The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-11-15
En- pIAMoNp.


1 could give you the pedigree of the
stone but the details are so long and 80
many they might tire you. Sufficient to
say that bought it many years ago from
an old dealer in the lower part Of Broad
way, who told me curious story con-
cerning it. He said that it was tails
man; that four hundred years ago it was
owned by Venetian family of ruined
fortunes, who long guarded it with jeal-
Gus care; it had passed from them in
many ways to brothers Of his in the
money-lending way, and should be mine
/ gavs him his price for it.
In truth. the stone had q strange and
fiery gleam At the first glance it seemed
of the purest water; in an instant It
changed to pink, blue and pale green,
and then irridescent opal hues, emit
ting sparks of fise.
watched it curiously for nearly an
hour, talking iFreyalently the while of
other matters, and reluctantly coming to
the conclusion that If ever precious
stone possessed uncanny properties this
one certainly did, / thought myself
Welding to foolish superstition, or that
ny Sy co MctC ekAU4 WALL AOAk kftAk4tH d.
the gem, and to rest them / turned my
gIance to other diamonds in the case to
compare them with the taiisman. The
dealer evidently OWNED my thought, for
he took from his side pocket wallet and
opened it, and from a compartment
brought ont several tissue paper pack
cts, opened them and showed to me
large and sparkling diamonds.
in your hand, he said. He was right
All were bright In their glittering fash
and mereiless CLEAN wondrously beau
tiful, but all were unlike the talisman.
Why do you sell it?D I asked.
with al this wealth You cannot need
money, and if what you tell me Of its
talismanic property be true, the gem is
priceless. =
'.I wish to sell it if you have the cour.
age to buy" he made answer.
It seemed to me that he proposedly
made his tone dramatic, and smiled
scornfnlly, AS for the stone itself, !
liked it; the story he told of its virtue,
althoughI only half believed it, inter-
ested me. had no fear of any evil su-
pernatural influence; it was just the size
/ wanted to buy, and in shape and cut
ting it was all that was to be desired.
The old dealer told me that when I
was about to embark in any enterprise
ff7at would prove successful the stone
wo1N dazzle with unusual brilliancy
II misfortune or death were to come
upon me or mine, the stone would ap-
pear dull and almost neutral
Now am practical sort of fellow,
but / had no objection to take the mys-
terry along with the stone, provided it
was thrown in as bargain and had not
to pay extra for it. In few minutes I
made up my mind and counted out to
him four hundred dollars, the price he
asked for it, and left.
I wore the diamond for more than five
years; at first IN ring, afterward in n
shirt stud, and then in a ring again. 1t
now encireles the finger of lovely lady
whose little girl calls me papa. All
this time there have been no tragedies in
our family, no dear friend has died. My
own health has been excellent, and I am
quite resigned to have it put down to
imagination on my part that, to me, my
stone is bright or dull, according to my
prospects ahead. Only this affirm, that
twice, when, to test it, went contrary to
its warming, the punishment quickly fol-
lOWtU the OHCutts O1lCG Il SiJtC CuIlttCtA LII
Pacific Mail and lost heavily, and once I
asked sweet lady friend to be my wife,
and she refused me-plump.
Superstitious or not, as you will, re-
gard my diamond as my talisman, my
mentor, and ever since my unsuccessful
wooing have looked upon it with love
not unmixed with awe. One morning,
when riding down town in Madison
avenue car to my business, looked mp
from my paper, conscious OF a pair OF
eyes fixed steadily on me. Opposite was
lady of about twenty years, dressed IN
soft, somber gray; the only bit OF color
to relieve it-except the bloom IN her re-
fined face e-was n bit of red, low down
beneath the brim of her gray felt hat.
Her eyes were light, lustrous brown; her
hair, much darker and glossy, was
brushed back in waves from her low
forehead, upon which curl or two fell,
not the detestabIe bangs" which l
frankly state I abhor, but short, grace
full, fringe-like ringlets, that rested upon
the white brow as if they loved it. There
was no doubt about it, this rare and
radiant maiden was gazing at me.
looked at her in return with q face l
tried to make expressive of nothing. GER
tainly not curiosity. She glanced down
again at her book, Daniel Deronda. "
I-returned to my telegraphic dispatches
in the Herald. Again felt her gaze,
and again looked up and met her eyes.
She evidently wanted TO speak to me, or
else had something on her mind concern
ing me. Had / ever seen her before
asked myself. mol She seemed too
modestly sweet to wish to attract the at-
tention Of stranger. Perish the thought,
said inwardly. But she was certainly
looking at me again. / am not bad
looking fellow. and, rs men go, not a bad
sort; have always been popular with
my lady friends, and returned her look
this time with one Of interest, and I am
afraid / smiled. Instantly her face
clouded, she bent over her book and bit
her lip angrily. turned to my paper
but not to read. Once more looked up
at my fair Wis avis; she was steadily
gazing at me. / could have sworn to it.
Oh, my talismani you failed me then,
but the fault was mine. l did not seek
your advice. just at this moment the
conductor came hurried1y to the front of
the car to speak to the driver, and rs he
was returning the lady in gray said to
him in low voice, every word perfectly
audible to me, and as chilling as an ice-
berg;
conductor, the gentleman opposite
me is losing his diamond"
] flushed to the roots of my hair, felt
for the stone and discovered that it was
hanging by the spiral screw, and SO
nearly out that quick movement would
have sent it down into the meshes Of the
car mat Ireplaced It securely, bending
back the wire for greater safety, and
then cast an imploring look of apology,
gratitude and humiliation upon the kind
stranger. Her face remained placid, but
after moment q demure smile stole into
the corners Of her mouth, and / don't
think e was by what she saw in her
book, Or that she was reading very at
tentivsly.
She left the car at Fourteenth street
and ! gazed eagerly after her as she
turned up 70 Broadway, and then must
have sighed. Perhaps because I feared
shou1d never zee her again. What more
natural than for me to desire 10 know
her = was 30 kind and SO sensible 81