The record-union., 1891-04-05
TEE FEATHEROFONE DIAMOND.
BY THOMAS KEYwoRTH.

1t is well to be famous for something !;
so my friends often told me, and then
they added that T was famous for my
paper knife. This gave rise to question
which produced considerable contro-
versy at the time: "Is fact like that
conclusive proof of the paper knife being
extraordinary, or may it mean that the
owner is insignifcant?"
l hope / took the banter in good part.
Bowman said it was capital fun, and
Sweepstone said anything would produce
m1rth if properly treated, and others
made similar remarks, as they enjoyed
the laughter which was produced. The
men who were most thin-skinned were
readiest with their jokes, so / looked
upon it as compensation and tried not
to begrudge them their amusement.
Bowman would have it that I had
stolen the paper knife, and Sweepstone
limited something about still more seri-
GUS crime being connected with it. Then
there were roars of laughter, which would
have put light heart into a'hypochon-
driac.
may remark at this stage that Bow
man and Sweepstone were two bachelor
friends of mine, both good fellows, and
both fond of a ioke-at other peoples eX-
pense. Bowman was a solicitor and
Sweepstone was stock and share broker.
Bowman always spoke about himself as
member Of a learned profession, and he
referred to Sweepstone as a mercantile
Bohemian. Sweepstone returned the
compliment by saying that lawyers eX-
listed on q reputation which they won
when ignorance prevailed among people
IN general, but that stock and share brok-
erS were in 1.-THE foremost files OF time;''
they represented the scientific spirit APP
piled to the region of commerce. But
they never rallied against each other long
II they could find a third person to tor
ment.
THAT paper knife was marvellous
production, | must cOnfesS-only fit for a
millionaire" said Bowman. ''Or a luna
tic," responded Sweepstone, starting the
laughter which followed. Because OF re-
marks like these persistently refused to
say how it came into my possession.
Let me describe it. The blade was nine
inches long, and it consisted of richly
tinted agate. The stone had been worked
until it was thin enough for the purpose
to which ii was devoted. Agate is eX-
ceedingly hard and brittle, 50 that great
care must have been exercised by the
Iapidary who ground and polished it.
ON the blade was engraved the motto:
Nothing but Leaves" The handle was
Inlght nave been on dagger or bowie
knife. 1t was richly chased, and the or
Eamentation was very beautiful. On
each side OF the handle, in the thickest
part. there was an oval framework, rep
EeSentlng coral and seaweed. Inside the
frame was a dolphin, which seemed TO be
swimming in water and bearing q child
on its back. 1t was indeed wonderful
paper knife; its only fault was that no
ordinary mortal would ever have used it
for cutting the leaves of book or maga-
zine.
Lend me that stolen paper knife,''
Bowman was fond of saying, if he found
book on my table which had not been
cut; but / kept an ivory substitute foT
actual use and preserved the agate and
silver one for show. Bowman had to be
satisfied with the ivory, while I submit
ted to his remarks about the absurdity of
keeping white elephant. If | said any
thing about ivory being more like white
elephant than the agate and silver, he
solemnIy failed TO understand my refer
ence and asked me TO explain my mean
ing;
key" said Sweepstone; ''the crimson
tints are indelible marks o. blood You
cannot possibly wash them away, and
therefore you are anxious to keep the
proof Of your guilt out of sight,
At that time l was classical master at
the Millchester Grammer School. The
school was situated in the middle of the
town, near a river of filth. 1t was not
surprising, therefore, that lived several
miles away, at a place called Barnfield
Railway trains and omnibuSeS ran regu-
larly between Barnfield and Millchester,
SO that, for all practical purposes, / was
quite near enough to the scene of my
labors, and I was glad to get away from
the smoke and mud which prevailed in
the town.
We had bowling club at Barnfeld.
and 1t was in connection with bowls that
/ became acquainted with Bowman,
SWeepstone, and other men who resided
In the nelghbOFhood. We called the club
bowling club because we bad bowling
green, and the name sounded like open
ar exercise and innocent recreation. but
am afraid that other games were greater
JaNOrtes with many of the members
Give dog good name and he cannot
have the hydrophobia," said Sweepstone.
IN reference TO our institution, which was
patroniZed by men who would never
have entered it if billiards or cards had
been mentioned in the official title.
Every man who has any self-respect is
bit of hypocrite,'' was Bowman's
sententious reply.
Previous TO my appointment at Mill
chester Grammar School | was for two
years the private tutor of 2 young man
whose education had been interfered with
by i'll health. His name was Brayshaw
and he was nephew to Rumford
teatherstone, wealthy man, who died
very suddenly, leaving his enormous for
tune to widowed sister, the mother OF
my pupil.
paid several visits to Rumford Hall
with Brayshaw during his uncle's life
time, and had often noticed the agate
paper knife, with its massive silver ham
" 4I,p+ 7 a -
and promised me playfully that if it ever
came into his possession he would trans
fer il To me. When he was at Oxford and
had settled at Aiillchester | received a
polite note from his mother begging my
acceptance of the paper knife as a me-
mento of her deceased brother. / thanked
her Tor the handsome gift, and wrote to
her son also, acknowledging the celerity
with which he had taken time bv The
forelock and fulfilled his promise before
the appointed time.
/ never satisfied my Barnfield friends
about the manner in which the paper
knife came into my possession. One rea-
son for this reticence on my part was that
there were certain rumors in circulation.
soon after RumfOrd Eeatherstone's death
which reflected unfavorably uDon a
young man called Woodrough. who had
been his private secretary. Both Bow
man and Sweepstone mentioned the sub
ject In my hearing, and expressed their
opinion that Woodrough had stolen the
famous Featherstone diamond, which dis
appeared mysteriously at the time when
Rulnford Featherstone died.
l often smiled when l thought what a
precious opportunity for banter was lost
10 my friends through their ignorance OF
the circumstances under which the paper
KNIFE came into my possession. / could
imagine Bowman raising his hands in
pretended horror and exclaiming: II
knew there was theft connected with it.
Jackson was in league with that private