St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-04-03
Mrs. McShane's Diamonds.
THE STORY OF THEIR COMPLICATED RE
COVERY.

A few days ago Mrs. Nora McShane,
who resides on the Divide, near Hickey
street, received a letter and Il news
paper from 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
go on to the residence of IA friend who
generally reads fOI her the letters that
come from her husband. While stand
ing and debating in her mind the ques
tiOn of going on at once to have her
friend read the letter, Mrs. McShane,
almost mechanically opened the news
paper to have glance ut it, she being
able to spell ont print. AS she opened
the paper, she thought she observed,
as she says, ''some bits o. dhirt or
gravels" fall out of it, though she paid
but little attention, thinking at the
time 1t was some ''schtuff that had
worked into the paper on the road"
When her friend read the letter it
was found that her husband-"trust-
ing to luck" as he said-had sent in
the newspaper, as specimens, no less
than fifteen diamonds in the rough,
ranging in value from $50 to Sl20
each. Here was a go, rs not Il stone
remained in the paper However, she
remembered that when she opened the
paper she was in walk-where the
snow was off the ground just OppO-
site the residence of neighbOr.
Accompanied by her friend she at
once returned to the place. Not dia-
mond was to be found: but Mrs. Nc
Shane's friend had observed lot of
chickens about the spot, and was con
fident they had found and swallowed
the glittering little stones. In a short
| time quite a 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 gen
eral opinion that the fowls had swal-
lowed the gems.
The chickens belonged to the neigh
Dor in front of whose place the news
paper had been opened, and this neigh
bOr cOuld not be expected to sacrifice
his whole t1Ock-numbering thirty
fowls for nothing. AS no one coulC
tell which particular chicken NIGH
have "A diamond in its crop, and whicl
not, it would be necessary to sacritic,
the whole lot.
The owner disliked to lose his chick
ems, but finally said he would let then
go, under the circumstances, at sew
enty five cents each, cash down. Mrs
McShane had no money, and knew no
what to do. However, there was NJ
. time TO lose. and a miner of sportin!
I nj Innnnna1 70 ha IN Z
agreed to pay for all the chickens pro
vided Mrs. McShane wonld give hin
any stone he might pick ont frou
, among those recovered. Mrs. Nc
Shane accepted the offer, with the pro
viso that she was to have all the chick
ems that were killed.
The fowls were enticed into thei
house and the heads cut off the Who'll
b. lot. The contents of their crops bein
= carefully washed, twelve of the gem
were found. Generally they were wort
/. from $50 to $50, but there were thre
= worth 800 and over. One of these,
= stone worth SI20, fell to the share {
e the speculative miner. Mrs. McShan
was helped out on her side by dressin
= and selling the chickens at from seI
e enty-five cents to = each.
:, A curious part of the story remain
{ to be told. Besides the uncut DIAMOND
e found in the craws of the fowls, thel
a was taken from one a handsome emel
n aid that was perfectly cut. Mrs. Nj
e Shane, of course, thought this stOI
e had also been sent by her HUSBAND
= though it was not mentioned IN Ia
d letter. While this matter was bein
IN discussed a lady living in the Vicinit
came up and at once claimed the Ell
se erald. She said she lost it ont of la
As ring the day before. No one kne