Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-03-14
The StoleD
Diamond.


The other evening a well dressed
man put up at hotel in Buffalo On
the middle finger Of his right hand was
a heavy gold ring in which was set n
diamond of unusual brilliancy. 1t was
the first thing one noticed about the
man 1t shone and sparkled in quite
wonderful way. The hotel clerk was
interested in him and his gem and ellie
tied his story.
"My name is Lee-Charles Lee" said
the man. Il am from Savannah. This
ring | have worn on my finger for 20
years. 1t is no wonder you are inter
ested in it, | believe it is one of the
finest diamonds in Georgia. | showed
it to jeweler awhile ago, and he of
fered me $4,000 for it. SO you see it
is as valuable as it looks. There have
been scores of people who have asked
me about it, but | have very seldom
told the story which it recalls. l can
not tell its entire history, and what l
don't know is very likely more inter
esting than what / do.
uncle down on a Georgia plantation.
One day, while pfoWling through the
garret of the big house, found trunk
which was unlocked. l opened it. 1t
was filed with old laces and women's
clothes of a fashion of years before.
Down toward the bottom / saw
small jewel case. Inside | found this
lzc@ J. nTf
stairs and asked my uncle about it.
He wouldn't believe my story. He
went up to the garret TO see for him
self, and he was a surprised man when
he came down again. Several days lat
er he told me all about it.
'My uncle was an old man then, but
when he was a boy he had been a sail
or and had been all over the world.
When he was on board ship, he made
friends with a man named Calvin.
Calvin was a wayward sort OF man
and not to be depended upon. once
the ship touched at Havre, and he ran
away. My uncle did not see him again
for 10 years. Then, one day, broken
down man, looking much older than he
really was, came to the old Georgia
homestead.
MY uncle had a long talk with him
in the library. The man was Calvin.
He said he was being followed by the
police for implication in some big rob-
berry. and he wanted my uncle to pro-
tect him. He had been such a good
friend to my uncle in former days that
my uncle did not have the heart to turn
him away. He gave the man a home
for several weeks. By that time the
robbery had been almost forgotten, and
Calvin went away. Before he went he
gave my uncle this stone. 4 picked it
up somewhere he said. 4 don't know
what it's worth, but want you to take
it for what you've done for me-
$50 my uncle kept it. He did not
know It's value. He laid it away some
where and forgot all about it. He was
not particularly fond of jewels and
never wore them himself.
years after that he received letter
written in large, sprawling hand. 1t
was from Calvin. He had sent it from
some place in Kansas, which was then
out in the wild west. He wrote that
he was sick and likely to die and had
repented Of his crimes. And he wrote
the interesting information that he had
stolen the diamond from big house in
London, where he had fallen in with
gang of housebreakers.
1T had been stolen with the other
jewels of wealthy young woman who
was about to be married. Her name
was Vincent. He asked my uncle to
make a search for the young woman,
and If he ever succeeded in finding her
to return to her the diamond with
'GaIvin's compliments
"My uncle happened to be in London
on a pleasure trip two years later, and
he spent several days trying to find the
young woman. He searched through
old police records and did everything
In his power, but it was a hopeless
task. He got trace at last of young
woman who had married an army offi-
Ger and who had died In India soon
after her marriage, and there were GER
tain bits Of information which led him
to believe this might be the person he
wanted. But he was unable to find
anything more about her. He could
find none of her friends or relatives.
"SoCp he had to leave London, and
the s. irch for the missing Miss Vim
cent as never continued. If ever / go
to LC don, | think | will make a try
at it lyself, just for curiosity. 1t is 90
year ago that the stone was stolen,
and don't suppose | would have any
suct SIS. sun 1t wouIu ne an interest
ing earch, and if | did succeed what q
st. it might bring to light If the
o.; .4er of the ring is alive, she must be
at least 20 years old. In ten years from
now there will not be a chance left Of
success.
''To tell the truth, have been glad at
times that the owner never was found,
for l would hate to part with $4,000
diamond.
"My uncle was always careless about
things of that sort, and he lost track Of
It. He had not been able to find it un-
til years later, when | made the discov-
cry in the trunk. Shortly before he
died, some ~ years ago, ne gave Ine
| stone to me on the condition that !
would return it to the rightful owner
| if she should ever be found. l have
worn it ever since."-Exchange
| Your Box of Paints.
When you received box Of water color
| paints as holiday gift, did you stop to
| think that the whole world had been