The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1884-05-10
Chl<kens ana DIansnas.
A Hssziz ssafT Il Yer vssi.fisi ssrlss
sf Insitznta

A few days ago Mrs. Nora Me.
Shane, who resides on the Divide
near Hickey street, received q let
ter aud newspaper from her hus.
band. who is in the di.mond fields
Of South Africa. When nearing
home Mrs. MeShane-who ia not
able to read writing-coneluded
to 20 on to the residence Of a
friend, who generally reads for
her the letters that come from her
husband. While standing and de-
batting in her mind the question of
going on at once TO have her
friend read the letter, Mrs. Nc
Shane 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, rs she
says, "some bits o. dthirt or grav-
cls' fall out of it, though she paid
but little attention, thinking at
the time 1t was some 'schtuf that
had worked into the paper on the
road.n When her friend read the
letter, 1t was found that her hus-
bsnd-'trusting to luckn as he
said--had sent in the newspaper
as specimens no less than dfteen
diamonds, In the rough, ranging
In value from e20 to ti2O each.
Here was a 60. as not q stone
remained In the paper. However
she remembered that when she
opened the paper she was In q
walk-where the snow was Oh the
ground-jnst opposite the resi-.
dence Of q neighbor and accompa-
MED by her friend she returned
to tho place. Not a diamond was
to be found, but Mrs. McShane's
friend had observed a lot Of chick.
ems about the spot, aud was conf.
dent they had found and swallow
ed the Glittering little stones. In
q short time quite u crowd Of men
and women had collected about
the spot-having been told about
the loss -snd, as the place was q
regular cruising ground for chick
ems In search Of gravel while the
ground was covered with snow
in most places, II was the general
opinion that the fowls had swsl'
lowed the gems.
The chickens belonged to the
neighbor In front OF whose place
: the.newspaper had been opened
and this neighbor could not be OK
pected to sacrifice bis whole focl
, = numbering thirty fowls = fo1
, nothing. As no one could tel
which particular chicken nigh
i
hare a diamond In its crop, an'
/, which not, II might bc necessar,
to sacrifice the whole lot. TIL
i owner disliked to lose his chick
!. ems, but finally said hc would le
them 60, under the circumstance
at seyenty.hve cents each, cas-
= down. Mrs. McShane had n
money, and knew not what to d.
However there was no time I
lose, and o miner Of Q sporting
turn, agreed to pay for all tn
chickens provided Mrs. McShan
would give him any stone he migl
pick out from among those reco'
ed. Mrs. McShane accepted III
). offer with the proviso that sh
= was TO have all the chickens thi
a were killed.
q The fowls were enticed Inf
their house aud the heads cut 0
the whole lot. The contents
:. their crops being carefully was
!. . ed and examined, twelve Of u
: : gems were found. Generally the
!. were worth from e20 to $50, b
: there were three worth 800 an
over. One of these, q stone wort
:, el2O fell to the share Of the spe
:. ulative miner. Mrs. McShane WI
" helped out on her side by dressir
. aud selling the chickens at fro
= seyenty-fve cents to e1 each.
4 A curious part Of the story r
; mains to be told, however. b
sides the uncut diamonds foun
q. In the craws Of the fowls thel
n. was taken from one handson
n emerald that was perfectly Gu
n. Mrs. McShane Of course thougl
"a this stone he'd been sent BY h
n husband, though 1t was not me
m toned In the letter. While tn
% matter was being discussed.
% dy living In the vicinity came ,
of and at once claimed the emeral
r. She said she lost II out Of her ril
m the day before. No one kne
al what TO say to this, as those pre-
ent did not wish to dispute u
point. Seeing how matters stoo
v. the lady ran on home and preser
q ly returned with her ring, in Il