Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-02-05

roughed 1T pretty well in different
parts OF the world, and my present 40.
commodations, I must confess, are
palatial compared with some L have
had. The real hardship is to be sus.
pected of sailing under false colors.
However, as | say, L can stand those
few days. Why, during the war O
Major General would have been de.
lighted with such quarters.
Were you in the army, then?" J
queried.
Yes; were you?"
81 was"
"What regiment?"
Fifteenth New York"
''Great Scott! Why, was in the
I Twenty-third myself. Did you know
Colonel Barney?"
''I should say I did"
''Well, well; sit right down. I'll
tell you all I know. We've something
to go upon. The Fifteenth The deuce
you say. How is old Colonel Ran.
som?"
BY the time I had satisfied his in
terest in the old Colonel and others of
the regiment, King seemed 70 feel that
he could talk to me without reserve.
II am, =" said he, "a partner in dia-
mond mines at the Cape of Good Hope,
whittier drifted after the war. Yes
terday afternoon at half-past three, in
the Astor House restaurant, messen-
ger handed me delayed cable mes
sage telling OF shipment of rough
diamonds which must meet at Hat
ton Garden, London, without fail, on
the twelfth. The steamer was to sail
at four; was alone; the banks were
closed, and my hotel was half an hour
away. By the time I had made up
my mind what to do and had tele-
graphed an order to have my traps
sent on by next steamer it was twenty
minutes to four. / took cab and
reached the pier just five minutes be.
fore the plank was hauled in, and here
[ am. L have, or had, nineteen dol
lars. L told the Purser sixteen be-
cause must have something to buy
of the stewards enough linen to last
me across
"Now, my friend, ask nothing.
have only told an old comrade the
truth, strange as that truth may seem.
If nothing worse than this ever hap
pens to me sha'n't suffer; only, it is
not very amusing"
1t happened that I had cabin to
myself. L went to the Purser and paid
the extra sum which would enable me
to share it with King. Kenshaw as
sured me that [ was an idiot, but [
didn't believe him. | was convinced
through and through of the mans
honesty. 1t was with considerable
difficulty, though, that I finally in.
duced him to become my guest for the
voyage.
found my cabin mate most
agreeable companion, and was truly
sorry to part with him at Liverpool.
There L bought his railway ticket to
London and bade him good-by. All
he said to me was:
81 shall not be profuse in thanks
now do thank you. however. and
you may possibly hear from me-"
1 did hear from him. Hardly had
/ arrived at my destination when
draft came for the full amount of my
advance, and with it note contain
ing an urgent invitation to dine at the
| Noyagers Club in London on certain
evening. and asking particularly that
i call at No. Hatton Garden during
the afternoon of the appointed day.
When, accordingly, the cab put me
down Mt the designated number, I
found myself confronted by heavy
iron grating, behind which stood a
man, armed and in uniform. Inamed
my friend of the diamond mines.
"Iou are rlgut, sir" was the re-
assuring answer; "but will You kindly
/ give me your card?"
A boy hurried away with it, and |
heard door after door clank behind
him as in a prison. Presently he re-
turned, accompanied by Mr.. King,
who. on seeing me. exclaimed:
81 wanted to make sure it was you.
I Come in"
The iron door creaked on its hinges,
and we passed on througha a succession
of similar barriers until we reached
snug but prisonlike office. Here |
saw strewn on table one or two
quarts OF rough black klooking
pebbles, and was informed that [
was looking on the very shipment of
rough diamonds which had been the
cause of Kings sudden sailing.
Then fiom the safe were brought
for my inspection diamonds, cut and
uncut, in quantities that | should
hardly have imagined to exist outside
of King Solomon's mines.
We dined at the Voyagers royalty.
King nearly killed me with kindness
before he would let me go, and one
of the purest diamonds / have ever
seen now sparkles on my wiie's finger
as his parting acknowledgment OF an
unexpected service. Saturday Even
/ ing Post.