The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-06-06
Dernste!n's Bouquet.

| hailed me. and / found myself shak-
ing hands with Winstanley. my old
school and college chum.
Come in 10 see the Delacour. i
suppose." he inquired, after the first.
exchanges were over.
Don't know the lady" replied;
'you forget that have just come back
from the wilds of South America"
"whew.' ne whistled gently; "why
she's the talk of the town, and she's
perfectly ripping!"
The rising of the curtain put an
end TO our remarks. but. prepared as
had been by Winstanley's enthusiasm
I confess i was staggered pvhen the
Delacour entered clau In IA most be-
witching costume OF pale pink. She was
an exceedingly pretty woman of me-
dium height. plump and pleasing figure
with merry. saucy face, and beauti-
fun brown, glossy hair.
But her diamonds.
know something OF precious stones,
and / fairly gasped when l saw these.
They looked genuine, and IL SO they
were worth at the very lowest compu-
tation s15O0Oo.
Great Carbon" / whispered TO
Winstanley: ARE they real?"
Absolutely" he replied; II happen
to know their history; it's curious
one.'
Before the actress had taken her first
encore had fallen in love with her.
and her diamonds.
Never had seen such a magnificent
display. They shone in her dark hair,
they glittered on her shapely arms and
hands, they coruscated round her neck.
and they formed a cleaning, scintil-
lating. brilliant cuirass about her corr
sage. She and they were worth going
"A thousand miles to see.
When the show was over i dragged
Winstanley off 10 my rooms,
planted him in an easy-chair.
put out the usual creature comforts
monds.
We'll. old chap" he began smiling
at my easerness. have you ever heard
of Bernstein"
What? The sextuple milhonaire?"
1 cried. for even in South Africa one
hears of millionaires like Bernstein.
THE same" responded Winstanley;
well, the diamonds came from him."
Ooh" / cried, disappointed and
disillusioned.
Not Bit" he said. warmly. 'The
Delacour's as good as she Is pretty
and IL you'll only have patience
Fire ahead" i said; Il won't In
terrupt again"
when / left college" resumed Win
stanley. II went as you know, 90 south
Africa I'm search of sport. After some
magnificent shooting. chance took me
- hak ftvt,n x1Ta
in it's infancy. There 1 struck up an
acquaintance with Bernstein. who had
already accumulated a pretty hand
some fortune by !. ID. B.-you know
what / mean?
l nodded assent, having already seen
something OF Illicit diamond buying
in Brazil.
Bernstein" continued my friend.
was. not a bad chap--outside business
and was universally respected as one
vf the cleverest of the many clever
roxues who formed the early popula-
ton of the blue clay town. In the early
days /. d. Il. was carried on fairly
openly, but shortly after my arrival
change came over the scene. The gov
ernment woke up; new and stringent
laws were passed. The old and more
or less venal officials were replaced by
smart, trustworthy men. with COM
mission on results, and. in short, tninSs
were made very uncomfortable for the
/. ID. Il. A good many retired from the
business in disgust while not rev
took up an involuntary residence on
Capetown Breakwater. but Bernstein
held on. and continued TO add TO MS
store. I need hardly say that he did
not do this without interference from
the police. but he was too clever for
them, and the most they could do was
to prevent him getting the stonS out Of
the country.
However. after about six months
even Bernstein began to grow desper-
ate. He had about 100000 worth of
diamonds on hand. but try as he would
he could not get even small parcel
away, and once or twice was within an
ace Of being caught.
shortly after this comic opera
company paid us a visit and among
the artists was the Delacour. 1t was
the first company to visit Kimberley,
and naturally they had a royal welcome
and a good time generally. NO one
came in for more admiration than the
Delacour. and among her suitors was
Bernstein; but after few days fairly
rapid Irritation the lady dropped him
abruptly and ignored him most point
edly Bernstein did not seem 10 mind
very much, and bore the subsequent
chaff with easy indifference.
AT last the night came for the fare
we'll performance, and there WAS a
the Deiacour finished her great song the
air was thick with bouquets and other
floral offerings. I had dropped into
Bernstein's box rather late. and was
therefore not little surprised when
Bernstein produced a magnificent bou-
uuet from under his chair and nung II
on the stage. ! don't suppose a dozen
people noticed his action, and the few
who did smiled cynically and opined
that 'Berney' must be losing his head
10 60 chucking his money about like
that, for hot -hcbse flowers cost money
in Kimberley, and his failure TO find
favor in the lady's eyes was well
known
II was present at the station next
day when the company started for
Capetown, en- route TO England, and
when I noticed that the Delacour was
carrying Bernstein's bouquet. which J.
recognized by it's ribbons, I twigged his
little game. but did not say anything.
"The tees were there. OF course, and
gave the companys things good over
hauling, but they were not hard heart
ed. and several small parcels repre-
sentip0 farewell Gifts were allowed 10