Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-03
CHICKENS AND DIAMONDS.
A..Nevada story OF a Very Wonderful
Series of Incidents.


| A few days ago Mrs. Nora McShane
who resides on the Divide. near HEX
ey street. received letter and a news
paper 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 go on to the residence of friend,
who generally reads for her the let
ters that come from her husband.
While standing and debating IN her
mind the question Of going ON at once
TO have her friend read the letter, Mrs
McShane almost mechanically open
ed the newspaper to have a glance at
II, she being able to spell out print
As she opened the paper she thought
she observed, as she says 'some bits
10 dthirt or gravels' fall out of it,
though she paid but little attention,
thinking at the time it was some
''schtuff that had worked INTO the
paper on the road. When her friend
read the letter it was found that her
husband trusting to luck as he
said-had sent in the newspaper as
specimens no less than fifteen dia-
monds in the rough, ranging in value
from $40 to 1920 each.
Here was a go, as not a stone re-
NAMED i'll the paper. However, she
remembered that when she opened
the paper she was in a walk where
the snow was off the ground Just op.
poste theresidence of neighbour, and
accompanied by her friend she return
ed TO the place. Not a diamond was
to be found, but Mrs. MeShane's friend
had observed a lot of chickens about
the spot and was confident they had
found and swallowed the glittering
little stones, In short time quite a
crowd of men and women had collect
ed about the spot-having been told
about the loss-and as the place was
a regular cruising ground for the
chickens IN search of gravel, while
the ground was covered with snow in
most places, it was the general opin-
ion that the fowls had swallowed the
gems
The chickens belonged to the neigh
Dor in front Of whose place the news
paper had been opened, and this neigh
Dor could not be expected TO sacrifice
his whole 1lock-numbering thirty
fowls-for nothing. AS no one could
tell which particular chicken might
have diamond in its crop, and which
not, 1t would be necessary to sacrifice
the whole lot The owner disliked tC
lose his chickens, but finally said he
would let them go, under the circum
stances at rs cents each, cash down
Mrs NcShane had no money. anc
knew not what TO do. However, there
was no time to lose, and a miner of {
sporting" turn, who happened to b,
present, agreed to pay for all tn,
chickens provided Mrs. McShan,
would give him any stone he nigh
pick out from among those recovered
Mrs. McShane accepted the offer
with the proviso that she was to hav,
all the chickens that were killed.
The fowls were enticed INTO thei
house and the heads cut off the Who'll,
lot. The contents of their crop beinl
carefully washed and examined
twelve of the gems were found. Gen
orally they were worth from $50 {,
$50, but there were three worth $40
and over. One Of these, a stone wortl
S120, fell to the share of the specula
tive miner. Mrs. McShane was helped
out on her side by dressing and sell
ing the chickens at from rs cents to s
each.
A curious part of the story remain
to be told, however. Besides the uncu
diamonds found in the crops of the
fowls, there was taken from one
handsome emerald that was perfectly
cut. Mrs McShane, of course, though
this stone had also been sent by hel
husband, though it was not mention
ed in his letter While this matter
was being discussed lady living il
the vicinity came up and at once
claimed tpe 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 set
ting of which the emerald fitted per
fectIy. On seeing this all agreed thai
the stone was the property of the
lady,