The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1883-12-07
CAPE DIAMONDS.

- 1fftEEtitt <I0I|s
With four other masculine fcllow-suf-
fcrers- one Of whom was small spec
tacled. MISUNDERSTANDING MANNED
Girard and myself were the suffering
inmates Of nondcscript vehicle Of the
stage-wagon pattern. drawn by six
small Cape" horses. en- route from the
Bloemfonfein diamond fields Of South
Africa for Wellington. thence by rail to
Cape Town.
1wo-thirds 81 the truly terrible jour
ney had already been accomplished, yet
there were still some two hundred and
fifty miles Of travel over sun-bcat plain
and arid desert before us. with the mer-
curry at lO2 degrees. in such shade
alone a. our tilted conveyance afforded
for. in truth. there was no other.
Our eyes were blurred and blinded
BY the ccascless glare Of the sun, whose
rays beat down on the sandy desert
from the uncloudcd sky. which was as
brass before US. Our bodies were sore
and bruised BY the unccasing jar and
jolt Of our rudcly-hung vehicle. We
were parched with thirst. which the
lukewarm water along the route utterly
failed 10 slake: and though continually
drowsy could neither sleep BY day nor
By night. because ~ the intense heat.
the sand-f1ics, swellcd and burning feet.
and intense nervousness engendered by
the foregoing. with the other discom-
forts and sufferings incidental to .
stage Journey Of some hundreds Of miles
through South Africa.
The most Of us knew each other BY
sight, through having met from day 70
day for some months. in and about the
mining field which we had left But !
will venture TO state that six more sur
". unsocial fellow-passengcrs than our
dusty. unshorn selves were perhaps
Internationally thrown together.
II Ned and myself were perhaps I
little more pronounced in general dis
agrceablcness than the others. we con-
sidered. indeed. that we had ample
provocation therefor. For thirteen
months we had been toiling and pcrspir-
ing. taking our several turns In the
dump" or in our twenty-four foot
mining claim. as the case might be. III
nearly. IL not quite. year Of unremit-
ting toll. We had barely succeeded "a
washing out small stones" (the IN.
variable term for diamonds III South
Africa with which 70 pay our running
expenses; and then one stroke Of the
pick unearthcd rose-diamond Of such
size and purity that for full sixty min.
utes our good fortune was the talk 81
Bloem 'ontcin.
Well, that night. after our frugal sup
per, Ned. without speaking, extended
the precious gem toward me il his opcr
palm, Is wo sat at our rude table. ID
our canvas-covered cabin. / do mol
answer for the scope Of my partner
vision. Of courso. But IN the uncut bril-
liant, - il the magician's stones. my
self Jaw but one object--a sweet, visit
full face framed in wreath Of darI
hair. within the depths Of whose soft
eyes was look q Of patient waiting
for tho return Of him who had gone <
seek bis fortune In the far-away din
mond fields
..HomcP' was Ncd's intcrrcgativ,
query. raising bis own eyes, which has
bent upon the gem. with sort Of FIR
away look, 70 meet my own suddenl,
upturncd gaze.
n" HomeF' echoed. with joyous en-
phasis.
Bat hardly had the word escaped n,
lips when tall form dashed through
the door. and. upseting the candle By |
sudden blow, seized the diamond from
Ned's still outstretchcd hand. and Va
on ID che darkness whole even
having taken place in far less time thai
I have occupied n telling u
81 course We gave che alarm =