Morris tribune., 1892-03-30

it was with the distinct understanding
that it was not diamond, but peculiar
variety of crystallized spar that is found
only in the Himalayas. But as it is ef-
fective, and the donor is dead, wear it
now and then"
Now, Mr.. Van Cortland was a judge of
diamonds, and as that iridescent ball of
colored fires 1lazed into his delighted eyes
he felt convinced that it was genuine and
he hungered to possess it, yet he did not
lose his inherited prudence.
"What do you value that stone at,
colonel?" he asked.
"Oh, place no value on it; it is worth
no more than so much glass, except as a
keepsake" was the reply.
"Would you mind loaning it to me for
a day; 1 will give you a receipt for it?"
stake it, my dear sir. We are gentle
men and the receipt is not necessary"
said the colonel, adding, ''but I warn you
that it is not diamond"
Mr.. Van Cortland knew better, but in
stead of saying SO, he secured the stone in
his pocket, and the next day took it to the
foremost diamond expert in New York.
"That," said the expert, after he had ex-
amined the pin critically, 'is diamond
of the purest water, and, to my certain
knowledge, it is the most magnificent gem
in America. 1t is strange that never
heard of it before, even though it has been
held in Europe"
"Would 1 be safe in offering $4,000 for
it?" asked Mr.. Van Cortland.
''Most decidedly, for it is worth four
times that" replied the expert.
Eager to secure the prize. Mr.. Van Cort-
land fastened to the colonel's hotel, and
as he handed back the pin, he said:
II am reasonably sure that is diamond;
so sure, that l will give you $20,0 for it
on the strength of my faith"
II tell you again, Mr.. Van Cortland"
said the Englishman, "that it is not a dia-
mond However, am not averse to mon
ey, and if you come to me tomorrow l will
sell you the stone at the proposed price,
provided that you give me an acquit-
tance and hold me entirely innocent of in
territorial fraud if it should turn out to be
what say and not what you believe"
AS nothing could be fairer than this, Mr..
Van Cortland readily agreed. He returned
to the hotel the next day with the~desired
messed by his agent, and he handed this,
with twenty 81 900 bills, to Colonel de We're
and secured the coveted gem.
A few days after this the gallant Eng
lishman, who was making tour of the
world, resumed his journey toward the set
ting sun, and about the same time Mr.. Van
Cortland decided to have the diamond
freed from the paltry pin and set in coro-
net, which his wife was to wear at the
opening of the opera season.
He took the stone down to the expert
again and explained his wishes. After
another examination the man looked up in
surprise and exclaimed:
my God, siri this is not the stone you
brought here Before! This is piece of
crystal spar, cut in exactly the same way,
and it is of the same size. These are the
only resemblances."
Mr.. Van Cortland was sold. and he had
placed himself voluntarily beyond the
hope Of redress.
The Englishman had tricked him; and it
is only few days since the story leaked
out through the butler, who heard Mr..
Van Cortland bewailing his error to his
wife.
One on the General.
Old regular army officers will remember
General Magruder as handsome, gallant
fellow, with tendency to assume airs of
superiority.
An officer who served on Magruder's
staff near Yorktown in 1862 delights to
tell the following story on his old COM
mander:
We bad on, hoo Il M, ORG ot fba bo,,ca of