Smyrna times., 1884-05-07
Chickens and Diamonds.
A NEVADA STORY OF A VERY WONDER
FUL SERIES OF INCIDENTS.

A few days ago Mrs. Nora McShane,
who resides on the Divide, near Hickey
street, received u letter and news
paper fom 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
90 on to the residence of friend who
generally reads for her the letters that
comes from her husband. While stand
ing and debating in her mind the ques-
ton of going on at once to have her
friend read the letter. Mrs. McShane
almost mechanically opened the news
paper to have glance at it, she being
able to spell out print. As she opened
the paper she thought she observed, as
she says, "sOme bits o'dthirt or graVels"
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 diamonds in the
rough, ranging in value from 500 to
! $120 each.
Here was Il go, as not a stone re-
mained in the paper. However. she
remembered that when she opened the
paper she was in q walk-where the
snow was off the ground-iust opposite
the residence of a neighbor, and accom-
panied by her friend she returned to
the place. Not diamond was to be
found, but Mrs. McShane's friend had
observed lot of chickens about the
spot, and were confident they had found
and swallowed the glittering little
stones. In a short time quite crowd
of men and women had collected about
the spOt-having been told about the
loss-and, as the place was regular
cruising ground for the chickens in
search of gravel while the ground was
covered with snow in most places, it
was the general opinion 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 flOck-numbering thirty fowls
for nothing. AS no one could tell
which particular chicken might have a
diamond in its crop, and which not, it
would be necessary to sacrifice the
whole lot. The owner disliked to lose
his chickens, but finally said he would
let them go, under the circumstances
at 70 cents each, cash down. Mrs. Nc.
Shane had no money, and knew not
what to do, However, there was nc
time to lose, and a miner of "sport
ing" turn, who happened to be pres
ent, agreed to pay for all the chicken:
provided Mrs. McShane would give him
any stone he might pick out from
among those that were recovered. Mrs
McShane accepted the offer, with thu
provisO that she was to have all thu
chickens that were killed.
The fowls were enticed into thei
house and the heads cut off the who'll
lot. The contents of their crops bein!
carefully washed and examined, twely,
of the gems were found. General,
they were worth from $50 to $50, bu
there were three worth 800 and over
One of these, stone worth $120, fel
to the share of the speculative miner
Mrs. McShane was helped out on he
side by dressing and selling the chick
ems at from rs cents to 81 each.
A curious part of the story remain
to be told, however. Besides the uncu
diamonds found in the craws of tn
fowls, there was taken from one hand
some emerald that was perfectly cut
Mrs. McShane, of course, thought thi
stone had also been sent by her hus
band, though it was not mentioned i
his letter. While this matter was bein
discussed, lady living in the vicinit
came up and at once claimed the emel
aid. She said she lost it out of he
ring the day before. No one kne,
what to say to this, as those presen
did not wish to dispute the poin
Seeing how matters stood, the lady ra
off home, and presently returned wit
the ring, into the setting of which he
emerald fitted perfectly. On seein
this all agreed that the stone was tn
property of the lady.-Tirginia (Nev
Enterprise.