Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-07-19
BLOOD AND DIAMONDS.
British Soldiers Luck In Securing Prize
of Great Value,

A British Soldiers Luck In Securing a Prize
of Great Value,
That cost me $780," said gentle
man to a reporter, as he showed q
handsome diamond ring.
When the reporter looked incredu-
lous the gentleman said that there was
q story connected with it. and then he
told the story.
He said he was at one time an officer
in an English regiment. While sitting
at the window of a military club on
st. James street, London, he looked
out of the window and noticeda rather
rough looking chap walking up and
down in front of the window and look
ing at him curiously.
Suddenly" continued the gentle
man. 1.-The man disappeared, and one
of the club servants announced that
some one wished to speak to me. 1
went to the door and there found my
rough-looking customer from the side
walk. He looked like workman, and
yet there was an indescribable some
thing about him that pronounced him
to be a soldier. He said deprecat-
ingly:
g 4 want to speak to you moment,
sir. l know where there are diamonds
gorth 100000 buried, and want help
to reach them, and it will only take
f12 for me to get there, and promise
you to pay you back with interest
many times over if you will loan me
the amount
l. y. 11e
English army, and that during his
term of service the battle of Umlah
was fought, during the Indian mntiny,
and that he was present. Immediately
after the battle he was summoned by
the Lieutenant of his company to fol-
low him to q certain bungalow on the
outskirts of the town, where they
found about dozen native women
huddled up in a corner and guarded
by Lieutenant in Highland regi-
ment and Captain in certain crack
cavalry corps. The sight that dazed
his eyes was the glitter Of the dia-
monds that sparkled On the limbs of
the women.
Ellis cupidity was aroused, and he
readily fell in with the officers plan.
They all fell on the women and
slaughtered them without mercy, even
going so far as to hack the arms from
the bodies of the murdered women, so
that the bracelets, which were soldered
around their limbs. could be easily OBJ
tanned. When the massacre was fin
ished the officers made their inferior
take the jewels and bury them beneath
an old tombstone.
''In battle that followed all three
of the officers were killed, and the pri-
vate soldier was the sole depository of
a rich secret. but his regiment was sud-
denly called away from India.
- For years he said, 4 have tried to
find some one to pay my passage back
to the Eastern empire, but without
success, and now 1 am a workman in a
candle factory in Battersea.
after thinking moment gave him
G12, and away he went. 1 called in All
intimate friend and told him the cir
cumstances, getting numerically
chaffed about my idiOcy.
1.-The whole thing was soon forgotten,
and it would never have occurred to me
again, but one day, three years later,
while in the same club, a man called
upon me who looked like a prosperous
tradesman. recognized my diamond
searcher whom had sent to India.
Pulling a canvas bag out of his
pocket he extracted dozen damon
from it and placed them in my hand,
and insisted upon my accepting them,
and even tried to make me take more.
but as steadily refused he thanked
me in dignified sort of way for the as
sistance given him and took his de-
parture. l had most of the stones set
for presents, and here" holding up the
ring mentioned, ''is the last. N Y.
TeLeqran,