The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-07-02
It, and thereupon he turned over thu
stone to that individual.

mad with drink, he could not think OF
any other way to get rid of the haunt
ing image of that wretched slave whom
he had killed, than by tying a rope
around his own neck, and drawing IL SO
tightly that all images We're for ever
more blotted out. So the skipper hang
ed himself, and that was the second
owner of the big diamond who had
come to grief.
Now Jamchund thought he would |
90 to the Governor of Fort st. George |
with his stone. Mr.. Pitt was the gov
ernor, sharp gentleman, who dlo
bit Of trading ON his own account.
"Oh, most gracious and noble OF pat
rons! l have here a trifle would glad
ly Let YOU see. 1 would show 1t to no
one else. It's beauty is reserved for
your greatness to behold"
Thus Jamchun to Pitt.
"Come along now, and show what
ever you've got to sell and don't keep
me here all day."
Thus Pitt approximately to jam
chund.
There were also pipes and pauses IN
the conversation so that it took long
time in reality. Finally Jamchund
| onened a box and showed to Mr.. Pitt
the largest diamond he had ever seen'
4 Considerably larger than he had ever
| even dreamed of.
| He gasped with amazement. JAM
| chund rejoiced inwardly.
.What is the price of that stone?
| asked the Governor.
"Two hundred thousand pagodas,
| answered Jamchund sweetly.
"Two hundred thousand demons"
said the Governor what do you mean
by naming such an impossible sum!
WHY doE't you ask for the nearest star
and have done with it?'
"Excellency, I should be ruined If
took less" said Jamchund. even so,
gain but a contemplate commission,
hardly enough to live on. And it is
only to your Excellency / offer it at so
modest a figure"
Y To appreciate Jamchund's kind
modesty, it will be well to reduce
pagodas to dollars. Two hundred thou
/ sand pagodas is about 100000. AS he
gave the skipper $1,000 his commits
sion and the insignificant nature OF 1t
can be seen at glance.
"Jamchund, l will give you 10000
ma podas for that diamond and not
nenny more" said the Governor.
"Excellency, that would be pure de-
,struction and destitution for me.
!. cannot do it, even for you," said jam
, chund as he bowed himself out. lie
J stayed away two months.
, "Excellency, have come back, he
said ON his return, ''to say that could
: not rest easy in my mind if amy one ex-
cent your Nobleness should possess my
+; inestimable diamond"
} (which means you cannot find an
t other purchaser" said the practica
Governor. what is your figure nowF
1 ..Fifty thousand pagodas. 1t Is beg
{ gary. but 1 shall have a clear con
science,' said the humble Jamchund.
t "Fortv-five," said the Governor, in
a wardly observing that if the stone
!, were good, it must prove a penny
b worth.
n "Forty-nine thousand, Excellency
Just to save me from absolute penury,
- whined Jamchund.
.sIn give forty-six, and no more"
l. 'Think of my risk, noble Excellency
a Saw forty nine thousand.
e .sWhat is you risk? Did you steal
II from the Mogul|
.sThe sun, moon and stars listen t
e. that! No. L bought it at fabulou
Il figure. But think of the risk | hav
run of having it stolen from me-"
1t "Well, I'll give forty-seven thou
c. sand" said the Governor.
"And 1 have come down from tw
le hundred thousand to forty-ninew sigf
id ed Jamchund. "It is ruinous generos
ty! / will say forty-eight thousand
4 show my devotion to your Excellency
,e interest"
ot "Boshv' said his Excellency, an
le turning to an English gentleman Il
r, asked him his opinion.
re "My opinion" said the oracle, sis this
O. a thing that is worth forty seven thol
I'll sand pagodas is very likely to be wort
er forty y-eight thousend."
Id "Thank you," said the Governor.
OF never thought about it in that light
lis fore. will pay forty eight thousaI
I'd pagodas then"
And he paid them.
Of The advice sounded foolish, but
~, proved valuable, for upon that diamor
ad the fortunes of great family were sc
of idly founded. The Mr.. Pitt who boug
a this diamond was grandfather to tt
er great Earl of Chatham.
1t Behold now Mr.. Pitt the possessor
it the big diamond, and his troubles b
gan almost as soon as that fact becan
eg known. When he returned to Englaa
ito he had his stone cut and polished.
nd took two years to do that, and at t
end of that time Pitts eyes were gla
.?' dened with the sight of the most ds
he zling gem the world had ever beheld
W. "Who'n buy, who'll buy?" was ne
,ur his cry. But though many would, 1
'ok body could. Kings and queens sho
-!' their heads sadly. 1t was beyond the
q a The big diamond became an awful b.
ing den to it's owner. Everyone was tn
in his fancy. A learned German trs
Tou eled to England and wanted to see
the and his pebble.
"Neyerw said the harassed own
ny "He will assassinate me-" He fed
no town. he changed his name, he f
back to the country, and changed
liza name again. The learned German c.
val sidered such life not worth living
uid any price By this time Pitt ne
lay, dared to sleep two consecutive mig
the in the same house.
He was always moving on," p
Inc, sued by the terrors of his own imae
ing.
ont Al iass T,,,,s tinoo reaI ono
was Louis, Duke of Orleans, Regen1
Vled rIanee ioA IT,. +o,,,,+od