eIeSanlly.dressed gentleman, who gave
Mea lot Of points on the subject. Alter q
lew more cocktails told my new friend
mat must get diamond, but that il
must be the biggest in New York. The
gentleman wore u handsome stone him
sell, which he said was Us good as hi
could pay for, but remarked that he
VuOught he knew where to lind an A