St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-05-21
The Diamond SCarf-Pin.

That scarf-pin? No; don't think
you have ever seen that before. It's
not often that I show anybody the
things in this box. They're trinkets
that 1 picked up in different parts of
the world and every one of them has
story of some sort connected with
it-a tragic story, in most cases,
more's the pity. So that there's a
sort of sanctity about them, kind of
feeling that they shouldn't be handled
and gloated over by every casual
stranger who comes into my diggins.
Now, this string of sham pearls, for
instance, that used to belong to poor
little Flo Martin-Bob Martin S
child. You never saw her; but you
remember the father, don't you
Well, he was murdered, as you know,
shot by Indians, travelling out West,
and the child-she was about eight,
and the sweetest little angel you ever
saw-was killed at the same time. I
happened to be with the party, and
helped to bury the two of them; and
the poor wife gave me that little neck
lace of the child's when [ was leaving
them. Then that ring That was
Denny's once-Denny of the Tenth,
the poor chap who went, won't say
to the bad, because none of US ever
knew what did become Of him. But
he came to me one day, said he was
absolutely broke for the moment, and
asked me to lend him flyer on that
ring. It's worth $75 at least, and of
course I let him have the money.
I've never seen him since; but there
the ring is, waiting for him, whenever
he cares to come back and ask for it.
AS to that scarf-pin, there's longer
story about that-a bad, bad business
it was, too; and even after all these
years I don't much like talking about
it. But Til tell you, as you seem in
terested in it.
bought that pin in a little second
hand jewelers. shop in Adelaide
street, Melbourne, Australia. I was
on the point Of starting fer home
and | was lounging around, trying to
fill in the time before went on board.
1t was, in II, just after the Pataroft
murder business. You remember OF
hearing of that, of course? A Russian
count, who came out about some
mining speculations, foundin his bed
one morning, stabbed through the
heart; and everybody put it down to
the Nihilists. | was attracted to this
little shop window by a placard offer
ing reward for the capture of
Pataroff's murderer, and just under
the placard there was tray OF scarf
pins, rubbishy things, most of them,
and hardly worth noticing. But this
one caught my eye directly. You'll
see it's rather quaint, if you look at it.
A Maltese cross of small diamonds,
with the bar at the end of each arm
made of coral. You don't much like
the effect ? No; nor did l when I
saw it. But it struck me at once as a
jeweler to mix diamonds and coral in
that way, SO went in and asked the
price it. The shopman mentioned
a sum much smaller than I had ex-
pected, and 1 bought the pin there
and then. | asked him, just out OF
curiosity, when it had come into his
possession.
"Well, sir" he said, 1T don't
rightly know myself, because I didn't
buy it of the man that brought it in
The boss did that himself. But !
know the man must have been badly
broke. He said he must get rid of it,
no matter how cheap"
Did he look as though he was
very hard up?" I asked.
No, sir; not always. He was
dressed quite respectable; no more
seedy looking nor hard-up than your
self, sir, asking your pardon
"There was nothing at all out OF
the common about him. then %
Now, that's just what it is, sir.
There was. He was fine, well-to do
looking young fellow, tall, and with
a brownish beard and mustache.
But there was a sorter frightened
look in his face, as it might be some
one was after him. / believe he'd
given the boss that pin, free gratis
for nothing, SO he could "a just got
rid of it. And he went out Of that
door kinder gasping and painting, as
though he had weight took off his
mind with the pin that he was leav-
ing behind him.
"Aad you couldn't say where the
pin was made, [ suppose ?"
No, sir We couldn't, nohow.
Only can tell you this. No iewele1
made that pin, just to put in his win
dow and sell it. That pin was made
to order, wherever it was made and
whoever ordered it,
"Well," said, sit seems a queer
business altogether; but Ill take the
pin, anyhow. It's rather curiosity
and if it has been stolen and the
owner ever comes across me, he shall
have it and welcome Good morning
and thanks for telling me about it. :"
Good-morning, sir, and thank
you. SIR
And, an hour later, was on board
the tender, steaming out to the
Messageries Liner ircassienne, with
the pin stored away among my other
small treasures in my dressing bag.
There always seems to me to be 4
certain very satisfactory feeling in
being able to start off on a long
voyage quite alone. You get on
board and see your modest amount
of luggage slowed away. Then you
go below and find your berth, make
friends with your steward, and choose
Il seat at table. And afterward you
return on deck to watch your fellow
passengers struggling, pushing, hur
rying hither and thither. hampereC
by luggage, wives, children, nurses
and all the multitudinous accessories
of a family exodus. On this occasion
| carried out my little programme
quite satisfactorily. | found N,
state room excellently situated, m,
berth in the most comfortable posi-