The Opelousas courier., 1899-10-21
Sheer Luck.

When the great pink diamond of
Guznee reached Europe it created
widespread interest and took immedi-
ate rank with the historical stones of
the world. 1t was compared with the
finest gems in the royal aud imperial
re liza, savants wrote learned dis
QUESTIONS upon its beauties, and the
magazines and newspapers spoke of
it's value in a way that made ones
mouth water.
Among others whose envy was
aroused by the descriptions Of the
stone was a Mr.. Lamorock, a gentle
man who had passed under many
aliases in his career, and who had only
recently been released from Portland,
where he bad been sequesteredf for mis-
taking the proprietorship Of a check.
As he read Of the great diamond his
eyes sparkled at the thought of its
worth. There it was-f100, 00O-and
you could put it in your waistcoat
pocket.
But now TO get II!
The ex-convict, as he pondered over
the subject, knew the task was not an
easy one. The papers impaired the
confidence hat it was in Messrs. Bons-
field Brothers safe at Bristol; but
burglary was not in his line. There
are grades of refinement in all profess
sions, and he looked upon burglary as
vulgar, besides which night watchmen,
strong rooms, and electric alarms
made such work hazardous and only
fit for people better supplied with
physical strength than brains.
The first step was to obtain the con-
fdence of the Bonsfields. To get this?
an Introduction. How?-to forge
it!
Without more ado he wrote a short
note to Congleton & Co., the celebrated
diamond merchants of Hatton Garden,
asking them if they would care to buy
some old family jewels, and received
a reply expressing their willingness to
inspect them. After studiously ex-
aiming the caligraphy of theI letter
with a magnifying lens he set himself
to practising a number Of curves and
fourishes on a sheet of paper. An
hours work seemed to satisfy him,
and he then indited the following
epistle:
Citation Garden, Jan 4, 1896.
Messrs. Bonsfield Brothers: Dear Sirs
AS q client Of ours desires to inspect
your pink diamond known as The
Light of Guznee,' with a view to pur-
chase, we should feel obliged if you
would send it to us. Our Mr.. Lamo-
rock will call upon you a few hours
after you receive this letter and will
bear a note vouching for his identity.
We shall be happy to undertake all
risk and responsibility for the stone
from the time it is intrusted to the
custody of our representative, and we
beg to remain yours faithfully.
"CoNGLEToN & Co."
When this production of his pen
and brain had been carefully scrutin-
lied, our c%aligraphist composed
another short letter, which stated that
the bearer was Mr.. Lamorock, the rep
resentative Of Congleton & Co. He
went out and bought half a dozen
Havana cigars, four of which he
open and unrolled. Smearing
interior portion over with a dark,
lio'id, he rolled them up again
with expert fingers and put them into
his case.
The first letter he had written he
sent by registered post, going down to
Bristol by the ame train that took the
nail. But on his arrival there he
waited for three hours SO as to allow
If it being delivered before calling.
He then went to their Office and pre-
'ented his credentials, the g%enuineness
which were not for a moment sus-
The Bristol firm, who acted with
great caution in all their business
transactions, thought it safer
hat the stone should be InuUf
he custody of their own rep
esentative, and determined that one
# their partners, Harry Bonsfeld,
'hould accompany Lamorock up to
london, taking it with him. This,
However, was a contingency provided
or bsth by Lamorock's cigars and by !"
neat little revolver that nestled in
he pocket of his great coat.
It was a bitterly cold day, and q bit
ng east wind made them SILVER in
of their coats and wraps; so ,
much so that they mutually regretted
hat the operation of securing a
eserved carriage left them no time to
'ay a visit to the refreshment room.
They had just seated themselves
omfortably and the train was already
n motion, when an elderly gentleman
Nth a%jovial red face.and black bushy
opened the door and bundled
in.
Bonsfiell was annoyed and Lamo-
ock Disguised; but as the intruder
'as profuse in his apologies, and it
as too late to mend matters, they
ad to accept the situation with the
est grace they could. After the lapse
t a quarter of an hour he had talked
Heir reserve away, and proved him
elfso amusing a companion that they
Il became quite friendly; and then
'amorock, who had grown suddenly
pressed the others into
ccepting a cigar apiece. The jolly !!
iced intruder was not to be outdone :,
! hospitality. He opened his hand i,
ag, and with a merry wink produced !.
flask of curacao, which the intense $
Did made particularly acceptable to :
lem all. Lamorock, indeed, found +,
le liquor SO delicious that he took :