The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-07-20
The Lost Jewel
tOriginol.1

SIsken show. He had them in coops
\, deck, where they attracted great
Sal Of attention. In one coop were
ssn cocks and four hens. and very
SsntIful birds they We're. There was
cockney Englishman aboard who
norted a splendid diamond stud In his
slrt bosom which was the envy Of cv-
sy one, especially the women. One
soa morning after breakfast, when we
rpre oil beginning to get into our
,tpamer chairs on deck for the day, we
heard loud talking between the Hin
: loo and tho cockney.
"rl cut him up!" howlcd the cock
j tney
Z you'll cut up nothing" retorted tho
d Hindoo.
"Do you keep the cock for that pur-
4 nose?" cried the cockney.
"you call me theft" shrieked the
4 Hindoo.
I By this time dozen or more Of US
had gathered around the coop where
tho two men were disputing, many Of
rs hopeful that the monotony Of the
yOyage was to be broken by fight
"Its bloody swindlew shouted the
nckney. This leather faced 'eathen
As these cocks and 'ens trained to pick
for yalybles. One on 'em as nipped
] inv diamond and swallowed it. l was
eanin' over the coop, when e flung
/ bis bill at 1t and pulled till &c got 1t
out O. the Scttin'."
The statement was greeted by
! laugh.
"You may larf IF you like. It's u
stone got myself ut the Kimberley
mines and worth E1,50O. The nasty
j little cock or ell as got 1t ain't worth
shllin'."
II no take ESQ for any Of 'eln." tho
Hlndoo retorted..
The gambling propensities Of people
on 6hipbonrd are well known. Here
was an opportunity for some fun. 1t
vas proposed to form pool with 1900
chances at guinea chance, fT5O to
/ 20 to the cockney for his diamond. $3.50
1 10 the IIindoo for his chickens and $500
/ u the winner. The cockney, having
USt Ills uluIAOAlAI oSh OSSAb puS tiS A1lh
doc declared that his six chickens were
the delight Of his heart and declined.
He finally agreed provided one little
ben that was his second self be eX-
cepted. The cockney declared that he
Saw that hen when the diamond was
taken from him in q corner Of the coop
with her head under her wing. So
eager were we for the sport that we
excepted her from the lottery. The
cOckney was not sure whether cock
or hen had stolen his jewel, but he
vas sure that particular hen had moth
Ing to do with the theft.
committee was appointed to make
a plan for the drawing. The cociney
was appeased, for he seemed to have
all to gain. The Hindoo had his dia-
mond. and possession was nine points
Of the law. The possessor was surly,
declaring that he had counted on these
particular chickens to give him start
In the land presided over by the king
Of birds. He made 1t a condition that
the chickens were not to be slaughter
ed till the eve ct our arrival In New
York
Well. that was the next evening bus
one, SO we curbed our impatiencc and
agreed to the terms. Besides, it re-
Qulre1 some time to place all the
chances. When the hour arrived for
killing the first bird I thought the Hin,
900 would have fit He made rs
much fuss as If he was, to lose child.
cock was slaughtered. his ins}dcs eX.
ahmed, but no diamond. Then the
other cock was sacrificed. with no bet
ter success. The four hens followed,
the lIindoo's lamentations increasing
III arithmetical progression as each or
MS pets fell under the Ak. When the
iast hens head was chopped Off and no
diamond found, we all looked at each
other in wonder.
The cocEney changed front and said
ne must have been mistaken In the hen
mat had been left out. This started
me l1indoo again and 1t looked as If
mere would be fight after all. Some
OF our number demanded that the hen
Oe sacrificed, while others declared that
bargain was bargain. The Hindoo
nau not consented to the killing Of tho
ehlcken before he had been paid the
Price and the cockney had been treat
ed IN the same businessnke fashion.
"ell the evening before our arrival
was p!etfsant enough as to the skies,
Dut stormy aboard ship. Some blamed
ae cockney for giving two opinions
ABOUT the little hen, but most Of us
considered the Hindoo sharper who
Mi trained the hen to pluck Valuables
ah1 purposely kept her out Of the lot
'eSS. At one time I thought he would
nave heel no5bed. Ono man proposed
10 have him up before the courts on
Vrr:Tal for swindling, but the more
tespectable element preferred to keep
uHfk about tho ofPofr so wa landed