Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-26
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
PEARL FOUND IN AN OYSTER
CAUSES TROUBLE.

Probably the most eloquent song In
| Wang" which was heard at the Columbia
Theater last week. was An Elephant On
His Hands The conditions thus de.
described are not circumstance to the
troubles Lew Dockstader recently had in
Philadelphia, and the end is not yet.
John Rogers says that last week. while
playing In Philadelphia, Mr.. Dockstader i'm
vited several friends to join him at a little
oyster supper after the show. Several Of
them accepted. and after the last curtain
the makeup was hastily removed. and me
party repaired TO place known for serv.
ing the luscious bivalves in the raw state
in Just the proper manner"
The oysters were ordered. and the whites
aproned walters were serving them with
perfect precision, every man getting his I'LL
In rapid manner. Jokes were being exc
changed and stories brought out by the oc.
casfon were being told to such an extent
that with the moisture from a copious supe
ply of wet goods all were in a merry mood.
Suddenly there rang out on the otherwise
comparative quietness of the restaurant q
yell, almost shrek, of excruciating aga
ony, and Dockstader hastily clasped his law
In his hand. In a moment all at the table
were Offering condolences and assistance al
the dusky minstrel appeared to be suffering
intense agony.
MY God" said Dockstader, upon bejna
asked what caused the trouble. II bit on
something In that oyster that felt like q
rock, and IL is at this moment reposing
snugly in the hollow of tooth that has
had a cavity in IL for 10 these many moons.
My, how ii does hurt. II must be lam
up against exposed nerve"
After several nut picks, a pocket knife
and two or three other instruments of tor
ture had been used for about five minutes,
and Dockstader swore he was suffering the
fortunes OF the damned, his friends suo-
ceeded in relieving him of the cause of the
trouble, and. incidentally, of much of his
pain.
Was Pretty Pearl.
Curiosity led those who had distracted
the cause of the trouble to make an effort
to ascertain what Ii was. They dropped II
into glass of water and washed IL thor.
oughly. There can be no difficulty in i'm.
agining the surprise of the various mem.
bers of the party when the object was pro.
nounced by a jeweler member of the PARTY
TO be pearl of great value.
After hearing this Dockstader perked up
ana commenced to look pleasant. feeling
,hat ne was more than repaid for the pain
ne had been caused because, as he had
pdId Tor the treat, he had become the pos
SCISSOR OF a gem of rare value
his pleasure short lived however for
the proprietor of the establishment who
happened to come up at the time the dis
covery was made, claimed that he had sold
oliy oysters to the party and that the pearl
was his property.
NOT SO quick, my fair friend" said a
lawyer member of the party. Taking the
matter In that light, | should saw that the
pearl does not belong to you neither does
II belong to Mr.. Dockstader 1t is quite
true that both of you bought and paid for
oysters, but the pearl belongs to the man
who sold you the oysters"
The proprietor, however, registered his
claim and made effort to secure the
prize, when another member of the party
also a lawyer, chimed in with what he was
Pleased to term an equitable settlement of
the controversy. Since Mr.. Dockstader
only bought oysters, he is not entitled to
the pearl and since the proprietor only
bought oysters ii is equally true that he Is
not entitled to the pearl; therefore / should
say the pearl is the property of the man
who owned the oyster beds from which the
oyster was taken"
In this way the discussion waxed warm
for several minutes.
81 won't give il up" said Dockstader
Neither Will l., said the proprietor.
We'll, what are you going to do about
it?' said the lawyers in unison
''Fll take it to court before I will give "a
up" said Dockstader
so will l." said the proprietor
We'll, we'll take your cases without
charge" said the lawyers, again in unison.
I'VE are interested in seeing this thing
through and are anxious to know the final
solution of problem that we must confess
never faced us before
Dockstader and the proprietor agreed to
night the matter out In court, and the mat.
ter is now on the docket Of a PHILADELPHIA
tribunal, while the pearl that caused the
trouble-well, the pearl is worth about "a
cents.