The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-09-17

Too Common OulifDIiity.
SOME few months ago q fascinating
gentleman with fascinating name
Charles Albert Ashley arrived in New
York and. putting up at fashionable
inn. advertised for loan on property
worth ten times the value of the sum Of
money wanted. A certain Ressler. a
lctter-carricr by profession. who by
wears ~ saving had amaSsed five hun
drei dollars. took the bait and waited
upon Charles Albert Ashley. whose
story was to the effect that he was the
only son Of noble English family; by
divers queer misfortunes the remit
tances from his family had miScarried.
and here he was without the necessary
money wherewith to support the digni-
~ Of the Ashleys. Fortunately for him
il happened that he had the family
jewels Of the Ashleys along with him;
they were worth untold sums. Of course.
but spirit Of pride which did him
honor forbade him 10 sell or pawn them
10 an ordinary pawnbroker. To Dor
row money from his aristocratic ac-
euaintances he was ashamed. and so
the only course left TO him was TO bor-
INV tAAG lAAV4GN kkVAA rVIAit OllU " NJ W r
willing 10 turn an honest penny and
who knew good business investment
when he saw it. II the letter-carrier
was such man and would lend him
tive hundred dollars he would cntrlist
him with enough Of the Ashley Jewels
% make him 4 rich man in case he new
er saw his live hundred dollars again.
The letter carrier was dazxlcd with the
jewels which Ashley showed him and
lent the money. taking with him dia-
mOnd pin. some rings OF enormous
value. and cane-head set with jewels
presented TO Ashley bv his friend the
Z King of Africa" So impressed was
the letter carrier with the value Of these
articles that he rented safe in some
deposit company's vaults in which 10
store his jewels. There they remained
until Ressler happened 70 think that If
Ashley should die or disappear these
treasures would make. him rich, and the
possibility OF such an event made him
curious rs to the real value Of the
jewels. 50 he took them 10 Bowery
pawnbroxer and asked what the LOT was
worth 4. Three dollars" was the re-
ply "Whatr' exclaimed Rcssler.
4 three dollars, Do VOC know that this
cane head comes from the King Of
Africa" Don't care II il does. was
the unfeeling reply; :. / can buy 'cmf for
twenty dollars dozen. seyenty-five per
cent of % the trade
A. soon as Ressler got through his
public duties that dav he hurried 10
tell his story TO Ashley, whose indig-
nation az the King Of Africa's pcriidy
knew no bounds. ..Iie was a friend ~
mine" said Ashley. :. but will have
nothing more % DO with him. His
heart j. a black as his skim To
make matters right with Rcssler. Ash
lev gave him AZ least a quart Of the
family Jewels which had been handed
down from his ancestors. he said.
Much pleased. the letter carrier accept
ca them. but could not resist taking
them ~ the pawnbr0ker' shop the
next morning. How much would he
lend on the whole bar fnlI' SIX dol
lars said the money-lender. Strange
10 say. Ressler began 70 suspect that
all was not well. Either Ashley was
scoundrel on else he was victim If his
ancestors rascslity. for they had GER
tainly handed down 70 him as poor a
lot Of family jewels as the Bowery
pawnbrokes had ever seen. In the cir
cumstances Resslcr had Ashley arrest
ed. and bushels of such precious stones
were found in his room. He managed
70 get away from the police in some
one Of the many ways known TO adroit
criminals. and Is now in Baltimore en-
deavoring TO obtain possession Of the
bag Of glass diamonds now in the
hands Of the New York police authori-
ties
This story j. a. old as the hills. and
yet il seems a If there was need Of
telling il again and again. Perhaps
this last variation Of it may catch the
eye OF some gudgeon in search Of such
good thingsn ~ Ashley and his kind
are every ready 10 offer. When Ashley
gets fresh lot 81 glass trinkeis he will
be-in again His pretended respecta-
bilIty i disproved BY letters from Lon
don received yesterday. in which his
career j. shown 10 have been any
thing but straight-E " EreninJ
Post.