The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-28

communion.
But prompt submission and public ac-
knowledgement of their error will suffice TO
restore both to their birth right.
FORTUNES FOUND IN PEARLS
New Craze Which has Set In Down In Ar
kansas.
Memphis, Tenn, Aaug. 27.-The ex-
element over the discovery Of unlimit-
ed and fabulously valuable deposits OF
pearls in the bapous Of Arkansas and
the neighboring states, has within the
past ten days developed INFO a perfect
fever, and the lake regions TO the west
of this city are literally alive with pros
pectors, equipped with nothing more
than a sharp stick. who are poking about
IN the soft soil in the hope of finding new
and still mora valuable shoals Of the pre-
cious stones.
1t has been determined that the best
beds Of pearls are TO be found in and
around a couple OF lakes a few miles
from Bald Knob, on the White river,
and, although these lakes have been pre-
empted by a party of local capitalists.
who have leased them with the pearl
privileges for term Of years. that has
not prevented hopeful hunters from
.:raversing all the other lakes in the west;
ern part Of the state in the expectation
OF locating other deposits.
The value of he pearls in Arkansas
cannot be computed, even approximate
iy. The stones are TO be picked up wher-
ever there is stream of water 10 sup
port the mussels, and, although il is pos
sible that the more valuable beds will
be worked out in the course Of a few
years, il is likely that for many years TO
come Isolated specimens of the stones
will be picked up from time 10 time. Il
is curious fact that, though the stones
are the product of the native bivalve,
which fiourishe5 only in the water. some
Of the largest and purest specimens ye.
SHOWN on this market have been found
many miles distant from the water. a
circumstance due to the fact that the
Arkansas waters. like the parent stream,
the Mississippi. are very shifty, and the
river bed Of two years ago may be the
cotton patch of today. Nearly Of west
ern Arkansas is under water at certain
seasons of the year, and it is possible 10
pick up a pearl in the most unpromisins
locality. However, that kind of pearl
mining is more matt OF luck than OF
skill. and there would not be much in
ducement for man of means TO invest
any money in the industry were there
not localities that yielded the gems in
better paying quantities.
Pearls Of large size have been found
throughout the Mississippi valley from
time immemorial. Old men now rela.e
now in their youth they used TO go 20
the branch and pick out the stones 10
play marbles with. They would throw
away all except those tina: We're perfect
~ round. OF course, they did not know
the value Of the stones. They were Sd
common that they never had any idea
that they POSSESSED any more value than
the ordinary pebbles of the beach. Over
in the bottom lands OF Arkansas pebbles
are scarce. Frequently the natives
would run across beautiful smooth stones
OF delicate tint, buried in the mud on
the bank OF the bayous They would
maybe carry them home Tor mantel or
naments, or would careiessly throw them
b1ck ir-0 the water - see the fish jump
after them. Very few people who find
their way into the heavily timbered
country know anything about the pre-
ciouS stones. and no one ever thought OF
sending one 81 these pebbles 70 a jeweler
&c ascertain its value.
A few weeks ago a young man from -.
Louis came down over the Iron Mountain
Railroad. 20 hunt and fish for a week or so
in the bottom lands OF Arkansas He got
n ha ~as- Poi
g few miles into the woods. He found him
self on the bank OF Murphy Lake. famous
Tor its fishing As he sat on a PROSTATE
log, waiting for bite. he espied glitter
ing object in the mud. He picked Il Up and
was a once struck by rs similarity 10 the
pearl he having some familiarity vita the
p-escious stones. The guide who was with
him offered TO show HIM where there vas
a Tot OF such stones and n few minutes
the s.. Lou.s:an was picking UP pearls as
fast as he could shove them into MS peck /
els. Tae GUIDE assured hin that ne stones
were OF TO value as the people Of thai seq
ton paid 10 attention 10 them The fisher
man. however. was determined TO assure
himself. and by might train he sent few 1
specimens 10 an exper: isp!dary "a s. 1
Louis BY the return mall came the a. I
sIrznce that these stones were pure pear. 4
OF excellent quality. and that The spec /
mems sent were o. unusual s-ze and CO I
great value.
TIE s. Lon.sa1 made Up h.s Mid 70 de- I
vote himself 20 ;hs pearl industry fo- a. l
nearby lakes. To make assurance bcg5iy 1
sure Re sen, a few o. thespec.Hlsrs - a !
teve,ry establishment n MenpAt. .cr sale 1
and wien by the rext mai re recssysi a /,
sum n return fs- n advance % what &c \
bad expected BE kIeS fo- tzct that * /,
had struck * T.eh-
THIS lucky fellow KEEP; RS secret 20 I
some tine but = a-aily cropped oEt- j 1
ieased oat through Ire jewelers. z, lbs 4
cs,y. Tr~y were having cons <zrSerk q 4
pearls every 5sy CT - from over = A.
ka-sas. a-d i.tra;zrzIy s2xEeste: 49, %
them where 80 -rA.y AID such large Gems
ws-e Gaming s-oz- J. A CEA-A 6. la