Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-08-10
HER JEWELS.

The passengers ON the British mail
steamer Victoria in Rio harbor were i'm
patiently waiting for the quarantine off
GERS to finish inspecting the ship.
They were tired of the sea and were
anxious to seek more comfortable quarters
in the city.
Madame was the only passenger who
did not fret and worry over the delay. She
was seated on deck, where she had good
view of Rio.
She was to sing at the opera house that
night, and her managers agent had en-
gagged for her in advance suit of rooms
at the best hotel.
So madame waited patiently and laugh
ed and TESTED with the young men who
had been her companions on the voyage
and who had sought her for farewell
chat.
She was beautiful woman, this fair
French queen of the opera. Her golden
hair, brown eyes, faultless features and
dazzling complexion made the mon go
wild, and it was impossible to watch her
graceful movements without discovering
that her form had that ideal perfection of
which sculptors dream.
ga glass of wine, Marie,'' said madame
to her maid.
The young woman brought it in mo-
ment, and her mistress leisurely slipped it,,
talking in her sparkling way to her ad-
mirers all the white.
just then there was an uproar at the
other end of the steamer, and cries Of ter
ror and alarm were heard.
IA man overboard!"
Madame laughed when she heard the
cry.
Fortunate fellow!" she exclaimed. ut
would be better to jump into the water
and swim ashore than stay in this floating
prison another day"
The captain of the Victoria came for.
ward, with the ships doctor. The faces
of the two wore troubled expression, and
it was evident that they had news to COM
municate.
Madame" said the captain, 'it is my
painful duty to inform you that terrible
accident has just occurred Your hus-
band'--
"Mon Dieu!' cried madame "What
has happened to him?"
The captain was unable to proceed, and
tears stood in his eyes.
Sin some way your husband fell over
board, =" said the doctor.
"But he is u good swimmer, interrupt
ed madame.
"Alas," replied the doctor, "before q
boat could be lowered the man eating
shark which has followed us for the past
two days seized and dragged him down."
"Mercy!" screamed the Mortified WON
an. "Do you mean to say my husband is
deadf''
eyes, dead," answered the captain
swallowed by shark
Madame leaned back in her chair, but
she had not tainted as the bystanders al
first supposed.
Her eyes had peculiar stare, and hel
hands moved nervously.
Try to bear it bravely, madame" sale
her manager in sympathetic tone
''I cannot, 1 cannot" sobbed madame
II am utterly ruined. He had all my dia
monds in leather bag in his pocket
They cost 500, 1000, and their loss leave!
me pauper. Oh, shall go madr
Madame is mistaken" said the maid
drawing the leather bag from her bosom
monsieur gave me the diamonds an houl
ago and asked me to hide them until after
the custom house officers left the ship"
''Then am saved" madame said, with
a half smile. IA glass of wine Marie. 4"
The stimulant made her completely her
self again. and she called hcr manager.
II shall sing tonight"
"Good!' calculated the manager "Bu
what will people say?"
''Who cares? Let them attend to theil
own business. II there had to be fu
neral, it would be different, but this affai
is so peculiar that do not feel like wear
ing mourning. The less said about it TIN
better, especially in the newspapers.
should feel disgraced if people pointed mt
swallowed by shark
II can appreciate your feelings," re
piled the manager, but have just heart
that a sailor shot the shark only d mo
ment ago; SO there will be a funeral"
"Impossible!h shouted madame. "Dt
you expect me to follow dead shark as
mournerY Where would you bury the thing
No cemetery would receive my husband
body with big fish for its casket."
The situation is embarrassing, Z" admit
ted the manager, "and you are doubtles
right, but what shall we do with tn
shark?"
"Get the captain to sink it"
The manager hunted up the captain an,
told him what madame had said.
At first the captain was undecided, blu
finally he ordered the sailors to chain 10
of old iron and lead to the shark, and, bur
dened with this weight, it sank rapidly tt
the bottom of the sea.
"a glass of wine, Marie" said madame
when she heard the managers report.
The quarantine and custom house Off
GERS occupied the next two hours and thei
madame and her baggage were permitted
to land.
That night the opera house was crowd
ed, and the famous French singer was o
her best. The audience was wild with en-
thusiasm and everybody raved over ma
DANES beauty, her voice, her costume an,
| her diamonds.
If your husband had only lived to en-
joy your triumph tonight, said the man
ager after the performance.
| "1he dear, good man, ;" murmured ma
| dame 81 shall never forgot his kindnes
in thinking Of my diamonds before he fel
| overheard, and lot Inc thank you again fo
attending to my wishes. 1t would hay,
made me too ridiculous, you know, If
had put on black dress and veil and fol
lowed n big, ugly fish to funeral"
II agree with you, responded the man
ager. "But can serve you in any way
nowf"
Yes; tell Marie to bring me glass O
wine"
Later that night the manager laughed