Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-07-24
sang in way that every one declared
would have won fortune on the stage


but these were of the most dazzling splen
dor, and on no two occasions did he weal
the same ring or scarfpin. One night
after good deal Of wine, the Duo dc
Morny, a model OF open propriety and or
example of covert wickedness, took the
colonel's left hand, on the third finger OF
which blazcd u steel blue diamond Of a,
least eight carats, stone unsurpassed ir
the world for it's size
"Pardon me, Colonel Gonzales" he saiG
In his winning way, "but that gem fasci
mates me. This Is not the place to talk OF
such things, but If you could be induced
to part with that diamond you may name
your own price,
Iaughingly the colonel took off the ring
and said as he handed 1t to the due:
II am imposing on the company"
"What do you mean?" asked the duo.
"Only this-that there are tons of stone
like that In the ring to be had for the min
ing" ...
"Do you mean that it Is not a diamond
II do. It Is piece Of quartz crystal cut
and set 30 as to deceive all but experts.
Why, have 30 stones of the same kind, "
laughed the colonel as he reached out his
hand for the ring.
The DUO de- Morny held the stone up to
the blazing light, then looked in puzzled
way from it to the owner At length he
asked:
"Colonel Gonzales, If that were dia-
mond, what would 1t be worthF'
lat least 5000 francs. or $780, 900. -
was the reply.
The due examined the stone again He
felt that he could get an unsurpassed gem
at much less than it's value. and, as un-
scrupulous as the Bonaparte family, to
which he was allied in a left hand way, he
asked:
viii you intrust this stone to me for
"a louis?''
Surely" was the prompt response.
"And if at the end of that time agree
to give you 200, 900 francs, or $40, 600, for it
will you accept"
"As gentleman cannot, for assert
the stone is not a diamond" said Con.
zales.
But you will let me have it for day."
Eyes; that and this pin, both Of which
are crystals, and if the pin were a genuine
diamond it would be worth $40, 00O," said
Gonzales.
The due took the ring and pin, and the
next morning he showed them to the best
experts in Paris, ell of whom declared the
stones steel blue diamonds and unsurpassed
In the world for their weight
That afternoon the Due de Morny called
on Colonel Gonzales and offered him $780,
900 for the two stones.
"They are not diamonds, and so 1 can
not take your money" said Gonzales as
he put the ring and pin away.
"But if am willing to take the risk?
Come, here is the gold. Give me the
stoncs.''
And you will sign an agreement that I
told you they were not diamonds"
Yes, dozen agreements, laughed the
Duo de Morny.
Colonel Gonzales called in notary, the
agreement was signed and certified to, and
the due went out with his diamonds (?).
leaving 500, 900 behind him.
The next morning Paris and all Europe
was startled with the news that Cyrus
Cushman, valet Of Colonel Gonzales, had
stolen 100000 In diamonds from his
master, which he sold at half their price to
the best people n the capital.
Colonel Gonzales shrugged his shoulders,
but made little or no effort to arrest the
faithless servant. A week after this Colo
mel Gonzales left Paris for London but
from that day to this he has not been heard
Of
Ten days after his departure an elderly
gentleman signing himself Colonel Pedro
Gonzales, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil" put up
at the Hotel Espanol. on the Rue Riche-
lieu.
Figaro interviewed the last and the gen.
uine Gonzales, with result that stirred
Paris like q new revolution.
An investigation followed which proved
that the first Gonzales, If indeed that were
his name, was a brilliant impostor.
The stones sold the Due de Morny were
changed in an instant, and he bought