River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-08-04
HOW LOST MY DIAMONDS.

|
HOW | LOST MY DIAMONDS.
An old bachelor am I, with very
snug little income. Everyone at my
time of life has his facts and fancies. |
ann collector-not Of old books or
stuffed birds, or dirty seaweed and
grasses, bat of precious stones. My
friends say it is an odd taste. | observe
people always do say this of their
neighbOr's hobbies. Of course my col
lection Is a modest one; | cannot af-
ford to buy stones at a price of five fig
ures. / began my store with some real
ly fine uncut jewels u relative picked
up in the east, in those earlier days of
our Indian Empire, when that opera
ton known as shaking the pagOda
tree" was practiced Then an old aunt
bequeathed me certain Family dia-
mOnds," and | have bought little for
myself 1t is less for their intrinsic
value than as specimens of different
kinds of precious stones that | value
my jewels.
The science of mineralogy has al
ways been fascinating one to me, and
mean, some day, to give the world
treatise on gems, which | have devoted
years to drawing up. Except as orna-
ments, very few people care straw
about jewels. My nieces took the
deepest interest in the experiments |
thought of making to discover the
Count Germans secret for removing
flaws from diamonds-an experiment
that, if successfully applied to the big
gest stone in Aunt Dorothy's necklace,
would have quadrupled its value.
was pleased to find the girls interested
in scientific subjects, and repented hav-
ing called them frivolous. But when
failing to discover the COUNTS secret
| thought Of testing the most interest
ing experiment of converting diamonds
into coke by application of intense
heat, the girls were absolutely rude on
finding | was about to "try conclusions"
in the matter with one of my best
stones. Much they cared about scien-
titiC discoveries; they only wanted a
necklace worth $4,000 instead of $500.
| am minded to leave my Jewels to
alas have they not already left me?
| was sitting one morning in my
study, when Il note and card were
familiar name, Herr Sahlossman. The
note (unsealedl was from my old friend
Merton. Merton lived little way out
of the town, but we constantly ex-
change letters and visits. Merton takes
interest in science and mineralogy, and
we belong to a great many societies, in
which the ignorant general public take
no interest. Merton would be a col
lectOr if he could, but he has TO fritter
away on wife and five children what
would stock Il decent cabinet of gems.
However, he takes great interest III
my store, and often lets me know when
curious specimens of stones are to be
sold Mt reasonable figure, and so on.
When | saw this writing | hoped the
note was to say that his acquaintance,
the Wholesale jeweler, had seen an
opal at my price. | have not single
decent opal in my collection, and have
been looking for a specimen these ten
years However, Merton did not even
mention opals HIS note was only to
introduce foreign friend, Herr Schloss-
man. the bearer of the letter. 1t
seemed that the Herr was a German
savant, come to England on visit to
Merton. He (the Germany was, like
my elf, an enthusiast about gems, and
Merton wanted me to allow him to look
at my collection.
"Of course | am aware that it is too
valuable to be exhibited to casual
strangers, wrote Merton, "but you
need have no fear of Herr Salesman,
He is an cid and valued friend OF mine,
a rich man, and collector himself.
This, by the way, was rather an argu-
meut against his honesty; collectors
are sometimes light fingered among
their neighhOr's treasures. HE is mere
" anxious to look at your jewels as a
sample of Il fine private collection of
gems.
Eyes, flat'er myself mine is-was,
mean, very good collection; my
faulty stones were curious from their
very flaws
'Show the gentleman IN said, as |
selected the key that opened the iron
door of the large safe, imbcdded in the
library wall, where | keep my coilec-
ton of Jewels The safe Is behind a
sham bookcase, and the iron door IS
covered with glass with backs Of books
pasted against it: no one could detect
it among the rows of book shelves lin
ing the wall. Well, | did my best TO
take care of my property
Herr Schlossman proved a most
pleasant, agreeable man, speaking Eng
fish so perfectly that | should hardly
have taken him for a German at all.
He admired my collection extremely,
and was certainly n good judge Of jew
els. He rapidly valued all mine with q
quite professional accuracy, and was a
perfect mine of information on the
subject of precious stones-so much so
that ventured to inquire if he were n
dealer ,merchant | believe | called i'll
in such wares himself.
We'll, not exactly" he said smiling;
"but a good many valuable stones pass
through my hands from time to time. "
did not press my inquiries further.
and we talked on pleasantly; it was so
agreeable to find 4 sympathetic mind.
We discussed some of my choice old
sherry that | don't open for everybody,
and when the Herr rose to depart, |
felt that one of the most agreeable
hours that had ever passed had come
to an end. pressed him much to stay
and dine, bat he was unfortunately en-
gagged that evening. and was due at
Merton's next day-in fact, rs he smil-
ingly said, his only business in London
had been to inspect my beautiful col
lection. He was preparing a work on
curious specimens of precious stones,
il 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 it to him TO make use OF
as he saw best.
He was very grateful, and we parted
on the best of terms.
l was so eager % fulfill my promise
that | sat down st once to my task
leaving the safe open IA thing | never