The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-09-05

$50 Stretched out on the rug.
He was of good family, and his father
had left him a property sufficient to re-
ieve him from the necessity of work.
But Harry Trent had not an idle bone in
his body, and he had no sooner complet-
ed his university career than he gave
proof of his activity. Instead of taking
up profession, however, or cultivating
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 few years in a bankers
Office, to learn the meaning of finance,
he rented place up town and appeared
before a startled community as a dia-
mond merchant.
After all, if one must follow 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-
ination. 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. 1t CLEANS most brilliantly from
the midst of human blood and crime and
misery. The diamond necklace sparkles
like river of flowing light on wom-
ans bosom; but on that river the souls
of both man and woman are hurried to
death. The hollow of an infants hand
may hold gem able to raise an army or
provision city; yet it is but a form of
the commonest of physical products. 1t
is our invincible love of beauty that
gives it its value, yet all evil and ugly
passions are it's 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 comparatively
short time he became the best known
and wealthiest merchant in the trade.
No one was a surer judge of their purity
and value; diamonds of unequaled purity
and splendor seemed to crystalline be-
meath his fingers. He knew the history
and owners of all the great gems of the
world, and stones were believed to pass
through his hands equal in quality to
any extant. Withal, like all true diar
mond merchants. he was as silent as the
grave. No one could tell with certainty
what his transactions were or who were
his chief clients. Therefore, on the
principle of omne ignotum pro magniico,
fabulous reports were circulated about
him. He had bought and sold the
jewels of empires. He had weighed in
his balances the crowns Of the sovereigns
of Europe. He had bargained with the
shah and the sultan. In his books might
befound the names of every millionaire of
contemporary times. Half the diamonds
of Old World history either were or had
been in his possession, and were re-
placed in the regalia of their putative
owners by skillful limitations in paste.
So ran the gossip, at which Harry Trent,
when he happened to hear any of it,
would laugh heartily and declare that it
was lucky nobody knew how really diff
cult it was for him to make both ends
meet.
The truth, as usual, doubtless lay be-
tween the extremes, but may reasonably
be held to have inclined toward the large
extremity rather than tho small one.
Kinas and queens and cthsy peepls et