The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-10-03

Kimberley with o view to his prOfes
sion. and had then. as is the case will
all the world that goes to Kimberley
gone into diamonds. Diamonds hat
become more to him than either brief
or pleadings. He mad been there TO
fifteen years, and had ruined himself
and made himself half dozen times
He had found diamonds to be more
pleasant than law, and to be more com
patible with champagne. timed lob
sters and young ladies. He had mar
ried a wife, and had parted with her
and taken another mans wife, and pait
fo- her with diamonds. He had ther
possessed nothing. and had afterward.
come forth a third part owner of the
important Stick-in-the-Mud claim
which at one time was paying twelve
per cent. per month. 1t must be un-
derstood that the Stick-in the Mud claim
was an almost infinitesimal portion O
soil in the Great Kimberley mine. Il
was but the sixteenth part of an origi
nal subdivision. But from the center
of the great basin, or rather bowl
which forms the mine. there ran up two
wires to the high mound erected on the
circumference, on which continually
two iron cages were travelling up and
down, coming back empty, but going
up laden with genmiferous dirt. Here
travelled the diamonds of the Stick-in-
the-Mud claim, the owner of one-third
of which, Mr.. Fitzwalker Tookey, had
come home with John Gordon.
Taking a first general glance at af-
fairs in the diamond-felds, L doubt
whether we should have been inclined
to suspect that John Gordon and Fitz.
walker Tookey would have been likely
to come together as partners in dia-
mond speculation. But John Gordon
had in The course of things become
owner OF the other two shares, and
when Fitzwalker Tookev determined to
come home he had done so with the
object of buying his partners interest.
This he might have done ut once. only
that he suffered under the privation oil
an insuifciency of means. He was a
man of great intelligence, and knew
well that no reader mode 10 wealth had
ever presented itself TO him than the
purchase of his partners shares. Much
was said to persuade John Gordon but
he would not part with his documents
without seeing security for his money.
Therefore Messrs. Gordon and Tookey
put the old Stick-in-the- Mud into the
hands of competent lawyers, and came
home together.
Il am not at all sure that Ishall sell, :"
John Gordon had said.
But thought that You offered it. ~
"Yes; for money down. For the
sum named l will sell now. But if
start from here without completing the
bargain. shall keep the option in my
own hands. The fact is. do not know
whether | shall remain in England or
return. If l do come back / am not
likely to find anything better than old
Stick-in-the-Mud." To this Mr.. Tookey
assented, but still he resolved that he
would GO home. Hence it came to pass
that Mr.. Fitzwalker Tookey was now
in London. and that John Gordon had
to see him frequently. Here Tookey
had found another would-be partner,
who had the needed money, and it was
fervently desired by MIR. Tookey that
John Gordon might not go back to
South Africa.
The two men were not all alike in
their prSclivities; but they had been
thrown together, and each had learned
much of the inside life of the other.
The sort of acquaintance with whom q
steady man becomes intimate in such a
locality often surprises the steady man
himself. Fitzwalker Tookey had
the antecedents and education OF
a gentleman. Champagne and lobster
suppers-the lobster coming out of tin
cases-diamonds and strange ladies,
even with bloated cheeks and strong
language, had not altogether destroyed
the vestiges of the Temple. He, at
any rate, was fond of a companion
with whom he could discuss bis En-
glish regrets, and John Gordon was
not inclined to shut himself up alto
gether among his precious stones, and
to refuse the conversation OF man
who could talk. Tookey had told him
of his great distress in reference to his
wife. by George! you know. the
cruelest thing you ever heard in the
world! Twas little tight one night,
and the next morning she was off with
Atkinson. who got away with his
pocket full of diamonds. Poor girl!
she went down to the Portuguese set
Element, and he was nabbed. He's do
ing penal service now down at Cape
Town. That's kind OF thing that
does upset fellow" And poor Fitz-
walker began to cry.
Among such condolences Gordon al
lowed it to escape from him that. were
he to become married in England he
did not think it probable that he should
return. Thus it was known, at least to
his partner that he was going TO look
for wife, and the desire in Mr..
Jockeys breast that the wife might be
forthcoming was intense. "Weli" he
said, Immediately on Gordon's return to
London.
"What does well mean?'
'.Of course you went down there to
look after the lady?"
Il have never told YOU SOL
"But YOU did did YOU not?''
II have told you nothing ABOUT any
lady, though You ere constantly asking
questions. As fact, think l shall go
back next month"
ITO Kimberley"'
81 think so. The stake have there
is of too great Importance to be aban-
doned."
Il have the money ready to pay over
cash on the nail. You don't
call that abandoning it?''
1.-The claim has gone up in valne
twenty-five per cent, as you have al i