The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-01-18

matter for you"
He rose to leave.
"Must you gop"
Then, after a number of those last
tender whispers which bear no repetition
like mineral waters, their most valu-
able properties escape when taken away
from the spring-he babe her good
night. She remained a while on the
sofa bordering over his words.
The next morning she carried her ring
to the most prominent jewelry establish
ment in the city. One of the firm
CHANGED to wait On her, and examining
the fracture with the usual air OF profess
sional indifference, something suddenly
occurred to him.
MAY I take this ring to the back of
the storeP' he asked.
Certainly, SIR"
After a short delay he reappeared with
q curious smile overspreading his coun-
~tenance,
..Do you know what stone you have
herep''
mo; lido not"
Something exceedingly rare-a black
diamond. They are seldom seen in this
country. Ipresume they must be bought
up blythe wealthy natives in the regions
where they are found. and"
"How much is this WORTH" inter-
rupted Miss Van Wyck, with wild i'm
patience.
"Well, I should say a firm that really
cared to invest SO much capital in n
article, taking the chances of a pur-
chaser, might give twelve or fifteen
thousand dollars for the stone" She
started visibly. 1--WE have in all of our
own winter stock. Why do you not take
it to New York? That. of course, is the
great commercial metropolis Of the u
try, and your chances would be ten there
to one here of disposing Oft advantage
ously. / think l know amau there who
will be glad to buy it-Mr. Seabright.
the celebrated lapidary. You will find
his address in the directory"
Was it strange if the next train that
whisked out of the Pennsylvania Sta
tom carried Irene and all her fortunes
to New York; Nor did she wait to con-
suit Elmer Paulson.
81 will return tomorrow with the
money, she promised herself exultingly.
Rev. MI. Talbot. an old classmate of
her fathers, had a pastoral charge in an
questionable locality; he and his wife
| udu I6C6uDly luNlU6u u6I W NlStb GuClu
when she felt so disposed; she would go
there for the night, mentioning only that
she had come to the city unexpectedly
on business. How far their simple,
friendly converse that evening seemed
from her secret thoughts! One Irene
answered their questions mechanically,
another at the same time was busily en-
gagged in draping the scenery of the
future.
In the morning she found her way to
Mr.. Seabright's. 1t was an early hour;
no customers were in the store, and a
meagre, weird-looking old gentleman
advanced to meet her.
81 wish you to examine this ring and
give me your opinion OF it," she said.
quietly!
He invited her to be seated, got his
magniier, gazed a while in solemn 81
lence, then broke out suddenly, as though
he could nolonger contain himself.
"Ah, you have something wonderfully
nice here, madam! We have a couple
of small black diamonds ourselves, but
nothing comparable to this marvel.
should like to know the history of this
ring. Pardon my curiosity, but l am
something of an antiquary in my tastes.
l see a device engraved in some ancient
characters inside of the hoop. This was
one of the peculiarities of the Old tails
manic rings of the East, and the dia.
mond," he added, "from its purity and
lustre, wa reputed to have a special pc.
tency in warding off evil and pain; it wa:
the tabled guardian of innocence, and
was consecrated to all the celestial vir
tues. This has very little lustre at pres
emit, it is almost in its natural condition
but If it were properly cut it would be
veritable black mountain of light It
} glory has been hidden through the cen
turtles, and may not even have been sus
pected by some of its owners I SCI
where an attempt has, at some time o.
other, been made to polish the stone
but its hardness resisted the instrument
then known; most of its native husk still
clings to it. The art of ~stone-cutting wa
very imperfectly practiced until thu
7 fifteenth century. In the hands of GU
modern artisans you will see what
beauty this diamond will becomen
"Ia am not thinking of having it c1t
I came to dispose of it. Will you bu,
5 it of meP'
Mr.. Seabright inspected his visito
WILL COuSluCl " SuliOSiIJ IO hObOu lax
= she was very pretty woman, and he wa
l a connoisseur of female beauty-if b,
: did resemble a fossil himself-as well a
!, III rare gems. He did not at once answe
her question, but kept turning the rim
: round and round on his finger.
q "Would you say the ring was YER
i oldp" she asked; then, thinking to en-
r nance his interest, she gave him thos
points in its history with which she wa
a herself acquainted, mentioning her fatt
! er's name and that Of the native who ha
a given it to him.
81 should say it was certainly middle
g aged, from the setting and shape, and
may be very old. 1 have spent tn
greater part Of my life in studying th
nature and origin of gems. In additio
q to the value of the stone, which may b
= some eighteen thousand dollars, the rim
q itself, in the hands of some purchaser!
o would assume almost an arbitrary valu
IS as a curio, an antique. I'll tell you WIFI
n we can do. I cannot promise to-da!
b Miss Van Wyck, to purchase this artic'
at its full value; we will take the matte
d under consideration. Meantime, in vol
ID interest, I would recommend you to d
e, still better, if opportunity offers. Hay
d your ring exhibited. 1 will introdut
l, you myself, if you will allow me-"
h added, gushing with combined admir-,
Or ton for the woman and the ring
ut Before night the ring was mounted
q acrimson velvet case in a c%onspicuol
place in a grand show-window, with
in serene policeman standing guard over
er Underneath it was a large, closel,
written card hearino the f6llowino +
n, scription, for which Miss Van Wyck w;
ty not wholly responsible:
I'd "kBrahmin's ring of remote anti
lg uity. The stone is the largest blat
diamond ever on exhibition in the Unite
id States. This ring, with its Sanscrit d
IS vices, is one of the most famous tall
a mans of the Middle Ages. History fir
meets it along with the 'Kohiuoor,'