Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-01-29
A BOX OF DIAMONDS.

uoh nllu teIlllB Gue SUOry. LII
good many years nows since it happened,
and sad years some of them were.
was o young man then, and had been
knocking about in the Brazils and the
West Indies-everywhere in South
America, may say, for Ibelieve I made
one of the first parties of Englishmen to
cross the Andes from Valparaiso to
Buenos Ayres, no light feat in those
days, [ can tell you. I was doctor by
profession, and many time, by the ex-
ercise of my professional skill, 1 have
saved my own scalp among the savage
Indians of the Pampas I am not going,
however, to tell you anything about the
indians now. Faa.
AS | said before, I had been knock
ing around good deal in South Ameri-
ce, and shipped as doctor on board an
old tnb of atrader leaving Rio Janeiro
h0meward bound for Bristol, with a
full cargo and couple of cabin passen-
gers.
The Good Hope was commanded by
Captain McFarlano, hard-headed old
Scotchman. John Williamson first
mate, and q crew of thirteen hands. all
told, made up of Englishmen, Dutch.
men, and Swedes. We sailed on the
fourteenth of December, q blazing hot
day, with scarcely q breath of wind to
fill the sails; but the captain was anxi.
ous to get away, as yellow fever was il.
port, and he had no mind to knocking his
heels in quarantine any longer than he
could help. We had, however, hardly
got clear OF Raza island when breeze
struck up, and we were soon bowling
along as fast as the old ship could be
made to step along, all studding sails
set, and, so far, clean bill of health Oh
board.
On the twenty first, however, I was
sitting for'ard, getting breath of fresf
air, and smoking my pipe, when Pete
the stewards mate, came up and sum
monded me aft to see one Of our cabil
passengers, Mr.. William Grierson, who
had been very unwell during the night
and began to be afraid that he was il
for touch of the fever2 I went aft anC
saw him, but there did not appear to bC
any very alarming symptoms Just a
present. so L prescribed some coolins
medicine and left him.
lie was, however, worse the next day
and the next, yet it was not case o
yellow fovCr, and there was sometime
in the symptoms that fairly baffled me
On the twenty-fourth he was so mucl
worse that I began to be seriously
alarmed, and communicated my fears t.
the captain.
1T is not yellow fover, of that an
sure"
" What is it then, doctor ?"
" Well, to tell the truth, can hardl,
say. Nothing that can administer SEEM
to do him any good, and he is evidentl,
sinking rapidly"
I" "Humph !" said the captain, "mys
terious, to say the least of it. Does h
know Of his condition ?"
The conversation was cut short by th
arrival of Pete, who informed us tina
Mr.. Grierson had been seized with
sudden and alarming access of pain, AM
was apparently dying, adding that tn
patient wished to see me at once an,
alone. In obedience to the summons
went below, and having shut the cabil
door and administered the necessar
remedies, asked the dying man the rea
son for his wishing to see me.
"I wish to see you because I feel tina
I am dying, and I can put off no longe
what I wish to say, if it is to be said O
all, responded the patient, feebly.
" Fetch me that box from the top c
my sea-che It and listen -
L broughtit, small, oblong, mahogs
ny box, and laid it by his side upon tn
coverlet, and Mr.. Grierson, laying hi
hand upon it and at the same time de
taching the key from string by whic
it was suspended round his neck, wit
which bis fingers played neryously dul
ing his recital, continued:
am murderer. Aye you ma