The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-29
MRS. MsHANE's DIAMONDS.
The Wonderful Story of Their Complicated
Recovery.


Recovery.
Virginia City (Nev) Enterprise.
A few days ago Nora McShane, who resides on
the divide, near Hickey street, received letter
and newspaper from her husband. who is IN
the diamond fields of South Africa. When near
ing home, Mrs. McShane who is not able to read
writing, concluded to go on to the residence of a
friend who generally reads for her the letters
that come from her husband While standing
and debating in her mind the question Of going
on at once to have her friend read
the letter, Mrs. McShane almost
mechanically opened the newspaper to have a
glance at it, she being able to spell out print.
AS she opened the paper, she thought she OBJ
served, as she says, some bits o dhirt or
gravels fall out of it, though she paid but little
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 $40 to $120 each. Here was go, as
not a stone remained in the paper. However,
she remembered that when she opened the paper
she was in a walk-where the snow was off the
ground-just opposite the residence of a neigh
Dor.
Accompanied by her friend, she at once re
turned to the place. Not a diamond was to be
found; but Mrs McShane's friend had observed
a lot of chickens about the spot, and was conf
dent they had found and swallowed the glitter
ing little stones In short time quite crowd
of men and women had collected about the spot
having been told about the loss-and, as the
place was a 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 neighbor in front
of whose place the newspaper had been opened,
and this neighbor could not be expected to sacri-
fee his whole fock-numbering thirty fowls
for nothing. As no could tell which par
ticular chicken might have a diamond in its
crop, and which not, it would be necessary to
sacrifice the whole lot.
Tho owner disliked to lose his chickens, but
finally said he would let them go, under the cir
cumstances, at seventyfve cents EACH cash
down. Mrs. McShane had no money, and knew
not what to do. However, there was no time
to lose, and miner of sporting turn, who
happened to be present, agreed to pay for all the
chickens provided Mrs. McShane would give
him any stone he might pick out from among
those recovered. Mrs McShane accepted the
offer, with the proviso that she was to have all
the chickens that were killed
The fowls were entced into their house and
the heads cut off the whole lot. The contents
of their crops being carefully washed, twelve
of the gems were found. Generally they We're
worth from $50 to $50, but there were three
worth $1G0 and over. One of these, stone
worth $l20, fell to the share of the speculative
miner. Mrs. MeShane was helped out on her
SIDE by dressing and selling the chickens at from
10 cents to 81 each.
A curious part Of the story remains to be told
Beside the uncut diamonds found in the craws
of the fowls, there was taken from one q hand
some emerald that was perfectly cut Mrs. Nc
Shane of course, thought this stone had also
been sent by her husband, though it not
mentioned in his letter While this matter was
being discussed, lady living in the vicinity
came up and at once claimed the emerald She
said she lost it out of her ring the day before.
No one knew what to say to this, as those present
did not wish to dispute the point Seeing how
matters stood, the lady ran off home, and pres
emily returned with her ring, into the setting of
which the emerald fitted perfectly. On seeing
this, all at once agreed that the stone was the
property of the lady.