The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-14
A GIFT FOR LOVE AND LUCK

NoiAe was slttlns with three other men on
a veranda that faced out on Lake ST. Clair,
IN a suburb of Detroit, Cranborne described
hlmseIf as "a copper man.; he was, in fact
young mining engineer, whose business was
IN Inc regions of northern Michigan where
copper is plentiful
Of the other three men one was a man
with heavy blonde moustache This dish
ungulshed looking person also had ugly bags
under his eyes that told of overcast lfVinet
de was accustomed to describe himself asf
mere driftwood," but he also said that in
times past he had been an officer in the
BRUSH army in India. His dress was now
marked by an absence of care for appear
ances which certainly had nothing in it sug-
gestiye of the British army's reputation for
"Smartness.'
But IN strong contrast to the shabby Nor
FOLK jacket and the mean looking felt towel
ing nat which this 'driftwood' wore was
one piece of jewelry that flashed in the late
sunlight as he lifted tall thin-stemmed
glass to his lips.
Ih1s piece of jewelry was at first sight an
amazing combination of white and green
sp1enoors; on closer examination it proved to
De an uncommonly large emerald set in the
center of great cluster of diamonds on a
ring which the "driftwood" wore on his right
fourth finger. The whole outer side of the
ring rose like the dome of a pagoda or to
use more home grown smile like the
smaller half of an egg, and at the apex of
this dome-or egg-the emerald was SET
deeply in, as if pushed heavily down into a
bed of diamonds
One thing that was evident to almost any,
one who examined the ring closely was that
the diamonds in it were not set in any FASH
ION known to either American or European
jewelers.; there was not a specK of metal
visible in the interstices between the bril-
liants, only dark spaces, as if each tiny dia-
mond were held by a rivet under it. And
above all, the whole ring flashed with a gilt
ter of white and green that strongly sug-
gested gorgeousness of Asia, and all the more
CTR T1crlxY hO<0o nf Ios,
of the shabbily dressed "driftwood"
Cranborne could hardly keep his ewes off
the, jewels, AS mineralagist, he naturally
was interested in unusual specimens of +,
precious stones; as a youth of strongly de-
veloped artistic tastes the rare perfection
of color in the great emerald fascinated him
II am hating here said the "driftwood"
whose name on the hotel register was Field
ing. II am hating here, like Israel of old
between two opinions. Before me is the
Queens Dominion of Canada-and shabbi-
ness-at my back is the United States Of
America-and the possibility of prosperity
if that possibility exists anywhere for me-
One beckons me across the lake to Canada
the other is drawing me into the great vortex
of the United States. Which is it to be?
Canada and shabbiness, or the United States
wealth and cocktails?"
CAS- for shabbiness," Cranborne slowly
drawled at don't see how anybody can helm
looking shabby with that ring on his finger
Fielding. The magnifcence of it is enough
to make Solomon in all his glory look
shabby"
well, now, do you know" said Fielding
looking at the ring, there is a deep inner
meaning to that remark of yours, Young
man, believe that this blessed Burmese
jewel has kept me shabby for years and will
yet, In other words I suspect the thing of
being cursed"
Where did you pick it up?" asked a gray
headed man of the party.
81 didn't pick it up" answered Fielding.
uni
Burmah in '88, when and where didn't ask
him, though I suspect he got it where he
didn't ought I paid him hundred rupees
for it, which he expended, believe on beer
and died incontinently. But ever since then
1 have been on the decline and I attribute
my present condition as piece of drift
wood to this brilliant object
And yet you won't part with it?" said
Cranborne. That's human nature, all over
won't ], thought" said Fielding 81 1vorld
afraid of tor else afraid of the price I ask
for it"
will you take thousand dollars for it?~
Cranborne asked, while the two other men
eyed him with shrewd interest.
will you pay it?" said Fielding, with a
start
eff you hand it over to me now" the youns
miner answered; II will give you $50 in notes
and check on a Detroit bank for $3.50"
Fielding set about pulling of his ring while
Cranborne rang the bell and sent a waiter
for blank check. giving the name OF his
bank in Detroit
You're not afraid?" Fielding asked him
once more, as If he really felt scrunIe~ aho11+
turning over the curse to this young man
mo, 1 am not afraid" said Cranborne
Mining engineers are not given 60 super
stitions," said the graybeard who had suoken
before.
AZ have plenty Of superstition said Cran.
borne; 'but 1 like to try experiments. am
going to play Christian superstition aeas,.]