The Red Cloud chief., 1883-10-12

sssrrs Fr buyer-than il
W." e. Iook for the stone. DAYS
dragged along dresrily enough at times,
mo doubt, down in the deep guiches
of the Kimberley mines, but he has
probably beer. as often Just as hcart-sick
IN his three years pursuit. of a million
airc as ever he was in the mud and
slush of the South African diggings.
For. apart from the anxiety that must
naturally attend the sale of such a pos.
session, there must he the dismal con.
seriousness that from East and West there
are rogues on his track only too ready 10
ease him. If they can get the chance. of
ms splendid embarrassment. That he
Is liable to be robbed of it has. as his
friends know, been an ever-present tor
ture to hun, and this fact should to some
extent asstiage the ~ferocity of the envy
which humanity not unnaturally regards
the p"ssessor OF the third largest dia-
mond in the world.
In its present state the Rhodes stone
unq~uestionably holds that proud posi-.
hon among "the paragon gems" mas.
-Wuch as it weighs one hundred and fifty
carals. Hhy a"~- much this may be re.
dueed before the dianlG.ai assumes its
final shape under the grindefs hands
remains TO be seen, but i'm the mean.
while it ranks among the monarchs of
precious stones, and is inferior in size
only to the Orioff gem, belonging to the
Gar of Russia, which weighs one hun.
drcd and ninety carats. and the reputed
diamond in Bornco, still uncut, said to
weigh nearly four hundred. 1t exceeds,
therefore, in dimensions the Koh-i-noor.
IN Star of the South, the Regent Tor
fitt). the Austrian. and the Sancy
Jewels. and in purity Of water is re-
ported TO rival the Regent. the finest of
the notable gems. The prejudice
against the products of the African
mines as compared with those of the
Brazils is. according to the latest word
OF connOisseurs. quite unreasonab bic; for,
though the Cape stones have often
failed in color, they have as often come
up TO the highest standard Of the mar
ket. and fairly challenged in water and
brilliancy the choicest produce of Amer
lea or India. Ard what a triumph of
Art and nature the perfect diamond is.
Other precious stones enchant us with
their colors, and in the mystical beau
tic OF the Changing opal, or the glow
Ing heart of the carbuncle. there is
charm added TO the simple tint. The
diamond, however. depends for its SOW
ere:gnty upon the flashing, living soul
within il. and. scorning the easy tri-
umphs of color, allies itself with
human skill to gather from the
air round it q radiance of pris.
matte splendor which nothing else
but it is subtle enough to hold, strong
enough to alchemise, or pure enough to
return with undiminished br~illiancy. 1t
with . niddy fams that is the
despair Of rubies, 1ashes cmcraI1s as no
smaragdine cornet ever aashodfhem. |
beams rs soft and 1uptrous violess ind
Is any amethyst blaxes in such
points OF hre. Is no topaz kindles, and
yet. with al its triumphs. lies in the
hand c~oloriess and transparent II may
be looked through and through; the
crystal Is innocence itself. Yet. chal-
Ienge its powers, and it lightens up in
into . restless activity of beauty |
that traverses ina fash the whole scale
II color. and Il Ill the cAsket Of gems
one. No wonder, then. that the
liamUnd should have been 50 long the
klng q precious sAou1s. lor. with only
e own mfm1t6b1o ponfers a ueraciio5.
& could have hold ohathroue 1eufrst All
,ompeeiton Just, hOw9yer 8 some
nonarchs haye descended iu1o The COM
no6 arena to ne6e rivals. and there
l1sslyosyted them. 70 his stons ~iII