The Portland daily press., 1884-06-13
Chickens and Diamonds.
A Nevada Story of IA Very Wonderful serie,
of Incidents.
Virginia Enterprise.l

Virginia EnIerprlse)
Mrs. Nora McShane, vino resides on the
Divide, near Hickey street, received letter
and newspaper from her husband, who is
in the diamond fields of South Africa.
When nearing home, Mrs. McShane-who
is not able to read writing-concluded to 90
on to the residence of a friend who gener-
ally reads for her the letters that come from
her husband. While standing and debating
in her mind the question of going at once
to have her friend read the letter Mrs. Nc
Shane almost mechanically opened the news
paper to have glance at it, she being abe
to spell out print. AS she opened the paper
she thought she observed, as she says, "some
bits of dthirt or graves'' fall out of it,
though she paid but little attention, think
iug at the time that it was some ''schtuff
that had worked into the papa on the road. %
When her friend read the letter it was found
that misunderstanding to luck" as he
Sald-had sent in the newspapers as sDeci-
mems no less than fifteeL diamonds in the
rough, ranging in value from $50 to 8 20
each. Here was go, as not a stone re-
NAMED in the paper. However, she remem-
bered that when she opened the paper she
was in the walk-where the snow was off
the ground-just opposite the residence of a
nelghbor, and accompanied by her friend
she returned to the place. Not diamond
was be found, but Mrs. McShane's friend
had observed lot of chickens about the
spot and was confident they had found and
swallowed the glittering little stones. In a
short time quite crowd of men and women
had collected about the spot-having leen
told about the Ioss-and, as the place was a
regular cruising ground for the chickens in
search OF gravel while the ground was COW
cred with snow in most places, it was the
general opinion that they had swallowed the
gems.
The chickens belonged TO the neighbor in
front of whose place the newspaper had been
open. and this neighbor could not be ex-
pected to sacrifice his whole flock, number
ing thirty fowls, for nothing. As no one
could tell which particular chicken might
have diamond 10 its crop, and which not,
it would be necessary to sacrifice the whole
lot. The owner disliked to lose his chickens.
but finally said he would let them 90, under
the circumstances, at rs cents each, cash
down. Mrs. McShane had no money and
knew not what to do. However, there was
no time to lose, and miner of sporting turn
who happened to be present agreed to paw
for all the chickens, provided Mrs. McShane
would give him any stone he might pick out
from among those recovered. Mrs. McShane
accepted the offer, with the provso that she
was to have all the chickens that were killed.
The fowls were enticed into their house and
the heads cut off the whole lot. The con-
tents II their crops being carefully washed
and examined, twelve Of the gems were
found. Generally they were worth from
$50 to $50, but these were worth 500 and
over. One of these, stone worth $12O, fell
to the share of the speculative miner. Mrs.
McShane was helped out on her side by
dressing and selling the chickens at from rs
cents to 81 each.
A curious part of the story remains to be
told, however. Between the uncut diamonds
found in the craws of the fowls there was
taken from one handsome emerald that
was perfectly cut. Mrs. McShaue, of course,
thought that this stone had also been sent
by her husband, though it was not men
toned in his letter. While this matter was
being discussed a lady living in the vicinity
came up and at once claimed the emerald.
She said she lost it out of her ring the day
before. No one knew what to say to this,
as those present did not wish to dispute the
point. Seeing how matters stood, the lady
ran off home and presently returned with
her ring, into the setting of which the emer-
aid fitted perfectly. On seeing this all agreed
that the stone was the property of the LADY.