The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-11
RARE OLD PROVERBS
SOME QUEER GEMS AND A VERY
QUEER DEALER THEREIN.
Rev. william Scott newney. One OF New
York's Chief Eccentrics of tho Long
Aeo-Choioe Excerpt. from the Strange
CID Book lie Published.
Special Correspondence

NV tEh. NOV. IA diamond brOlt-
r named lsaacs offered for sale, few
lays ago. 70 leading dealer in gems.
one Of the most remarkable precious
tones that the world has ever seen. Il
was q diamond, Of fine white color.
weighing about four carats and hand
s0mely cut. which had cracked into two
equal parts revealing in its center another
small diamond accurately fitted into
matrix in the inclosinC shell of diamond.
The interior stone was pestahedron,
with facets upon II as regular and per
feet as if they had been cut by a skillful
lapidary. SO perfectly did this little dia-
mond fit into its matrix that il was in
visible when the three parts Of the com
tination were put together. The impos-
sbility Of putting two diamonds together
In such way by art Is beyond question.
10 was the TyOrk of nature but what nat
ural law, or porversion of law, had such
an amazing effect, was far beyond even
the theorizing. Of those who inspected
the stone Mr. Isaacs wanted 81 900 for
The puzzle IL is worth scarcely any
thing as a merely ornamental gem, bat
doubtless some wealthy collector viii
give for il. a. a curiosity, the price asked
and even more. perhaps.
High figures are sometimes com
mandcd 10y oddities, far ont Of proper
ton 10 their intrinsic worth and a good
many years ago ex-MayOr Wickhams
father. who is the oldest diamond inn
porter IN New York. brought TO this
country and sold here for $500 one carat
diamond. The upper part Of it was
brilliantly clear white diamond. the lower
part q bright yellow; and no human eye,
however expert or aided 10y glasses and
reflections could tell where the white
ended or the yellow began. Had it all
teen like its top it might nave been
worth S6j 70 Sl2j; had IT all been like its
bottom. $50 20 SO: being what it was it
readily sold for $500 Other diamonds
are valuable for what can be seen in
them; il was for what could not be seen
that blending line Of color.
A curious specimen Of what might be
called a natural "doublet" in diamonds.
l. O.. those showing two colors, though
not 50 blended rs in the Wickham dia-
mond. was sold not long since by julius
Wodiska. diamond dealer. on account
Of the late Rev. William Scott DOwncy.
~ had fine brilliant cut and the upper
fix-sevenths Of il showed as clear white
as was ever seen in a diamond, but the
little seventh at the bottom. Just q point.
was Of an emerald green tint. Looked
at from directly above that tint would
not be suspected. and the many colored
rays Of light that scintillated from its
facets seemed rcfracted from a pure
white stone but laid in an angle Of
white paper 10 throw reflected light into
us body and. viewed from the side, the
green part was Vividly conspicuous, and
the line where il met the white was dis
iuctly 10 be seen.
The Rev. William Scott Dovnev, men
toned in the preceding paragraph, was,
hv the way. one of the most eccentric
and widely known men IN New NCrk,
and well worthy Of remembrance. He
looked like an Of who had stepped out of
ID child story book. Age had bowed his
figure so that he walked bent. as the
pictured elves do; hc always wore a very
tong and ample coat. that looked as If the
touch Of the fairy queens wand might
make il suddenly ily of and reveal him
in quite another guisc; and his wrinkled,
yellow face. deep stmkcn and brilliantly
snarkling black ewes ambushed beneath
heavy ovorhanging white biOws; Hebraic
nose that seemed 20 have been put on
soft and run 10 blot al the end before
10 hardened. and capacious. thin. snakily
moving lips-thc lower quite penduiOus
all were wrcathed i'm a complicated and
permanent smile. His very abundant
long hair and long beard were white as
snow. so white as To- suggest that ne
might have been an antique even among
Inc elves. who are known TO be- born old.
The hat hc always wore was broad, soft
SLOUGH that appeared TO have the power
of cooking itself into all sorts of funny
.hapcs But when he sat up straight and
presented his full front 10 have ms pic
lure taken lac was quite another person,
and enc could see him as he was.
genial. humorous. kindhearted, good, IN
tclligent. venerable and vcritablo gentle
man.
Amy other people are deaf, but proba-
by very few. If any, SO deaf as Downey
WAS If an eighty ton gun had been
fired oil al his