davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-09
"Tbat IL was n few weeks

THAT it was a few weeks who're the
uprising. Had you been in Cawnpur,
say, in July. 1857
He completed the sentence with a
shrug and shudder.
~ understand. Well?"
"You are aware that the British gov
eminent offered a reward of a lac of
rupees for his capture, but never cap
tured him?"
81 have heard that.
do you know what became of himr''
mo one knows of a certainty. 1t was
reported that he and a few of his fol-
lowers took refuge in the H~imalayas
and there persisted.
THAT report is true. Two Of his spies
returned. / saw and conversed with one
Of them. When Mana fled, he took with
him the most valuable ruby in all In
dia."
II have heard that also, but what
bearing has that upon our business?"
1.-THE ruby which you hold in your
hand is the one which Mana Sahib took
with him in his last flight"
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-09

ing a peculiar tendency to the growth
known to crystallographers as twin
ming" By testing crystals of corundum
with polarized light the structure is
found to be remarkably complex, and
under the microscope its exterior face is
covered with a strange network Of
sculpture indicative Of molecular chan
ges.
The most striking fact about the CO.
rundum crystal is that 1t is nearly al
ways found to have inolosed and sur
rounded some foreign body or other,
which lies imprisoned in it More strik-
ing still is the fact that these included
foreign bodies lie generally disposed of
in planes, meeting each other at an angle
of 60 degrees, the result being to pro-
duce the phenomenon of asterism,
which is the term given to the white
star of light observable in certain jewels
cut with rounded surface. Quite fire.
quently the imprisoned body is a minute
bubble of gas or drop of liquid, contain
ing sometimes little crystals of its own.
This fluid delicate scientific tests have
proved to be liquid carbonic acid gas
reduced to that condition by immense
pressure.
Rubies change their color in a re-
markable way under the action Of heat.
Blush ones turn perfectly green, and
on cooling regain their original tint.
The blue sapphire turns white, and the
yellow corundum crystal becomes green.
l might mention other singular proper
ties of this gem, but obviously it would
be out Of place here. Let me say that
on the following day, during which the
sun shone most of the time, / subjected
the ruby left with me to every possible
test, and that it passed triumphantly
through all. No problem in geometry
was ever demonstrated more clearly
than that this enormous gem was the
equal of any similar one, a respects pur-
ity and brilliancy, found anywhere in
the world. That being the case, its
value could be measured only by hun
dreds Of thousands of dollars.
Meanwhile my friend Wittner had
called with his report. He had fingered
in the rain and darkness on the other
side of Maiden lane on the night Of the
mans first visit with the gem and kept
him under his eye until he reached the
Astor House, where he was staying for
the time.
He may be an East Indian" re-
marked Wittner, "but if his right name
is on the register of the hotel it is nc
more Hindoostanee than yours or mine,
for it is plain Darius c. Howard, and
he halls from London. Look out fol
him."
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-09

his black mustache he passed out Of the
door into the darkness and rain.
Left alone with my disturbing thought
and the wonderful stone, | now sub
jected it to tho most minute eXamina-
tion possible.
And as one claiming to DO an expert
l must say something about the ruby,
one of the aristocrats Of tho mineral
kingdom.
The finest rubics i'll the world come
from the mines of Burma, although
they are found in many other parts of
the world, and even in our own coun-
try, where their quality cannot be COM
pared with those Of Burma and the
specimens of India proper. The genuine
ruby is pure, limpid, fiery red corun-
dunn, which is c~rystaliized oxide Of
aluminium, and forms the basis of nearly
every gem, excepting the diamond, which
we value for hardness, brilliancy and
color. A crystal of pure red corundum
is a ruby, of the blue variety a sapphire,
Of the green an emerald, and so on.
The structure of the ruby is as ex-
traordinary rs that which determines
it's color. 1t is found in crystals of an
endless variety Of shapes, but all hav-
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-09
Ne'"os OF "rss MIDHIGh' eTc
cop~aeHt 1895, BY AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION.
". eyCIG ST. DEANs

when in India, "Ireplied, with a1aGgh.
IF you are familiar with English, lei
us confne ourselves to that"
with pleasure, " he replied, his ao'
cent faultless. II suppose nearly every
language is spoken in New York, and ]
was delighted to hear my own, but ]
think l can make my meaning clear in
your tongue"
81 am sure no one could speak it more
correctly. I shall be pleased to serve
you, if in my power.
II thank you, sir. You are a dealer
in precious stones, 1 observer"
He glanced about the store as he
spoke, and 1 inclined my head.
II have something l would like to
show you"
81 shall be glad to see it."
He reached his hand inside his vest
and drew forth one of those small
green p~asteboard boxes such IS are
used to hold certain kinds of jewelry,
and lifting the lid took from the soft
pinkish cotton the most wonderful gem
l have ever looked upon.
A man who has been in business for
80 years in Maiden lane sees about all
there is worth seeing in that line, and
during my travels I had beheld some of
the great jewels of the world. I may
say that had he produced the Kohinoor
itself my amazement would not have
been greater.
That which I took between my thumb
and forefinger at his invitation was a
pigeon blood ruby the size of a small
walnut with the husk removed. A pi-
geon blood ruby, it may not be known,
is more valuable than the same number
Of carats in the form of a pure diamond.
What do you think Of that, sir?'
asked the man, enjoying my astonish-
ment.
eff that is genuine" I replied, hold.
ing it under the glare of the electric
light, land it seems to be, it is worth
a kingdom"
You are an expert. I leave it with
you to decide whether it is ruby or i'm
itation."
Wait, please, till l get my glass"
made this excuse to walk to the
back Office, where Wittner was smok-
ing. l stopped over the table, so as to
bring our heads close together, and
whispered:
Follow that man and learn what
you can about him."
was gone but a moment. When
returned, the caller was leaning n ell
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-09
Nv.

Just as I was entering the Windsor
house a carriage halted in front of the
family entrance, and a lady stepped out
and passed into the hotel. One glance
showed that she was the young woman
who left my store an hour or two before
after her purchase of the small ruby and
her expression of admiration of the
larger gem.
She saw me and bowed. The action
was so unexpected that l hurriedly lift
cd my hat, and I suppose would have
made a graceful response, bit in my
confusion I struck the toe of my foot
against the step and almost fell on my
hands and knees, my hat rolling several
feet away. I didn't dare look at her,
but she must have laughed heartily,
while l never came so near profanity in
my life.
1t took some minutes to pull myself
together, and then my curiosity regard
ing the mysterious beauty led me to
make inquiries of the clerk. He smiled
significantly at my assumed matter of
fact manner as if to let me know he
understood that 1 was another of the
many that had been hit hard, but what
eve he thought he was a gentleman.
81 would know whom you meant If
you had used only half the words. Isn't
she a beauty? Her name is Mrs. Darius
G. Howard, and she halls from Vienna"
You could have knocked me down
with a feather. The name precisely
except as to the sex-of the man who
had placed Mana Sahib's ruby in my
hands to be sold. The mystery was
deeper than ever. Could it be-but
what was the use? Any attempt at the
orizing, as Wittner had said, could end
only in becoming hopelessly befogged.
"Be good enough to send my card to
Mr.. Saudhusen's ROOM"
Three minutes later word came that
my friend was in his apartments and
would be glad to see me. I lost no time
in entering, shaking hands and telling
my story.
Sandhusen was a millionaire, and we
had been schoolboys. Having plenty of
leisure on his hands, he expressed his
pleasure that I had come to him with
such an interesting yarn.
"I'Il go down with you and look at
the stone" he said.
81 have brought it with me-" and I
opened the box and placed the gem in
the palm of the astounded gentleman.
His wonder and delight may be i'm
agined. He fondled it as if the simple
touch gave him pleasure. He stepped to
the window in the glare of the sun.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-09

III VIZ
bow ON the glass case, his attitude an
easy and graceful one, patiently await
ing my verdict.
The scrutiny under the magnifying
glass seemed to confirm my first impress
sion, and my wonder grew.
II would like to examine it by day
light-that is, if the SUI will ever shine
again" 1 remarked as a gust of wind
blew the rain spitefully against the
windows
with your permission I will leave
it with you a few days"
At this moment Wittper came from
the inner Office and passed through the
door.
GOOD night, Mr.. Brown" he said
carelessly as he buttoned his macintosh
about him. II must go home Will see
you next week"
/ nodded to him and noticed the
quick, searching glance he gave the
man, who did not seem to be aware of
his presence.
MAY I inquire where this gem came
from?" I asked as the door closed be-
hind my friend.
"Certainly-from the Himalayas, in
northern India"
ut is yours?"
Pardon me. 1t would hardly be in
my possession if it were not"
why do you bring it to me?'
perhaps you may find me a custom
tr."
Then you wish me to sell it for you,
/ for it is too valuable for me to buy"
THAT is the view l took Of it"
But, begging pardon, it strikes me
as strange that you should have brought
this ruby to America when in London,
Amsterdam, Vienna, Paris or any one
of a dozen cities in Europe you would
have been more likely to find a pur.
chaser"
"There are plenty of buyers, but kings
and queens just now are poor and can
not afford my price. 1 presume you are
somewhat familiar with the history Of
the mutiny in India in 1882"
"In a general way / am"
"You have heard Of Mana Sahib?''
81 saw him at Cawnpur a few weeks
before the breaking out of the mutiny. d
"Ab, you were fortunate"
J "In what way?"
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-09
PRELuDE.

L.
The sepoy mutiny Of 1878 was one
of the most tragic uprisings in history.
Two hundred million fanatics revelted
against British rule, and the flaming
plains Of India We're swept by fire and
crimsoned with the blood of the inno-
cents until faraway England rose in
the might of her wrath, and her heroes
ground the rebels to the earth. The
Mogul empire was proclaimed at Delhi,
In May, 1857, and Cawnpur mutinied
on the last day of that month. 1t was
invested by Mana Sahib on the 9th of
June and surrendered 90 days later.
General Havelock fought his way, step
by step. to the walls of the city. and
Mana stole away like d thief In the
night. Before he left July 16) occurred
the massacre of the European women
and children in Cawnpur-a crime that
thrilled the civilized world.
The British government offered a re-
ward Of $50, 900 for the capture of Mana
Sahib, and every effort was made to trace
him, but he vanished as utterly as if he
had never been.
Investigation, however, has made it
quite certain that Mana Dhoonda Pant,
known in history as Mana Sahib, fed
with a few followers to the jungles of
Dude and penetrated deep into those
dismal solitudes. All died miserably,
and the eagles of the Himalayas alone
look down from their lofty heights upon
the crags OF the royal vagrant who per-
ished there long years ago.
Small loss to the world was the death
Of Mana Sahib, but when he entered
those desolate wilds he carried with
him the most wonderful ruby of his
tory. 1t was the size of a robins egg,
Of the purest pigeon blood and with
out a flaw. Its brilliancy and perfeo-
tion gave it fabulous value and a rank
beside that of the Kohinoor and the
great gems of the world. If that ruby is
eve found, it will make the finder ia
nous and rich beyond compare.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-09

Closing one eye-and it seemed q
pity that the light Of such an orb should
be obscured for a moment-she MUIR
INJURED:
Eyes, it is real, a genuine pigeons
blood! Where in the world shall its
equal be found? 1t does not exist.
81 am confident ID has no superior, "
I ventured. 1t was placed in my hands
to sell. Would you like to purchaser"
"Ah, me, if I could! That is worth
81, 900, 000."
'It may be to the queen of England,
the czar of Russia or the emperor of
Germany, provided any one of them
wishes to buy. But it is the property of
whoever will pay $50, 900 for it"
Another faint gasp, a slight recoil,
and looking in my face she assumed an
indescribable expression of despair.
How sad it is to be poorl l would
be happy all my life if I could own that,
but l am too poor, too poor!"
1t was ON my lips to demonstrate
gently, but l held my peace and tried
to keep my c~ountenaDce from becoming
too crimson. She fondled and admired
and praised the gem for several min
utes, and then with a faint bewitching
sigh shook her head and handed it back
to me, with the envious remark:
"He who gets hat for the sum you
name is the most fortunate individual
in the world. All, if / were rich!''
She babe me good day, thanking me
for my attention, and passed out. She
had not come to the store in a carriage,
and as she turned in the direction of
Broadway I presume she either took
the cable car or possibly called at some
place where her conveyance was wait
ing.
Resolutely putting behind me the dis
turbing thoughts about this remarkable
woman, I placed Mana Sahib's ruby,
inclosed in its little box, within my in
ner pocket, buttoned coat and vest, and
some 30 minutes later left the car and
made my way to the Windsor hotel, with
the purpose of offering the gem to my
old friend, Godfrey Sandhusen.
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-09
CHAPTER Ill.

Having established the g%enuineness
of the great ruby, another duty was be-
fore me-the finding of a purchaser.
The conviction that there was something
wrong behind the whole business-that,
in other words, Darius G. Howard was
one of those brilliant criminals who are
continually pitting their brains against
the law and generally winning-was
fixed in my mind. It was incredible
that he should have brought such a
priceless gem thousands of miles across
land and ocean, passing by more invit-
ing markets on the road, and then plac-
ed it in my hands at an absurdly low
price. He must have had some all pow
erful reason for this extraordinary step.
There was no ground for fearing that l
could become implicated in the dark
work. What I had done was wholly
regular, and my standing could not be
imperiled by anything that he or any
one else could do.
l gave up the idea of negotiating the
sale through some of our correspond
ents in Europe, not that l feared l
would not secure q princely price, but
because of the annoying complications
that were sure to follow.
"You may speculate for days and
weeks, remarked my friend Carl Witt
ner after he had made his report Of what
he had learned about my caller, land
the chances are that you wilHbe further
from the truth than at first. There is
one point where you a stand upon
safe ground"
where's that?"
"At the beginning. Thus we know
that a gem worth several fortunes has
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-09

She SdU me and bc1Ced.
light and seemed hardly to breathe
while he drank in it's marvellous beau
ties. Finally he resumed his seat in
front of me.
SIT surpasses anything 7 ever saw"
he said, with flushed face, "aud ne asks
Dnly $50, DOOR"
sThat is ALL"
"It appears genuine"
at is genuine. I have sutmitea4 it
every test, and the fact is established. ~
Brown, I'll buy it'll I'll give you Q;
check now"
"Hold on, Godfrey" ] protestYd
Don't be in hurry. Take time TO oon1
slider the matter"
To be Continued Next Sunday,
San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-09

eyes anu ndlr W6rS VI bu6 u6SpSsG DlaCh
and her complexion olive. But the nose,
slightly aquiline, just enough to give
character to her c~ountenance, the
matchless teeth, displayed as she talked,
the perfect contour of the face, eye
brows, forehead and the tout ensemble
were her W and in their way were
exquisitely perfect.
My age and experience are my safe
guard against the destinations of the
other sex, but I am sure no man could
look upon such matchless loneliness
without being impressed. Iadmired her
as I admire a masterpiece of Rubens,
Vandyke or Angelo. 1t vas a feast for
the eyes too rare to be neglected.
Hamilton, the clerk, was a sensible
fellow, and when he saw me coming
forward he resigned his place behind
the case, with the remark: d
This lady wishes to purchase a ruby,
1 believe"
Begging pardon, she said, with a
resistless smile and turning those dark
eyes, tremulous with light, upon me,
81 asked to look at some rubies."
81 shall be pleased to show you what
we have" I replied, blushing to the
crown of my head where the hair is
scant, and feeling as confused as a
schoolboy.
Those tiny hands of fairylike contour
were covered with kids which could not
have been larger thSp No. 5 or 5H at
the most, and she handled the crimson
specimens with the delicate grace that
of itself was enough to set q mans
brain awhirl. After some dallying she
selected a ruby, the price of which was
$500, and paid me with eight crispInew
bills which looked as if they had come
from the government press within the
preceding "a hours.
The transaction completed, / laid be.
fore her Mana Sahib's ruby. When her
eyes rested upon the marvel, she gave a
gasp of establishment and delight, and
looking at it a moment daintily picked
it up and turned it over and over in her
hand, finally holding it up to the light,
Aher expression and manner all the while
Lille that of a child who has been given
The most gorgeous toy ever fashioned.
The morning times., 1895-10-10
CASTLE NOT TO REMAIN.
Hawaiian Minister Says He VIII he
Succeeded by Mr. Hatch

The Hawaiian Ministers Mr.. Castle. in
formed the United Press reporter ycsicr-
day that his appointment ut Washington
Cas but temporary and that ne accepted it
with the understanding that he should br
relieved by December /. 1t was generally
understood in Official circles when Mr..
Castle left Honolulu. some weeks ago,
that his successor would be Mr.. Francis
NJ. Hatch. the present Hawaiian Minister
OF Foreign Affairs.
So TAR as Mr.. Castle knows there has been
no change in this respect, although he
has not since been officially notified re-
garling the matter. As soon as his sue
cessor qualities, Mr.. Castle will leave for
Hawaii to resume his law practice. which
he abandoned for the time being in order
that the government might not be without
a diplomatic representative at Washing
ton with plcnary powers. The permanent
appointment To this post. however, he
emphatlcallyy declined.
AIR. Francis NJ Hatch. who Will pre-
sumably represent Hawaii i'll the Iuturc, is.
5ke ali the leading officials OF the new
z acific republic. an American. He Is
forty years of age. He has been a resident
Of the island sixteen years. going Ia Hon
olnlu from Portsmouth. y. H., where hc
was born and reared.
He is a lawyer. and was for some years
partner of Mr.. Castle, the present minister.
He was 4 member of the advisory council
when the provincial government was
formed, after the overthrow of the queen,
nearly three years ago. He was subse-
quently advanced to his present Office.
and when the constitution was adopted
and de iure government established, ne
received a rcappointment.
The morning times., 1895-10-10
Puddings light and dry, ham sweet and
moist, no shrinking; potatoes dry and mealy.
All food retains its natural flavor. Meats,


soups, and vegetables cooked in the Barney
Steam Cooker are improved in quality and
there is an absence of odors in their prepara-
ton. Can be used on gas, coal, wood, or
oil stoves. Economical of food and labor.
rhe Cooker can be made to pay for itself
in a short time by the saving in food.
Recommended by medical men, professors
of cookery, and the best families in Wash
ington who are using 1t. No soggy bread,
no heavy fruit cake, and delightful rolls.
A lady in attendance at the above number
will demonstrate the use of the Cooker, and
samples of food W i'll be on exhibition. Call
ind see the Cooker and get a descriptive
circular.
-YsTERs steamed in this Cooker are
everywhere admitted to be better than
hose prepared by any other aeaming
process.
The morning times., 1895-10-10
CLARK'S,
734-736 9TH Street NV.

not apt for the expression OF that meaning.
Persons do not solicit by letter in "A room or
building.
He concludes by saying Congress must
have felt as fully as the commission or L
can. that money could be- solicited and re-
ceived by mail ana that the general object
in view was not wholly accomplished so
long as The mail service could he thus used.
This seems To he one OF those instances
where the personal liberty of the citizen and
the inviolability of his private letters have
been deemed of higher Importance than the
complete success OF an enactment"
Il have thought il proper To say this
much by way of explanation of the deter
mination | have reached not Ia direct,
upon such lights as | now ilave, the prose
'ltion of the persons accused.
Mr.. RivkcnbaGgh. who is n lawyer, seems
10 have discovered q ioophole which exists
in the law. to call attention to which, by
abortive prosecution. would seem to be
proceeding of very doubtful wisdom"
But this loopholc is not wide enough for
Congressman or other persons in the gov
ernment employ.