The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-03-15

she broke down, burst out crying, and
couldn't say any more. So we sets to
work to console her the best way we
could, but didn't make much headway
at it. told her would be cruelty hurt
if she didn't let me keep my promise to
Mark, but her last word was she
couldn't, daren't and wouldn't live on
me.
"Just then the front door bell rang,
and when William opened it, the rag
gedest buzzard of a man broke past him
aud came rushing into the sitting room
here where we were. He hadn't whole
stitch nor q clean stitch on him, that
fellow hadn't his hair was long and
wild and his beard also his feet bare
and his face would have won premium
for sharpness. All the same, that little
woman knowed him as soon as he
stopped at the door, turned white as q
sheet, heldhe two hands together tight,
and just sighed between her set teeth !:
Mark ! thought she'd go over, but
she was too true grit for that. He never
noticed her, nor nothing else. He came
straight mp to me and kind O. steadied
his staggering feet by holding on to the
table and looked me in the face and said,
cool and calm like, but in monstrous
thin, reedy voice: General Jack, I've
been thief and traitor, sot and a
vagabond, for more than year; but I
have lived long enough to make you
amends. Here's your diamond take it
quickly, for I'm dying 7 and he put
bundle of rags about as big as your two
fists in my hand, and went over just like
he was shot
"The little woman gave one cry, half
Joy, half terror, and had him in her arms
next instant, his head in her lap and she
smothering him with kisses, while my
wife, cool as statue, turns to William
and says: 'Have some soup made
and first thing I saw she had the brandy
bottle and spoon and was down on her
knees beside him. Hes just starved
to death, general, that's ALL says she.
And I wasn't nowhere in that ring, while
them women was bringing him round
with little doses of beef tea and brandy,
kisses and pattings, and calling him all
the loving names in the dictionary. By
andbye he sits up. where is it 2 says
he, and makes me hand that parcel of
old rags out of nay pocket where I'd
slipped it in the hurry of the moment,
and unwrap and unwrap until out there
shined-but sho there are some things
you cannot describe
ellis story was that he hadn't been
at the new place more than week be-
fore he lighted on the big diamond
kicked it up with his toe. He no sooner
saw it than he knew it was fortune for
him if he kept it. Then, he says, the
devil entered into him and tempted him,
and he got on an ALFRED rollickirg
bust. and run away to India to sell the
OF 20 x,o oh I, P,,k
just as he was concluding the bargain he
Australia, and kept up his jollification
time he held on to the diamond, because
makes up his mind to come home, and
and then, for fear lest he should again
be tempted, or get robbed, begs and
borrows his way home. Now, that I
call pretty much of temptation for a
poor man to overcome; don't you
Look at the stone-it's worth $50, 900 as
it's cut, and that Mark Gary didn't
know he was going to get penny for
it, outside his wages, as agreed on. But
he brought her on, all safe It isn't
every man would do it-but the way
got rich was by looking in mems faces
and seeing if they're honest. And
never was wrong in Judging mans
character in my life."
General Jack will not tell you, what is
nevertheless the fact, that, after his
famous diamond was cut, he had it ap-
praised, and paid Mark Gary its value,
less the advances made to him and his
family. He will not tell You of Carys
fine plantation and his fine prospects
of how he is a temperate man, a good
citizen and the best of fathers and hus-
bands-made so by General Jacks min
istry. But he will show you the big
diamond, if you call upon him, with ex
quisite pleasure, and relate to you with
much gusto such portions of its history
as do not reflect too great credit upon
himself