Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-09-20
My Diamonds.

A PERILoUS MISSION THAT BY A LIT
TIE FORESIGHT CAME OUT ALL RIGHT
On the 9th Of May, 1879, L arrived in
Austin, Texas, with thirteen diamond;
In my possession, the aggregate value
of which was fully 100000. They hat
beer sent TO a certain party in New
York who had agreed 10 carry them tt
San Antonio, Texas, where the purchaS
er, q wealthy merchant and the o@nel
of several ranches lived. They wer'
intended as present to his only daugh
ter on her birthday, the 10th OF Nav
Every probable provision had been made
to get them to the Lone Star State sew
sral days in advance of the 'auspiciou
OCCASION, which was meant TO be sucl
a memorable m one in the life Of the dark
eyed beauty Of the romantic old tow
ia which she was born and reared. The
first hitch occurred in New York, imme'
diately after the diamonds came Int
the hands Of Fred. Barrett, the cousin
of Miss Barrett, and wholt was arrang
ed was to deliver them in person to tht
father. On the very day Fred Barrei
opened the wonderful gems to feast his
ewes on their beauty, he was taken vio'
lently i'll. As he was an athletic, vi
sorous man, with no bad habits, he ant
his friends supposed he would be him
self in a brief while, but he showed M
Improvement for several days and final
ly sent for me.
The doctor says l have begun to
mend, but that il will be impossible fol
ue to leave my room under ten days,
According to the original plan l would
have had ample time 10 reach uncle's
before the 10Th, but if those diamonds
do no start tomorrow they will be too
late for the interesting ceremony, anC
uncle would rather lose fortune than
miss such a pleasure, on which his heart
is set.'
why not send them by express? L
IS quite safe-that Is as safe ss anything
can be in this world
L have thought Of all that, but th'
imperative order from uncle was tina
under no circumstances should the dia-
monds 60 by public conveyance. You
know there have been many tram ant
stage robberies IN the West and South
west lately and these Jewels would be
too tempting morsel for some OF thes'
gentry. The long and short of it is,
want you to take charge Of and deliye
them TO uncle himself. You have beet
over the route several times and know
the country more thoroughly than
do
To be brief, l accepted the propose
and as 1 stated at the beginning L reacl
ed the capital of Texas on the after
noon of the 9th Of May in The centennia
year.
I am naturally cool and free iron
nervousness, but there was excuse ID
considerable worryment on my par'
Mr.. Barrett had been notified by tele
erath that a visitor would reach hi
house on the night of the 10th whlc
would be in time for the party, bu
when the proceeding evening found tn
messenger in Austin, that messenge
found it was cutting things altogethe
too fine for his comfort. 1t is full tilt
miles from the Texan capital to Sa
Antonio, and the stage which lett IN
former city early in the morning requll
ed the entire day to make the journey
The line had been established man
wears and there were three changes
teams on the route, four horses Away
being hitched 10 the heavy but powerft
coach, which very rarely indeed iaile
to rattle into San Antonio early IN IN
evening. With the late completion
the railroad the stage company la
found its occupation gone.
II would have been morS pleasal
| for me had another "a hours been
nv command, but it was not that whlc
lcaused so much uneaslness as tie cor
| yic.lou that amounted to an absolu
! ceutainty that Two men were followiu
lme. How IN the name Of the seye
wonders they learned or even suspec
| ted that l had such valuable property
my custody passes my comprehension
tThe utmost secrecy was used IN Ne
YORK and the fiery carbon points wei
wrapped up in a piece Of chamois SKI
which was securely fastened to a smo
belt passing around my waist, benea'
nv clothing, and which was not to
removed until the end OF my journe
was reached. A person in my situate
is naturally suspicious, but am sure
conducted myself like the majority
NV fellow passengers who were d
supposed to be in possession ofas mu
wealth as myself. l kept a close wal
on them, but observed nothing to eau
alarm until after leaving St. Louis ov
!; the Iron Mountain road. L then
! came 50 well satisfied that two sln's
: looking and well-dlessed men w
shadowing me lhatI declined to ret
10 nv berth and sat up smoking most
4 the .ime and was awake all the "
n n d4