Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-04-12
ROMANCE OF
A DIAMOND
toriginal.J

AtsO Nthi " hhtA az NNNhlAhi NV
was cut and polished in Holland. then
sent 10 Paris, where was exposed toi
sale. Being purchased by woman of
fashion, for a time / shone In many
.12.ie of social splendor. One night
after she had come home from sup
PEI, having drunk too much wine, she
left me on her dressing table instead
of putting me in her safe, as was her
custom. One of the servants took me
and buried me in the earth till the ex.
element attending my disappearance
had blown orer. when | found a habi
tation in a pawhshop. Sold at auction,
| was bought by manufacturer OF
curios and set iii the hilt Of Moorish
dagger. a nobleiIan bought me, and
hang for years OH the wall of his libra
ry. One night lie took down the dagger
which | adorned and, going upstd.as
With it, plunged it into the heart OF his
a.es ping wife.
The murderer died OF, remorse. He
was never suspected of the crime. |
vas sold with his effects and placed il
the center of Il gold cross being made
fog IL bishop. He wore me suspended
from his neck, but he seemed to be i'll
ct ease at my touch and one day threw
the cross on the floor, trampling on it.
cxc:nining that he believed it WAS ac-
cursed. Then, picking it up, lie laid ii
rcycrently in his bureau drawer rs If
remorseful at having committed sac
riiege. But he never Wore the cross
again, and in time I was taken out of
il. sold to Il manufacturer of jewelry
ard set in a bracelet formed to repre-
sent serpent. | with mate forming
the eyes. The bracelet was purchased
by celebrated actress. With her |
learned how little Of real romance
there is in its portrayal. IN her
cramped dressing room. that 10 Dked
like paint shop. she woull clo'D her
bracelet on her wrist AMI pass 10 the
wings, only the unadoruel backs OF
which | could see, waiting to he c1l'e1.
One evening the call boy neglected. her.
Nhereupon she boxed his ears in Il fit
of temper, then went on to the stage t.
personate pure and noble women
struggling with stage plot
When passed from her l found my
self in Il box with many other jewels
ana was put into the hands of an artif-
icer and by him worked into a kings
crown The crown finished, it was tax
en- to cathedral, where it was left all
night under guard The next morning
the cathedral began to fill with pco-
pie in splendid attire. and when it was
full the king came. After ceremony
an archbishop took up the crown and
placed 1t on the kings head. Then
all we jewels glistened and sparkiel
and scntillated before the assembled
thlon-
In the crown | remained many years
AMI this was the most tiresome part OF
MY life This is so with many NOR
tails The highe. they mount in splcn
dor and power the more they are cut
OF from those simple enjoyments that
ordinary people may have in alum
dance A revolution occurred in the
kingdom. and one day mob attacked
the palace where the crown was kept
aud it WAS carried into the street
There 1t was trampled upon by an in
furiated people, and when it was
picked up had fallen out ana lay in
the gutter unnoticeI A rain came and
washed me into a sewer. 1t was
months before | came to light again
and then only after great flood, dur
ing which | was washed out of the
mouth of the sewer on to sandy tract
where the tide rose and fell. Success
sive tides washed me up the beach,
where l lay on the side of dune look
ing out on the ocean. There | rested
amid delightful surroundings. l loved
the passing ships, the circling gulls
and, more than all, the plash of the
waves.
One day young man came and sat
down on the dune beside me- He
looked out on the waves, and from
what he said knew he was poet
He possessed not only manly beauty
but an appearance of purity. As he
framed his verses he grasped the sand
in his hand and let it slip through his
fingers. | was with the sand he
grasped, and as did not slip through
he looked at me. The sun was shining,
and 1 sparkled my best. for | wished
to attract his attention. AS soon as he
saw Inc he exclaimed: "A diamond,
How Helen viii prize it,
He took me 10 a modest house some
distance back from the beach and, en-
tering. asked If Helen was at home. \
young girl came down with a glad
look in her eye that l had never seen
in any eye before. He took her in his
arms and kissed her.
Helen" he said, while lounglng on
the beach awhile ago l found some
thing which will make you happy
Look"
He produced me, and, lying in the
hollow of her hand, l flashed up into
her innocent eyes.
How beautiful she exclaimed
But surely it must have an owner