Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-11-22
AN INDIAN DIAMOND.

AN INDIAN DIAMOND.
How 1t was Found by Soldier In tn.
| Eye OF an Idol, and Lost after Many
Misadventures by the Purchaser.
The following jewel story is told in
the current number of Chambers Jour-
mol:
During the Indian mutiny, and after
the destruction of some of the rich pal
aces and temples, the soldiers picked
up valuable articles, useless to them
selves, and which they frequently threw
away again, as troublesome to carry,
or gladly sold to any one who would
give them a few rupees in exchange.
Among these acquisitions was large,
very roughly cut diamond, which had
been one of the eyes of 81 very gor-
geously-painted idol, enshrined in one
of the temples that had been destroyed.
A soldier picked it out of it's socket,
and as 1t was a rough, dull looking
stone, he thought very little of it, and
was about to throw it away, when an
officer who stood by offered him two or
three rupees for it. He also put small
store by his purchase of the lusterless
stone; and it was only from its position
as the eye of an idol that he judged it
might possibly be of greater value than
seemed likely from it's outward appear
ance. Some time afterward he showed
it to native jeweler, who offered to
buy it at considerable increase on the
price he had given for it; but he was
going to England, and thought it wiser
to take the stone with him, and have
it properly cut by first-class lapidary.
This was done, and a very fine stone
resulted, which the jeweler, at the
most moderate calculation, valued at
five hundred pounds.
The officer had it set in ring, and
wore it for several years quite safely;
but one day, CHANGING to be in London,
he went into shop to buy q pair of
gloves, and looking at the ring on his
little finger, he observed that the setting
was empty, the diamond gone. He ex-
amined his glove, his pockets, the floor
of the shop; no trace Of the stone was
to be seen, and 80 he gave it up as lost.
However, he mentioned to matter at
his club; and told the club master to
post up a notice Offering ten pounds
reward to any person who should find
the diamond. A day or two afterward
the stone was brought to him. 1t had
been found by one Of the housemaids
in darkish passage that led to the BIZ
lard room. The reward was gladly
paid, and the diamond taken to the
jeweler, to be once more firmly re-
placed in the ring.
Again some years passed. The Of
| hoI no Il 10 Ill
on furlough in this country, and had
gone to Scotland to skoot with friends
who had taken q moor in the High
lands. One hot August day he had
been out for several hours tram ping
over miles and miles of close heather,
grouse shooting. He was still walking,
when covey of birds rose little way
off. He raised his gun to take aim,
when his eye CHANGED to fall on his
ring, and he saw that the setting was
once more empty. STOPPING to look at
it, the birds got away; and he laid
down the gun on the heather beside
him, and carefully examined the place
where he stood with very feeble hope
of finding the glittering stone. Moth
ing was to be seen Of it; and when he
recollected the many miles he had
traversed that day, and the nature of
the ground he had been on, he aban-
boned all idea of ever again recovering
his diamond. He stopped for his gun,
and the thought flashed into his mind
"Ill turn out the charge-the thing is
just possible" He did so; drew the
Wad, and then shook out the contents
of the barrel, shot, powder, and-the
diamond It had slipped unnoticed
into the muzze when he was loading
and but for the lucky chance that had
caused him to remark the absence
from the ring, it would have been fired
away the next moment. Possibly it
might have hit bird, gone back in the
same bag, and caused as much
amazement to the cook, or to
the individual who found it between
his teeth, as did the diamond in
the Eastern tale to the fisherman and
his family who discovered it in the en-
trails of the fish. Another visit to the
jeweler and the ring resumed it's proper
place on the finger of its owner, and
three or four years passed away. The
officer had again returned to India, and
was with his regiment, which was en-
camped near large station, portions
of some other regiments being close to
them. He was acting as adjutant to
the general in commend, and was
writing at small table placed close to
the door Of his tent. AS his hand
passed rapidly over the paper, the
troublesome diamond once more
dropped from its setting, and fell on
the table beside him. Being in hurry,
he merely uttered an angry exclama-
ton, pushed the stone close to the ink
stand, and went on with his writing.
Presently messenger came to say that
the general wished to see him immedi-
ately. He forgot all about the stone,
threw On his uniform, buckled on his
sword, and started at once for the quar-
tiers of the commanding officer. He
was. detained some little time; and
when he returned to his own tent, he
looked directly for the diamond, which
he had meanwhile recollected; but it
was gone! A thief mad been there
during his absence. and seen and ap-
propriated the stone; and he never saw
or heard of it again, though he offered