Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-08-13

ohb ofs ttt y u,t
He was of good family, and his father
had left him II property sufficient to re-
lieve him from the necessity of work.
But Harry Trent had not an idle bone in
his body, andl e had no sooner complet-
ed his university career than he gave
proof of his activity. Instead of taking
mp a profession, however, or c~ultivating
the fine arts-as his fine taste and organ
ization might have led you to suppose he
would-he directed his energies to trade.
After spending q few years in Il bankers
Office, to learn the meaning of finance,
he rented a place up town and appeared
before q startled community as q dia-
mondm merchant.
After all, if one must follow a trade,
there are few articles of commerce more
agreeable to deal in than diamonds.
They are beautiful to look at, profitable
to handle, and they stimulate the imag-
nation. The romances of diamonds are
among the most fascinating of the
worlds stories. The spell woven by
these stones is mysterious; it differs from
the vulgar craving for money. The liv-
ing, changing, intangible spirit in them
allures forever those who have once
yielded to it. Its glory seems unearthly,
for it is like nothing else of earth; yet
one would scarce venture to call it heav-
emily. It CLEANS most brilliantly from
the midst of human blood and crime and
misery. The diamond necklace sparkles
like a river of flowing light on a wom-
ans bosom; but on that river the souls
OF both man and woman are hurried to
death. The hollow of IN infants hand
may hold a gem able to raise an army or
provision a city; yet it is but a form of
the commonest of physical products. 1t
Ia nj inyincible love of beauty that
gives it its value, yet all evil and ugly
passions are its foster children. Its pos
session carries power, but ever threatens
destruction.
Be all that as it may, Harry Trent
dealt in diamonds, and built fame and
fortune from them. In a comparatively
short time he became the best known
and wealthiest merchant in the trade.
No was a surer Judge of their purity
and value; diamonds of uneaualed purity
and spIendor seemed tn crvstall;za no
meath his fingers. He knew the history
and owners Of all the great gems of the
world, and stones We're believed to mass
through his bapds eonal in o%nalitv :,
any extant. Withal. like all trua dia.
mond merchants, he was as silent az tbe
crave. No one could tell with certainty
~has ms transactions were or VINO were
n,ei Clients. therefore, on the
pr,uoipie Oh oihne lsnotnm pro magnifico,
taouioqs reports wero circulated about
nin. ne mad bought and sold the
isweis OF empires. he had weighed in
- neS Fan ces crowns OF the sovereigns
49, .o9 ne nao eargalned with the
~ sultan. IN ms o might
con.s,nua Inc a a Oh avery mililonaireo
- OIa VIZ line u. nan tne diamonds
- nisooly either were or mad
81 :. m poSsess'on, ana Were re-
-. T. resana oi tneir putatlve
q" y sAliiI"i limitations IN paste.
-h.a ha ss.p, az whien LARRY Trent,
would iangh besrs;Iv va 70 near any on II,
waslucky nobody knew how rss,, tHd d;s y
cult !. was for him to make both ends
The The truth. no usr,, son,.,,,.n.
tween the extremes, but NAV
De held 70 have inclined toward the large
KINGS and nnasns ana a e1e snnail one;
august station are sometimes in press;na
need of money. and have little except
suefk jewels 10 ouet IN exchange for it,