The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-02
prsassa by apssss, Arrangement Copyrighted 1861
my WIFEE'SS DIAMOND.
A STORY BY CONRAD MORE.

Gdy vines assortment or precious stones Is NOT
very great; and of diamonds she has but sim
gle one. How she came by that one will be
shown in The present story.
Some years ago, while was still bachelor,
1t fell in my path to befriend, to considerable
extent an aged Hungarian Jew. whom had un-
earthed in extreme poverty, in wretched tene-
ment-house in one of the most unsavery districts
of New York He was wonderfully handsome
old man, according to the Jewish type, and won
6erfully learned in those sciences which the Rab-
bins principally affect. If he understood little
of the nebular hypothesis, he could at least re-
peat the entire Pentateuch from memory, and
expound the mystical significance of its separate
hair-lines and accent marks with comprehensive
vagueness.
On the morning he sailed away-for part Of
my service had been to procure him ticket-of-
leave from American soil. I drove down to the
dock to hid him god-speed. Tears chung to his
eyelids, and he was voluble in protestations of
gratitude, interspersed with mutterings in He
brew. AS the vessel was finally on the point of
casting off, he exhibited signs Of violent en-
ternal struggle. as though there was something
he very much wanted, and yet hestated, to say
or do. / assumed as encouraging an aspect as
could manage, but it availed nothing until the
plank was actually being manned by the sailors
Then my Israelite gulped down prodigious
sigh, and exclaimed, There, take it. 1t is all /
have to give your Thrusting something into
my hands, he vanished beneath the companion
way.
What he had thrust upon me proved, when IN
vestigated to be morsel of ebony. of the shape
- NIT n
multitude of mythic beasts 1t was really very
clever bit of workmanship. and would have fig
'ured to excellent advantage in the cabinet OF
bric-a brac amateur. I consigned it to the
pocket of my overcoat and proceeded about my
business
When reached home that evening and was
seated by my Preside thinking over the happen
ings of the day, the old Jews parting gift re-
Cured to me; and producing it, subjected it to
a more careful scrutiny than the previous one
had BEEN Then deep seam around Its longer
circumference prompted the notion that perhaps
It was not mere solid piece or lump of ebony
after all, but might, on the contrary, be box or
caskst in which case was anxious to view its
contents So wasted much time in Intellectual
attempts to pry it open. 1t resisted heroically.
when, as my fnger-nail accidentally pressed
upon the stomach of particularly sinister-look-
ing griffin. it yielded and the egg flying asunder
down the middle as if by means of a hidden
spring, its interior lay revealed.
AS singular an object as I ever had beheld
greeted my sight. 1t appeared to be perfectly
modelled Oriental IDOL not larger than the tip of
your ladys thumb; with legs drawn up so that
the chin rested upon the knees, it sat in its eb-
ony shrine like sultan on his throne. Every
feature was complete. Its forehead was a mesh
Of sspient wrinkles; its eyes peered from their
sockets with sophisticated leer, and the cor
ners of its mouth were twisted into a complacent
smirk. There was grotesque attraction, an I'M
SAMMY charm, about the thing, that retained my
gaze from the moment it alighted. I don't
know how long remained stupidity staring at it
before thought of carrying the inspection fur
eher into detail.
At any rate, by and by I put forth my hand
and picked it up. 1t was with increasing curl
Osity that pursued the examination.
So far as weight and texture were concerned,
judged that this extraordinary specimen was
of wood; yet, on the other hand the greenish
luster of its surface and the sound it emitted as
! tapped 1t, pointed to metal Its head was COW
cred with suit of what would have wagered
was genuine, feecy hair, in hue the most until
gated red; but, on testing it, it proved to be as
substantial as the rest. A voluminous garment
enclosed the body, descending In countless folds
In 'front.' and wrought on the back with tortuous
intertwinings of gold thread: the very grain of
the cloth and fufiness of the embroidery having
kaoy, INIT Tod hv ha rfiS az Ra-
low the hem of the skirt protruded ten diminu-
tive toes, fashioned with realism that was
painful. Ugly excrescences afflicted them, and
they terminated in untrimmed ragged nails. A
girdls of gold encircled the waist and was knot
ted at the hip, whence its ends fell downward
looped together. This was q serpent, holding
his tail in his mouth. Not scale was omitted
Indeed, had to fetch a magnifying glass to APP
probate It in its completeness. My manikin ex-
hailed queer perfume, half like sandalwood
and half lie something else pungent and pene-
trating, that had never smelled before, and
therefore cannot name.
will ask the reader to guess the legion of
strange fancies with which this tiny monstrosity
filed my BRAIN thought of the sculptor who
had designed it in an epoch which perhaps ante
dated Christianity. thought of the history it
might have Witnessed, of the dynasties it had
seen flourish and decay. I took for granted that
1t was very ancient. thought of the prayers it
had heard, of the destinies it had swerved-was
1t not fetichi Had it not, therefore, been wor-
shipped as eoda All the mystery and magic
Of the East seemed to be compressed into this
minute compass.
worked myself into quite state over it. 1t
acted upon my imagination as q spur. 1t af
fected me as opium affects its devotees. My
pulse was accelerated; the arteries throbbed
perceptibly in my temples: Then gradu-
ally, as I held it in my palm, be-
gan to enjoy the opium-eater's pecu