The Meeker herald., 1897-08-28

diamonds SO nearly alike in appear
ance thai they have become known to
collectors and dealers as the Indian
Twins The wealthy individual who
has just become possessed of them Is
believed to be Mrs. William Astor.
A jeweler would describe the
Twins" as pair of old Indian dia-
monds. cut in cushion shape, weigh
ing eight and a half carats each, and
Of a remarkably pale blue color. Their
tint is far deeper than steel blue, and
much Lighter than the blue of the cele-
brated Hope diamond. The twins
are SO full of fire that many pure
white diamond is pale by contrast. So
absolutely perfect are the gems that
the slightest flaw cannot be discovered
by the aid of the most powerful magni-
flying glass Their combined weight is
seventeen carats, which is divided ex-
actly between the two. They are
alike beautifully proportioned, and the
peculiar shade of blue is the same in
each. So perfect is their correspond
ence that experts do not doubt that
they were originally one stone, which
was divided for some reason, probably
because the original shape was such
that while susceptible of division, 1t
could not be cut to advantage as sin
gle stone without great loss in weight.
The first record of the Indian
Twins" places them in the possession
OF Warren Hastings at the time he was
governor general of India. Next they
came into possession of a Russian no.
bleman, who was afterward exiled.
AS expatriated noblemen have to eat
and drink like ordinary mortals, the
Russian found himself under the pain
iul necessity of parting with his dia-
nonds.
They parted from each other, and
for long time only one of the gems
was known to diamond dealers. This
lone twin. after many wanderings. fell
at last into the possession of the Duke
Of Brunswick, whose agents searched
the world for the lost twin, but were
unable to find any trace of 1t, although
the price offered for its recovery was
a tremendous one. Finally the duke
was gathered to his fathers, and his
fine collection of diamonds was sold,
the Indian Twin" coming to America.
The final chapter of the story is told
by Mr.. E. August Nereisheimer, OF
New York city, vice-president of the
Theosophical Society OF America.
Il had the diamond in my possess
sion," said Mr.. Nereisheimer, "and my
agents were looking for the missing
relative, although we had little hope of
finding it. This was about twenty
years ago. A newspaper at that time
recorded the story of the strange find
ing Of the long lost gem. One of the
agents who had been for so long en-
gagged in the search for the Twin that
it had become a mechanical habit for
him to study the jewelry on men and
women whom he met, was surprised
almost out Of his wits one day when,
seated in Chicago saloon, he saw a
western man enter in whose shirt bos-
ON blazed the Identical Twin the
whereabouts of which had been for so
long sought.
HE lost no time in negotiating for
and securing the diamond, which was
to me. The united Twins
were valued at $125. 900. and taken to
Paris, where hear they have been
purchased by an American whose
identity has been kept a secret. There
is little doubt, however, from what /
have heard, from my correspondents
over there that Mrs. William Astor
will dazzle the eyes OF American So
ciety people with the Twins next sea-
son."