The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-31
THE LOST JEWEL.

4 49, e So
Bow did such great rough monster a.
am come TO marry delicate little daley
Of a French girl like Pearl Triilardf Well,
It's quite story.
had Just come home from a two years
sojourn In the diamond fields Of Port Ma.
tai All the diamonds that ever glittered
In the valley Of Sindbad the Sailor would
not make such place as that endurable.
hadn't any home to speak Of, and yet i
was homesick the whole time l was at Port
Natal.
At first had no great luck to speak Of.
The fields were crowded with seekers as
eager and persistent as myself, and after
four or five months began to feel almost
like despairing.
But resolved to stay on, and 1t was
well that / did, for on Friday, May II,
1870, found great stone that looked like
a rough, dirt incrusted pebble at first, but
the second glance told me 1t was diamond
such as Is found only once in years.
Silently dropped It into my pocket and
strobe of homeward, slouching listlessly
along, as always did.
Hello" cried wiry little Cape Cod
man. "Densley's played out. Why, Dens-
ley, 1t amt noon yet by the best ohronom-
eter In Boston,
~ don't care" said I. 1T am going
home"
"Pshawl Thought you had more pluck.
Faint heart never won big diamond yet.
Don't give 1t up, man"
But went back to the colony, wonder
fro that thaxy dfl ,nf xlx.
beating Of my heart, which seemed to fill
the tropical silence with noise like re-
veille.
When I was alone, I drew out the great
stone and Toasted my eyes on its fair pro-
portions. I danced-I sang, IN short. I
hod been seeking 1T score of years. had
found it at last
Well, I said nothing Of my discovery and
came back to the states, with the diamond
in little leather sack stitched on the
waist of the flannel shirt wore under
meath the linen one.
1t seemed rather necessary that I should
civilize myself little, so dropped into
the first furnishing store which lay in my
way.
The young girl behind the counter struck
my eye pleasantly, as flower or sunset
OF star sown sky might have done. She
was tall and slight, very pale, with great
almond shaped eyes, mouth like scarlet
coral, and an abundance Of dead black hair
that seemed toweigh her small head down
with It's heavy duskiness.
was clumsy and did not know what
wanted. Pearl Irillard did. She told me
plainly what was necessary and what was
80 e.. q. u
not. DO bought my outfit and paid for
IL ana went home with part under my
arm--the rest was to be sent home-with
Pearl's black almond shaped orbs still
haunting me.
1t was January, and fire had just been
lighted on the hearth OF the room had en-
gagged.
sat down in front Of 1t when supper
vas over and took out my pocketbook-to
'he inner compartment OF which, since my
irrival In port, l had transferred the little |
hamois leather sack which held my for
une-to have look at the precious stone.
There was no sack there
l searched through and through the
AIDED leather flaps of the worn pocketbook.
I shook out the skirts Of my coat. even
'ot down on my knees to search the floor
eneath, but the diamond and its reoep-
acie were gone.
For minute or two 1t seemed as II the
,hoie room was in whirl around me.
iy heart stopped pulsing, my blood grew
nlli ana deadly sickness stole through
~ whole Delng.
Inc d1amond-the diamond for which
I'D toiled and striyen and waited and suf-
'red-the diamond, It was gone.
peleve was Tor the moment insane.
rose and staggered blindly toward the
lstol which always carried in the breast
ocket OF my outer coat, with some vague
lea OF putting an end to the life which
al been such an utter failure.