The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-11-30
LOSSES OF JEWELS.

hVSSElS VE w A1Ak9s
During the Indian mutiny, and after
Che destruction of some of the rich
palaces and temples, the soldiers picked
t1p many valuable articles, useless to
themselves, and which they frequently
threw away again, as troublesome to
carry or gladly sold to any one who
would give them few rupees In ex-
change. Among these acquisitions was
q large, very rout, ally cut diamond, which
had been one of the eyes of gor-
geously-painted idol, enshrine3 in one of
the temples that had been destroyed. A
soldier picked it out of its socket, and,
as Ii was a rough, dull-looking stone, he
thought very little of it, and was just
going to throw it away, when an officer
who stood by offered him two or three
rupees for il. He also put but 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 that
it might possibly be Of greater value
than seemed likely from its outward APP
pearance. Some time afterward he
showed it to a native jeweler, who
offered to buy il from him at consider
able 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
irst-class lapidary. This was done, and
very fine stone resulted, which the jew
ellen, at the most moderate calculation,
valued at 9500. The officer had it setin a
ring, and wore it for several years quite
safely but one day, CHANGING to be in
London, he went into q shop to buy a
pair of gloves, and looking at the ring
on his little finger, he observed that the
setting was empty, the diamond gone.
He examined his glove, his pockets, the
floor of the shop no trace Of the stone
was to be seen, and so he gave it up as
lost. However, he mentioned the mat
ter at his club, and told the club-master
to post up notice offering 910 reward
to any one who should find the diamond.
A day or two afterward the stone was
brought to him. IL had been found by
one OF the housemaids in darkish pass
age that led to the billiard-room. The
reward was gladly paid, and the diamond
taken to the jewelers., to be once more
firmly replaced in the ring.
Again some years passed. The officer
had been back to India, and was on fur
Tough in England, and had gone to Scot
land TO shoot with friends who had
taken moor in the Highlands. One
hot August day he had been out for sew
eral hours grouse-shcoting He was
still walking, when covey of birds rose
"a little way off. He raised his gun to
take aim, when his eye CHANGED to fall
on ais ring, and he saw that the setting
was cnce 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 a very feeble hope of find
! ing the glittering stone. Nothing was
TO be seen of it; and when he recollect-
ed the many miles he had traversed that
: day, and the nature of the ground he
had been on, he abandoned all idea of
s'svgr again recovering his diamond. He
stopped for his gun, and the thought
flashed into his mind: "I'n 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 muzzle
when he was loading, and, but for the
lucky chance chat had caused him to
remark its absence from the ring, it
vEGgld have been fired away the next
moment. Possibly it might have hit
bird, gone back in the game bag, and
caused as much amazement to the cook,
or to the individual who found it be-
tween his teeth, as did the diamond in
she eastern tale to the fisherman and
his family who discovered it in
the entrails of the fish. Another
visit to the ieweIer, and the ring resumed
j lis place on the finger of its owner, and
three or four years passed away. The
e officer had again returned to India, and
was wiGh his regiment, which was en-
eamped near large station, portions of
some other regiments being close to
them. He was acting as Adjutant to
the General in command, and was writ
ing at q 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
2 angry exclamation, pushed the stone
!, close to the inkstand and went on with his
writing. Presently messenger came
NEo saw that tho General wished to see
ihim immediately. He forgot all about
the stone, threw on his uniform, buckled
on his sword, and started at once for the
quarters of the commanding officer. He
was detained some little time; and when
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