Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-03-28
CHICKENS AND DIAMONDS.
From The Virginia tNcv.J Enterprise

- lew daSS ago MIS-. Nora McSudlle, WIG
resides on thu Divide, near Hickory street
received !. letter and a newspaper from hen
husband, VINO is III the diamond fields OF
South Africa. When nearing home Mrs.
McShane- who is not able 10 read writing
conclude! 10 90 on 20 the residence Of d
friend who generally reads for her the let
lcrs that come from her husband. While
standing and debating in her MUD the qucs-
ton OF going on at once to have her friend
read tie letter Mrs. McShane almost me-
chanicalIy opened the newspaper to have 4
glance at il. she being able to spell out
print IS she opened the paper she thought
Size Observed. us she says, some bits O dthirt
or gravuls " fall out olit, though she paid
but little attention, thinking at the time it
was so!ie "schtull that had worked into
the paper on the road" When her friend
read the irLter it was found that her nus
band" trusting 20 luck, as he said-hud
sent i'll the newspapers as specimens DO less
than 10 diamonds III the rough, rang ing i'll
value from 500 10 Sl20 each
Here WAS Il 30, rs not stone remained Ill
the paper. However. she remembered that
when She opened the paper she was III Il
walk-where the snow was off the ground
lust opposite the residence Of II neigh
bor. and accompanied by her friend
she returned TO the place. Not :. dis-
nomd WAS TO be found, but Mrs. McShane's
friend had observed lot of chickens about
The spot, and was confident that they found
and swallowed the sittering little stones.
II Il sho:t time quite crowd OF men and
women had collected about the spot-haV-
in. bccu told about the loss-aud, as the
place Was :! regular cruising ground for the
chickens III search Of gravel while the
ground vas covered with snow in most pla-
cGs, 10 vas thc general opinion that the
fowls hal Swallowed the gems. Tho chick
ems belonged u the ncighbor in front OF
whuse place the newspaper had been OPEN
Cd. and Ills E~ichhnr could not bee expected
- sacrifice lis whole iloc!;-numbcrinS 80
lG.yis-iur nothing As no one could tell
which particular chicken might have /; dia-
moul i'll It's crop. and which not, it would
nc necessary 10 sacrifice the whole lot. The
owner GisiiI;ed 10 lose his chickens. bat IL
nu!!y said Ic would let thc:.i so, under TIC
circumstances, 1T - cents each. cas-. down.
Mrs. Iicchane had no money, and knew
not what lc do. However, there was no
li,ag - loss" aud Il miner o. a sporting"
turn, who happened to be present, agreed
10 pay for al the chickens, provided Mrs.
2Ic.:hare would give him any stone ne might
picl. unt from among those recovered. Mrs.
NcShann accepted the otlar. with the provi-
50 that she was 10 haven!l the chickens that
were killed.
The fowls were en;iced !aso their house
and tie heads cut Of the whole lot. The
contents uf their crops iieiEm carefully
.a. he'd ard examined twelve Of the gems
were found. Generally they were worth
from $50 10 $50 but there were three worth
800 and over One OF these. Il stone Ecrth
%l2u fell to the share of the speculative
miner. Ms McShaIo was helped on: on
hcr side by ,iressn. and selling the chickens
~ from - cents 90 81 each. \ curious part
Cf tho story remains to ba told, however.
Beside the uncut diamonds found i'll the
crana ol The fowls, there was taken from
one 4 handsome emerald that was perfectly
cui. Nga Mc%hanc, cf course, thought this
s.ane has; also been sent BY her husband,
,bcm.h It was Iot mentioned in his letter.
| While this matter was being discussed q
| lady living il The vicinity came up and ct
/ ouco clni!aeG The emerald. She said she
lost il o,,l o! her ring the day before. No
| one knew What 10 say 10 this, as those
prase1. did NJ; wish 10 dispute the point.
Seeing luw matters stood the lady ran OIL
home. aad presently returned with her
ring, into Tic setting of which the emerald
ht:ed perfectly. On seeing this all agreed
t;la; the stone was the property OF the lady.