Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-08-05
HOW I LOST NY DIAMONDS.

HOW I LOST Ny DIAMONDS.
An old bachelor am , with very
snug little income Everyone ut my
TIME III life has his facts and lancics.
am Il collector not Of old books or
stuffed birds, or dirty seaweed and
grasses, but of precious stones. My
friends say il il anodd taste | observe
people always ID say this Of their
lection IS Il modest one; | cannot tf-
ford to buy stones Ill II price of five fig
mes. | began my store with some real
tn fine uncut Jewell il relative picked
III III the east, in those earlier days Of
our Indian Empire, when that opera
tlpn known III shaking the pagoda
tree" was practiced Then m old aunt
bequrathcd me certain family dia-
monds, aud have bought little for
myself IL is less for their intrinsic
value than ~ specimens Of different
kinds III precious stones that ! value
my jewels.
The science Of mincralogy has al
ways been i fascinating one 10 me, and
mean, some day, to give the world a
frcntise ID gems, which have devoted
years "a drawing M. Except us orna-
mcnts, very few people care u straw
about jewels My nicces took the
deepest interest III the experiments
thought ~ making 10 discover the
Count t,efmalil secret for removing
flaws from diamonds an experiment
that, # successfully applied to the big-
gcst Stone iii Aunt Dorothy's necklace,
would have quadfuplcd its value.
was pleased 10 find the girls Interested
ia scientific subjects, and repcnted hay-
INK called them frivolous But when
filling u iiscover the counts secret
] Thought III testing the most interest
ing experiment Of converting diamonds
into coke Nv application Of intense
heat, ths girls were absolutely rude on
finding ! WIN about ID TRY conclusions
IN the matter with one Of my best
stones Much they cared about scien-
tilic discoveries. they only wanted Il
necklace worth fa.OO0 instead Of $500.
am minded Il leave my Jewels to
alas! have they not already left me-
WIS sitting one morning in my
study, when note and card were
brought IL me I'he card bore IN nm
familiar name. Herr Schlossman The
note (unsealcdl was from my old friend
Merton. Merton lived a little way out
at tire town hut Ne constantly ex-
change lettcts and visits. Merton takes
interest III science and mineralogv, and
VIZ belong t. n great many societies, in
which the ignorant general public take
no interest Merton would be II col
lrctur IL he could. Int lie has to fritter
away on i wife and five children what
would ste,'k Il decent cabinet Of gems.
However, liz takes i great interest in
my store, and often lets me know when
curious specimens Ut stones are To he
sold II i reasonable figure. and so on.
When saw this writing | hoped the
notr was 70 say that his acquaintance.
the Wholesale IeWelcr. had seen IN
opal II my price have not single
decent opal IN my collection, and have
been looking for i specimen these ten
years However, Merton did not even
mention opals Ills note WIS only 10
introduced foreign friend. Herr Schloss-
man. the bearer of the letter. Il
seemed that the Herr WAS German
savant, come q England on i visit 10
Merton. he (the GERMANY was, like
myself. m enthusiast about gems. and
Merton wanted me toallow him To look
IT my collection
'tf tnnfsr | am aware that ii il too
valuable Il ~ exhibited Is casual
strangers. wrote Merton. hut You
need have No fear Of Herr Schlossman.
lii i ~ old and Valued friend Of mine.
\ rirh man. and collector himself.
Tins, ~ tho way. was rather an argu-
mcnt against his honesty; collectors
are sometimes light fingered among
their nelEhhAr' treasures lie is mere
n anxlaus y Look IL Your jewels Is i
Sample Of tine private collection Of
gems
es. ! later myself mine is was.
mcan. vcry gaoa collection; my
iaulty stones We're curious from their
very flaws
SHOW the gentleman in. | said, rs
selected tllc Ivy that opened the iron
door III tile large safe. imhcdded III the
library Wall. where | keep my Coilee-
ton G Jewels. The safe is behind a
Slam bookcase, aud the iron door Is
covered With glass With backs Of books
pasted against il no one could detect
i among Tile TONS sc book shelves In
ing the wall Well, did my best To
take eafe 81 my property
Herr Srhla~sman proved most
pheasant, agreeable man, speaking Eng
liSh 50 perfectly that should hardly
have taken him for German ut all.
tic aa .ssreJl my collection extremely.
and vi certainly good Judge If Jew
elS. lie rapidly valued all mine with Il
quite professional accuracy. and was a
perfect mlnc Of information on the
subject 81 precious stuncs-So much So
that ventured q inquire ii lie we're \
dealer merchant ! believe | called i'll
IN such wares himself
Well not exactly" lie said smiling;
but / good many valuable stones pass
through my hands from time IL time. =
did not press my inquiries further.
and Ne talked on pleasantly; il was 50
agreeable - find sympathetic mind.
We discussed some of mv choice old
sherry taat don't open for everybody.
and when the Herr rose 10 depart.
felt that one Of the most agreeable
hours that had ever passed had come
% All end. l pressed him much to stay
and dine, but he was unfortunately en-
gagged that evening, and was due at
Mertons next day-in fact, as he smil-
ingly said, his only business in London
had been 10 inspect my beautiful col
lection. He was preparing work on
curious specimens of precious stones,
II seemed, and was anxious to describe
some of mine in it. To ensure full jus.
tice being done to their merits, told
him | would write the account myself
and forward il to him to make use o
as he saw best.
He was very grateful, and we partet
on the best Of terms.
was so eager to fulfill my promis,
that l sat down at once to my task
leaving the safe open Ia thing | never