The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-02-10
rHs MAN. WITH THE JEWELS.
y. Marion Crawford Reports an Exciting
" Time on an Italian Steamer.

i
"Speaking Of jewels,n said +. Marion
Crawford, the author, to a reporter, RECALLS
to me an incident on an Italian steamer. 1t
illustrates tho overpowering greed for gold
and the estimate some people place upon
their worldly possessions. 1t also illus
trates q mans splendid nerve.
ut was on my last trip up from India.
1t was dinner hour. My seat was on the
captains right. Opposite me snt an old
English sea captain. Next to him was a
Calcutta English merchant who had &C
cumulated fortune and was returning to
old England to enjoy it, He had invested
large sum of money in rich jewels, and
they were aboard with him. There were
only a few OF us who knew that the ships
safe contained many thousands of pounds
sterling worth of diamonds and rubies.
"Wc We're all laughing and talking and
enjoying our meal immensely. No one
thought of disaster or accident.
Next came a sudden and tremendous
shock, accompanied by a humping, bump
ing sound from the hold as II we had struck
upon n rock. The sensation was indie
scribably painful There was noise of
running about on deck. The passengers
sprang from their seats. their features
blanched with terror, and their eyes start
ing with fear. Wives threw themselves
into their husbands arms. Mothers pressed
their little ones to their breasts. All was
confusion and disorder Everybody was
panic stricken. 1t seemed as If we could
hear the waters rush into the aperture we
were all certain had been torn in the YES
| sells bottom. Every woman screamed, and
the men were about as badly demoralized.
! "The English sea captain sprang to his
| feet, exclaiming, Well, guess we arc done
| for 1t was supreme moment.
1.-THE owner of the jewels was pitiable
| sight. He was the first person to reach his
feet, clutching the back of the revolving
chair with one hand and pressing the other
| tightly against his heart. His face was
sickly livid; his mouth was open and his
eyes wild.
My Godl my jewelsr
| His tones were scarcely above hoarst
| whisper. The mans terror was SO great
that he fascinated me, and for a moment
forgot my own apprehensions l could moi
take my eyes off his face You see, his first
and only thought was his jewels. Every
other person In the saloon was thinking O
his life, but this mans mind in that mo
ment of terrible suspense was centeret
upon his wealth.
There was but one man who remained
in his scat and apparently unmoved, for i
he experienced any fear he certainly di,
not manifest it. At the monent-she crasl
came the italian captain had stretched GU
his hand to grasp II bottle of wine between
his plate and mine. The muscular move
mcnt did not cease. The hand grasped til
bottle, and, conveying it to his glass, h
coolly poured the red liquid full to th
brim. He returned the bottle to its plac
and glanced up almost inquiringly at tn
terrified creatures who were ranged in al
sorts of attitudes expressive of their respet
tive feelings.
ut was all over in few moments, 20
} know. The passengers with their mex
thought instinctively looked toward til
captain, and seeing him so calm hesitate
before taking their mad flight up the 81
loon staircase to the deck, as all were COZ
templnting. AT that moment one of til
petty officers hurried down the staircas
and whispered q word in the captains ea
DO not feel alarmed, my friends sal
the captain i'll clear, reassuring tones, whic
at once soothed the emotions and stilled til
fears of his hearers there is no danger an
/ we are not on rock.
"1he man with the jewels dropped int
his scat as limp as a rag and rs weak as
babe, great sigh of relief escaping frol
his lips. The relief was of course genera
though our appetites were seriously in
paired. We then learned that the cylindt
head of one of the low pressure engines ha
blown out and the piston rod was having
parrot and monkey time all by itself
was an exciting experience-one which
would not care TO go through again. Me
Nan1E