Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-06-21

country, but he was little uneasy lest he
should meet party who would recognize
him and go for the property he carried
about his clothes
Nuddee debated The question more than
once of burying the diamond, but after
the perfection of a little artifce of his he
was not convinced of the necessity Just
vet, and so he pushed ahead, hopeful that
if the worst should come hewould be able
to hide the precious jewel somewhere
about his person where the prying fingers
and eyes Of his enemies would fail to
find it.
There must have been a tumultuOus
struggle in the heart Of the swarthy Hin
doc, when he saw the multitudes of his
fanatical cOuntrymen rushing into the
mutiny as if "to festival"; but, to his
credit be it said, he remained faithful to
his employers, and used all his wonderful
ingenuity, skill and daring, in hurryiug
toward Calcutta.
Such a servant ought to have succeeded,
and yet before he was out of sight of Ben
ares he was stopped by a squad Of native
cavalry, the leader of which commanded
him to hand over the Singee diamond
which he knew was in his possession.
Nuddee did not hesitate to lie point blank
and assert that he had no vaiuabies about
his person, inviting them at the same time
| to search him. This, of course, they in
tended to do, and they did it thoroughly ;
bat from head to foot there was nothing
| found worth their while to take, and the
examination of the trappings Of his horse
was equally fruitless.
The search was repeated, and still the
robbers were baffied. The leader seemed
| to think he had made mistake, and was
about to allow the messenger to pass, when
! he ordered him to open his rather capa-
cious mouth Nuddee heSitated, num-
| bled some protest, but was compelled to
obey.
| PeeTing into the cavernous opening the
| leader discovered nothing unusual, until
he ran his finger beneath the tongue, when
| he hooked out gem almost the size of a
robins egg, and which cleaned in the
| sunlight like ball of fire. EXclamatiOns
Of delight followed, and poor Nuddee,
| in the most abject manner, prayed that
the diamond might not be taken from
him, but his countrymen laughed him to
scOrn, and gallOping off, left him to do as
! he pleased.
! The bronZed countenance of the servant
was the picture of dismal woe as he sat
| mOtionless on the back of his steed, look
ing wistfully after the cavalry, as if hop
! ing their conscience would smite them
| into turning back and restoring the prop
i erty to him, but they soon disappeared
on the dusty road in the direction of
Benares, and he resumed his journey to
! Calcutta.
1t was more than two weeks later that
Foreman & Brother, when in despair at
ever hearing anything of their messenger
and diamond, were surprised and delight
ed at seeing the dusty fellow enter their
office, his manner and appearance show
ing them that he had just finished the
most eventful experience of his lite.
When his employers breathlessly in
quired for the diamond, he shook his
head.
Me robbed p he replied, in his broken
English.
My Godr' exclaimed the senior part
ner, and we are ruinedr'
Nuddee then related the particulars as
we have given them, while they listened
with a wildly painful interest. When
he had finished, he asked them to walk
TO the front, where his horse stood.
! There was a peculiar flash of the black
eyes as he placed his hand beneath the
luxuriant name, and holding it motionless
"They rob Nuddee, but don't rob horse
! muchee"
With which he drew forth twist OF
dark paper that had been woven in under
the wiry hair so as to be invisible from
the outside, and handing it to one of his
employers, said
There diamondn'
Such was the fact. The sagacious fel
low, foreseeing what was likely to happen
had provided himself with a paste jewel
in AlIahabad, and by that means saved
the genuine.