The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-03-08
OUR STORY TELLER
THE GREAT DIAMOND.
BY P. HENRY BOYLE.


that the diamonds lay around almost as
that making fortunes was only a ques-
ton of weeks or days. Naturally then
the land was soon thronged by wealth
seekers coming from nearly every quar-
ter of the globe.
There was little of attractiveness in the
broad stretch of country save its reputed
riches. So barren was it, the degraded
native derided it as refusing to afford
him the little he asked for mere exist
enee, and even the jackal- that prowler
of desert wastes-shunned its desolation
as the haunt of death.
But when it was told that beneath its
scant soil lay boundless treasures, every
thing changed. Where silence had
probably reigned from eternity, was
heard the hum of industry. The sound
of the pick and shovel, the creaking of
windlasses, the rattle of iron-all major
chords in the great song of labor-broke
the stiffness of the solitude, erecting
another altar to the god of wealth.
Among the new corners were to be
found every class. The broken merchant
was there; the mechanic, voorhees, at
home; the laborer, tired of reverend
ing drudgery; the rogue and sharper,
keen-scented of virgin soul for fresh
rascalities; the proAigate, the hopeless,
the desperate-all made part of the
throng, led by their own special reasons,
be they what they may.
And the most went to work with a
will. The way in which lots were staked
off, and pits, yards deep, dug, seemed
more like magic than the result of sturdy
arms and greedy eyes. Nor was the
earth ungenerous. Gems-some of them
a fortune in themselves, were found
and hundreds had the blissful realiza-
ton of their best hopes.
But there we're more, Fortunes STEP
children, who were just as hapless.
Ioiled they never 30 hard from morning
till night, few or none of the glittering
pebbles met their restless gaze. They
could hear the joyful sudden shout of
success from the miners beside, before
and behind them, but the glorious
triumph of toll rewarded. never came to
them.
1t was not difficult to select these I'M
fortunates from their fellows. There
was more striking unkemptness of
face and figure about them. The
features were contracted and gloomy,
and in keen eyes shone concentration
of earnestness which at times had the
horrible CLEAN of desperation.
1t was plain their souls had become
sick with hope deferred. One by one
the castles built were fallen to ruin.
None can know how sweet their dreams
had been, or what they lost. And as the
long days passed, with success more dis
tant than ever, it was not strange that
envious glances were often cast towards
their comrades "finds," or that they
listened to their glowing prospects with
unwilling ears.
The natural result of morose thought
is loneliness. The misanthrope is al.
ways solitary. So gradually these play
things of good luck drew within them
selves. Tired of the unequal contest
with fortune, they gave up the struggle.
The taverns of the "diggings" saw
them oftener than their " claims" And
when it happened that a miners hut
was broken open and robbed, or broker
was found with his throat cut, public
opinion-though it never amounted to
law-was ever ready to place the deeds
to their credit.
But strange thing had happened. A
young and fair-faced stranger, hailing
from none knew where, had occupied an
abandoned pit, and his luck was marvel
Gus. One of the largest and finest
stones known in the history of the place
had fallen to his lot. True, he allowed
none to see it, but group of idlers had
come suddenly upon him one evening
while pacing the bank of the little river,
whence the settlement drew its water
supply, and observed him hurriedly con-
ceal it in the broad belt he wore around
his waist.
:" 1t was as large as an apple" they
said, and flashed like the SUM-"
Such thing could not happen and be
without attendant excitement. Miners
are sociable set, and anything like
selfishness is always unpopular. Or
dinarily they take pleasure or sympathy
in each others good or bad fortune.
When this youth, therefore, held back
from the rest, nor told them of his wind
fall, there was ill feeling harbored, if
not expressed. More than one pair of
eyes watched him savagely, as he
searched the soil that might hold some
precious jewel in its embrace-and per-
haps it was only his youth or gentle
bearing that prevented unkind words
and unkinder acts.
The days work over, he used to 20
alone to the river. There he remained.
either pacing its low banks, or sitting
listlessly among the bushes, till late in
the night. The others noticed this and
interpreted his seclusion harshly. Opin-
ion would have it that he deemed as.
ISOLATION with his fellows as beneath
him.
But the big diamond was never out of
the public mind. None could tell how
the notion first arose but more than one
of the fierce men who had been soured
BY disappointment, watched him during
these lonely jaunts, with strange feel.
ings. The world of fancied wealth the
man held in that leathern strap-never