Evening journal., 1905-03-06
ROMANCE OF
A DIAMOND
Iorieinal1


was cut and polished in Holland, then ,
sent to Paris, where was exposed for ,
sale. Being purchased by a woman Of
fashion, for time ! shone In many a
scene Of social splendor. One night
after she had come home from a sup
per, 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 TIL the ex-
citement attending my disappearance
had blown over, when / found habi-
tation in a pawnshop. Sold at auction,
I was bought by a manufactures Of
curios and set in the hilt OF a Moorish
dagger. A nobleman bought me. and /
hung for years on the wall Of his libra
~. one night he took down the dagger
which l adorned and, going upstairs
with it, plunged it into the heart Of his
sleeping wife.
The murderer died OF remorse. He
was never suspected Of the crime. /
was sold with his effects and placed in
the center of gold cross being made
for a bishop. He wore me suspended |
from his neck, but he seemed to be III
at ease at my touch and one day threw
the cross on the floor trampling on It, |
exclaiming that he believed ii was ac-
cursed. Then, picking it up, he laid it
reverently IN his bureau drawer as II
remorseful at having committed a sac
/ rllege. But he never wore the cross
again, and in time / was taken out of
II, sold to a manufacturer Of jewelry
and set in a bracelet formed to repre-
sent a serpeist. l with a mate forming
the eyes. The bracelet was purchased
by a celebrated actress. With her !
learned how little of real romance
there is in its portrayal In her
cramped dressing room. that looked
like a paint shop. she would clasp her
bracelet on her wrist and pass to the
wings, only the unadorned backs Of
which 1 could see. waiting to be called.
One evening the call boy neglected her,
whereupon she boxed his ears in fit
Of temper. then went on to the stage to
personate a pure and noble woman
+ struggling with n stage plot
. When passed from her found my
=. self in a box with many other jewels
and was put into the hands Of an artif-
e icer and by him worked into a kings
crown. The crown finished, 1t was tax
y en- to a cathedral, where it was left all
night under guard. The next morning
s. the cathedral began to I'LL with peo-
a pie IN splendid attire, and when 1t was
II full the king came. After a ceremony
- an archbishop took up the crown and
y placed It on the kings head. Then
N all we Jewels gllstened and sparkled
= and scintillated before the assembled
throng
In the crown / remained many years,
IL and this was the most tiresome part Of
my life This Is so with many NOR
Il tails. The higher they mount In splen-
3. dor and power the more they are cut
l. off from those simple enjoyments that
.- ordinary people may have in abun-
le dance. A revolution occurred In the
t1 kingdom. and one day a mob attacked
B. the palace where the crown was kept,
and II was carried into the street
y There 1t was trampled upon by an In
"A furiated people. and when 1t was
picked up / had fallen out and lay In
,- the gutter unnotlced. A rain came and
ly washed me into sewer 1t was
a months before I came to light again
s. and then only after great food dur
ing which / was washed out OF the
l. mouth OF the sewer on to a sandy trac
OF where the tide rose and fell. Success
OF sive tides washed me up the beach
Dk where lay on the side Of a dune look
- ing out on the ocean. There I reste,
ss amid delightful surroundings. l love'
Of the passing ships. the circllng gull
X. and. more than ALL the plash of tn
IL waves.
'al One day a young man came and 50
ch down on the dune beside me. II
er looked out on the waves. and fror
sd' what he said 1 knew be was a poe
no He possessed not only manly beauty
'' but an appearance Of purity. AS h
framed bis verses he grasped the san
=. in his hand and let II slip through hi
80 fingers was with the sand
grasped. and as did not slip throug
m he looked at me. The sun was shining
he and l sparkled my best for wishe
m TO attract his attention. AS soon as }
saw me he exclaimed: "a diamond
ic- How Helen Will prize itg'
X He took me to a modest house SON
OK distance back from the beach and el
tering. asked II Helen was at home.
-, young girl came down with a gla
, look In her eye that had never see
or in any eye before. He took her In h
18th arms and kissed her.
Mr.. Helen" he said. while lounging {
ted the beach awhile ago l found som
do. thing which viii make you happ
or Look"
He produced me. and. lying in Il
- ~ hollow of her hand, flashed up In
:, her innocent eyes.
eet How beautifulg' she exclaime
viz ''But surely IL must have an own'
lni- We have no right to keep IT,"
anne True. We VIII advertise It and !
res turn It. But the claimant must pro
that II is his"
Well. they advertised me. and h
tral many claimants. but no one cou
prove his ownership, and none kn'
1 To that / had been I'm a kingly crow
cted Then the young man had me set in
rom locket and gave me TO his love with
"a % ..,t1 ohofv for a nooi,Ioro I xrac