, 1877-11-23

for our chdrity. She would put the eye
stones in a saucer of vinegar, and we
were delighted to see them crawl around,
as if they were alive. Old pictures, nee
dework and beautiful shells were shown
to us, and stories were told about the
West Indies and the pirates. Tamarinds,
or guava jelly, or some other West India
fruit, also contributed to our happiness.
am going to tell you about most
singular event in the life of this excellent
woman.
Going one afternoon, during recess, into
her little garden, she picked a "mess Of
beans" in her apron. Returning, she sat
down in her school-room and shelled
them. In one Of the pods she found
three diamonds. What talk those dia-
monds made for the town! People came
from miles around to hear the story and
to look at the diamonds which grew in
bem-rOd.
have quoted the story as it was told
to me. Mrs. Price and Polly always de-
clared most emphstically that the dia-
monds grew in that bean-pOd, and Ger.
tainly believe the old lady found them
in the pod, as she did. Mrs. Commodore
Preble saw her shell out the diamonds,
and so did Mrs. Matthew Cobb,
who lived in the large house on the
eastern corner of High and Free streets.
Mrs. James Deering also confirmed
Maam's story.
That is not all. The very day before
the old lady died, Miss Sarah Jewett
asked her,
"Ma'am Price, did you truly shell
those diamonds out of bean.pod2
Hadn't the pod been opened3 Was it
whole like the other pods9"
"Bless you, Miss Jewett, how could I
tell. You know folks don't look at every
bean or pea they shell, except there's one
that won't open easily. l was shelling
and looking at the children to see that
they were all in their seats, when / felt
something hard under my thumb. l
looked into my lap and there were two
little shining things among the beans,
and another rolled out of the pod under
my thumb when took it up."
Miss Jewett had one of the stones set
in ring, that is now in possession of Will
liam Gould, Of Windham; John Camp
bell, a relative of Polly's, had another;
but where the third one is do not know.
When thechildren carried Ma'am pres
ent, she would frequently take the dia-
monds out of the cotton in which they
were kept, and let them handle the pre-
cious stones, telling at the same time
how she shelled them out of the bean
pod, and how surprised she was.
suppose if don't spoil this mystery
| shall have score or more of letters
from my young readers inquiring how
these diamonds come in that pod. This
is not known certainly. What did the
neighbors think2
Well, my father said that vessel ar
rived at Portland from Brazil, on board
Of which were several varieties of pre-
ciuus stones. The master Of the vessel
was an admirer of Miss Polly, and twas
supposed that he stole the diamonds from
the precious stones on board the ship, p,and
put them in the bean pod. AS he had
stolen them, he did not dare to give them
to Polly, or even tell about them. As
Mrs. Price had only dozen bean vines,
he knew Polly or her mother would
find them shortly after the vessel had
sailed, for he put them in just as he was
going to sea.
The vessel was never heard from, and
therefore, the captain never came back to
claim Polly, or to tell her where the dia
monds, which were not of any great
value, came from.
The mystery made great stir at the
time.-Y Youths Companion.