The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1884-08-16
A JEWELLERS STORY.

A JEWELLERS STORY.
L
1t was on the Doth of October. 1889
tnst was returning to England. having
teken the steamer at Dublin for HOLY
need business had taken me to Ire
Iand-l am = jewelsr-and it had been
necessary for me to visit branch of nv
own firm In Dublin. I was bringing
oack certain valuable jewels which re-
quired resetting-llamonds Of great
vaiue, and some other things OF less I'M
portance, but still valuable.
found all the passengers talking on
one ,uo'ect-ths terrible and appalling
vfeck which had occurred only three
Gays beiore, of MoelfrA, on the Angle
sea coast No less than 448 lives were
Aost that night when the Royal Charter
was totally wrecked She was screw
steamer commanded by Captain Taylor.
a large sum Of money-G7UO, 900 or
*oOO,OOO in gold-was lost also, it was
supposed but l have since heard that
some OF tho gold has been recovered /
am silent maa, habitualiy, AMI the awe
IN the voices Of my .el ow passengers
struck me fore. .bly but 1 had unother
reason, as will presently appear, III re-
membering my journey from Dublin to
London on this occasion.
l carried the jewels which I have al.
ready mentioned in o small black hand
bag, and 20 long ~ I knew that it was
safe. Twas free from care. Arriving ct
Holyhead, I took my seat in An empty
4Tst-class railway carriage. Just ~ the
train was moving I'd, however, . gentle
man suddenly got in. He sat down
nearly opposite me, 30 hai > good OPP
Poreunity Of observing his appearance.
/ noticed that he was young. apparently
not more than four-and-twenty, that no
had broad black band round his hat,
and that on his face we're txacos Of
recent sorrow, almost, in fact, oi agita-
ton. He seemed relieved q having
caught tho train; and being, like my
self, quite disincIned for conversation.
our journsy proceeded in silence.
Ny bag lay beside me, andquite under
my eyes. i was tired after my crossing,
and fell into o sort of doEe. On waking
! Instantly glanced at my bag. There Il
~, quite safe. Ny compsnioe, how
1vsE, lad moved hin seat I'VE etoppe0
q Chester, and here I thought / would
~ ont and walk about . ittla. a. we
had tan minutes to wait / took my bag
end got out On my return TO the train
there was my companion apparently
esleep. got into the carriage without
@istulbina him, and We 6oktinded our
,5oufn j AT Clews, our next stoppin4.
place, he got out, aud did not come back.
/ was. very tired now, and fell' into q
sound sleep with my hand holding the
hndls Of my black bag. I didsnot wa1s
until l reached houdon then getting
into the first hanson + sac, md still.
ea9ryin8 my precious bag: 5f Iuhich II
vas heartily tired, I drove hcngb. ca
my arrival, with method which sup
pose is ha3itual to D man IN my fiade, 1
Instantly went to4fhe ea1Us insRhich I
3 hep valuable jewels, unlocked it, and,
6spositing the bag on q tabAe, l opsaed
~ Imagine my dismay ct fndipg that
stead of my diamonds, It containsd,
Ome rusty bits of iron and wooden de-
his. My bag was gene; this other bag
had been cleverly substituted Tor it-sO
cleverly indeed that even the weight a.
we'll as the appearance had been judged.
put the affair into the hands Of the
police, giving them exactly every partic-
0lar as I have written it. The bag was
lost. ... ..sn.y.e
A year after the events narrated
ln the last chapter, I was again travel
ing on the line which takes passengers
70 Holyhead. Il was h The beginning
OF October as well - ! ssunember.
/ Travelled first-o class my usual .eus-
tom when l have long journey before
me. During the year not sign had
been given of the misnjng ing or the
Jewels, but I had not reaAy de6paired
yet of recovering it and them, foe had
. certain unaccountahle feeling abUde
the whole thing; that theee. was Sone.
mystery about it, felt sure. >~s. >.
Regularly every Wednesday in every
week had called at Scotland Yard, and
always had the same answer, " Nothing
yet, sir. u" The reward I had offered was
sufficient to insure q certain interest,
and the police, firmly believe. were as
keen in the matter as could wish. -
On this October morning ih 1860. I
travelled with lady who was in deep
mourning. The day was chilly, and shs
wore several wraps, but, getting warm
il the carriage, she presently threw aside
D fur cloak she was wearing, and my
eye was instantly attracted by hand
some brooch she had ON, in which was
portrait.
Without appearing to do 80, and with
v-s.s mo>siing of interest and curios-
learer view of the portrait.
growing se of the young man who
The pl with me the year before