The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-06-25
The Lost Jewel

New York wo had aboard heathen
Hindoo who was bringing some fancy
chickens over to exhibit at the coming
chicken show. He had them in coops
ON deck, where they attracted a great
deal Of attention. In one coop were
two cocks and four hens, and very
beautiful birds they were, There was
cockney Dnglishman aboard who
sported splendid diamond stud in his
shirt bosom which was the envy Of ev-
cry one. especially the women. One
fine morning after breakfast, when we
were all beginning to get into our
steamer chairs on deck for the day, we
heard a loud talking between the Elm.
doc and the cockney.
"I'll cut HIN upl" howled the cock
ney.
tYou'll cut up nothing" retorted the
Hindoo.
"Do you keep the cock for that pur-
poser" cried the cockney.
"You call me theft" shrlexed the
Hindoo.
BY this time q dozen or more Of us
had gathered around the coop where
the two men were dlsputing, many Of
us hopeful that the monotony Of the
voyage was to be broken by a fight.
"It's a bloody swindlev' shouted the
cockney. "This leather faced 'eathen
as these cocks and 'ens trained to pick
for valybles. One on .em as nipped
ny diamond and swallowed it. I was
leaniu' over the coop, when e flung
his bill ut 1t and pulled till . got it
out O. the settin'."
Tho statement was greeted by
laugh.
"You may larf II you like. It's
stone l got myself at the Kimberley
mines and worth f1,500. The nasty
little cock or 'en as got it amt worth
s shillin'.'
IT no take ESQ for any Of 'em," the
Hlndoo retorted.
The gambling propcnsites Of people
on shipboard are well known. Here
was an opportunity for some fun. 1t
was proposed to fo:':, II pool with 1900
chances Mt q guinea Il chance, fI5O to
60 to the cockncy for his diamond, $3.50
| to tic IIindoo for his chickens and $500
| to tie winner. The cockn"y. having
| lost his diamond, agreed, but the Hin
doc declared that his six chickens were
! the delight Of his heart and declined.
He finally agreed provided one little
hen that was his second self be eX
cepted. The cocknoy 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 q cock
or a hen had stolen his jewel, but he
was sure that particular hen had moth
Ing to do with the theft.
A committee was appointed to make
a plan for the drawing. The cockney
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 q condition that
the chickens were not to be slaughter
ed till the eve at our arrival in New
York.
| Well, that was the next evening but
one, so we curbed our 1mpatience and
agreed to the terms. Besides, it re-
quired some time to place all the
chances. When the hour arrived for
killing the first bird thought the Hin
doc would have At. He made as
much fuss as If he was to lose q child.
A cock was slaughtered, his insides ex-
amined, but no diamond. Then the
other cock was sacrificed, with no bet
ter success. The four hens followed,
the Hindoo's lamentations increasing
In arithmetical progression as each Of
his pets fell under the Ak. When the
last hens head was chopped Off and no
diamond found, we all looked at each
other in wonder.
The cockney changed front and said
he must have been mistaken in the hen
that had been left out. This started
the Hindoo again and 1t looked as II
there would be fight after all. Some
Of our number demanded that the hen
be sacrificed, while others declared that
a bargain was bargain. The Hindoo
had not consented to the killing Of the
chicken before he had been paid the
price, and the cockney had been treat
ed In the same businesslike fashion.
Well, the evening before our arrival
was pleasant enough as to the skies,
but stormy aboard ship. Some blamed
the cockney for giving two opinions
about the little hen, but most Of ue
considered the Hindoo a sharper who
had trained the hen to pluck valuables
and purposely kept her out Of the lot.
terry. At one time I thought he would
have been mobbed. One man proposed
to have him up before the courts on
arrival for swindling, but tho more