Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-11-21
Clever Trick.

TIE watering places and summer and
! winter resorts OF pleasure ard health-seek-
| ers are frequented 10y crowds of cosmopoli.
! tan adventures who cater to the happiness
of scandal morgers and TO the despair OF
| too-corti6iug shopkeepers. A stranger OF
! distinction--or SO reputed-arrlves at Nice,
! bringing letters of recommendation. More
| over, as La Bvuyere said most judlciously
play with large stakes exalts man. 1t was
! by skilfu practice of this profound pre-
! ceut t,.a; Count A." worked his way into
society.
! Luck attended his play. One evening
| while shutiiius the cards he displayed with
some otIecia,ion a magnificent diamond
which attracted the special attention of one
.; his companions.
"Connt,:' he remarked "that's fine
stoue YOU have there" YES" replied the
Count carelessly, ",he size and brilIiancy of
this diamond have before now tempted
many collectors. | have had several good
offers for il but after you have examined
| it I'll tell YOU why | have always refused to
sell it,"
He took of his ring, slipped it on Prince
WIS finger, and went OH with the game.
rhe Prince. who is an accomplished Judge
| Of precious stones, looked at the diamond
closely, turned it on every side, and was
| confirmed in his opinion that he had sell
| dom seen one so perfect.
"Well," said the Count, ''do you SEQ why
! | have refused to part with my rlng?"
No, don't"
well" continued A, because this stone
is; false Don't be surprised; it isn't less
| beautiful Tor that. and it has deceived before
this many amateurs of your ability, and not
u few Jewellers even. I've seen some per-
sist in their delrsion even after had assur-
ed them that should consider it an abuse
of their confidence 10 value that stone at
over 5000 francs, though it would be worth
10000 if it were genuine"
The game was just over, and the Count
walked away with his diamond flashing.
Days succeeded each other, and every
time that Prince w. met the Count he could
talk of nothing but the diamond. The
Prince said often: There are people who
would be very willing to have their paste
Jewels believed real am getting to think
that you are Of just the opposite dl5posi'
ton
The Count would smile and change the
subject His friend was possessed with the
desire 10 iathom the mystery.
I'VE! you lend me your ring until to-
| morrow Soli iiS WV S+iSNi A'SNt''
Keep it !: week, if you like"
| Tie Prince took it TO q jaweler and ask
| ed him il he had ever seen so good an lml
| talion.
IAN imitation ~ cried the tradesman.
| IYou ARE laughing at mc. That's one ofthc
most beautiful stones have ever seen"
is it worth more than 5000 trancs?"
1T would be cheap at 80, 600 francs"
"Il's owner says it is paste"
Hes Joking"
The same evening the Prince returned
tho ring. saying "If you ever decide to
sell it, let me know before you offer it else
where
Eight or ten days afterward Count "A. au
nounced his departure for Italy.
Arc you gcing to take the ring away
with you?'
"Weil, since you have set your heart on
it," said the Count, take il. But mind
that you remember it is false, whatever else
people nay say. admit that the imitation
| is admirable. aud for that reason it has as
curiosity II value which is not less to me than
| 5000 francs"
"Hera YOU are--6,O00 francs"
Il repeat for the last time you are paying
very dear for paste diamond"
perhaps SO !; but | do it with my eyes
open:
"All right; here's the ring"
And the Count pocketed his three hun
dred napoleons.
The Prince returned to his jeweller and
exclaimed in triumph:
II have the diamond
The lapidary looked at the ring again
| and said with 8 shrug: THAT diamond Is
false"
What do you mean-didn't you tell me
| just the opposite?"
81 told you the truth; that isn't the same
one. Show me the other one."
"But that's the only one l have"
"Well, a mistake has been made-or else
you've been cheated
The Prince, with detected air, went TO
walk under the palms of the public garden.
He met A., who said to him, 'you DON'T
wear your ring"
because" exclaimed the Prince, "the
ieweller tells me that the stone is false
"But you knew that before
"He assures me, too, that this stone is not
the same that took to him the other day. .
A assumed a stern air. How now
sir,n said he, what do you mean by this
nonsense? You wished to buy my diamond
and refused to sell it. have told you
from the first that it was paste. You
thought was mistaken, and that you were
buying for six thousand francs a stone
which, if it were real, would be worth SIX
times that. You set out then to speculate
as you thought, upon mistaken honesty.
hate to think it ofy you. However, we have
no cause for discussion. I admit that have
sold you au imitation diamond you say so
too. We agree perfectly Good day!"
AURELIEN SCHoLL.
! X EORGE ]. WEST,