Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-02-17

Is II Was Takef, From the
Owner. and He Was I
|s Obliged to Steal h :
IR By ARTHUR STANTON
Se>~>>>~~@~@~&~%@%~><$%$S
There was but one way out Of tie
dtuation-l must become thief, q
thief Of my own property. Possession
b nine points Of the law. and posses
don was with my opponent he held
the gem, and could fight for It In
the courts. l must get possession OF
It and let him fight for it BY law.
No; l could not do that either. for II
I stole It the law would convict me Of
being q thief and restore the diamond
10 its supposed owner. II Benton
hadn't peached I could have got away
with my property without any trouble.
This Ii how It happened. Thrown on
my beam ends, yet young and vigor-
Gus, l resolved to strike out for some
new country where there were chances
for q fellow to get q clutch on
the rounds Of the ladder. Fate de-
cided where should 60. Lettering on
the dock in New York, where q
steamer was loading for South Africa,
I went aboard, saw the purser and
told him would hhe 20 work nay way
across the big pond. l knew how to
figure, and he needed q clerk, 20 he
gave me Job. my pay being my grub
and my passage.
Well, In time l found myself In
South Africa and, being strapped, was
obliged to 90 to work in the diamond
mines to keep myself from starving.
We were all searched on leaving work
each day to make sure that we had
no stones In our possession. 1t was
hard work and poor pay, especially
for me, who had been brought up In
refinement. But I had to stand It
One Sunday took long walk into
the country. It was hot day, and to
yet out Of the sun went to some low
hills where there was shade and sat
down on the bank Of stream. Stones
and dirt were being constantly wash
ed down, and, my eyes becoming fixed
on a brown pebble. picked 1t up and
looked at It. It was about the size
and shape Of large almond. 1t look
ed to me like q diamond In the rough.
and II It hadn't been 30 large I might
have suspected that It was diamond.
hadn't been working In the mines
long enough TO become expert In such
matters, 30 l put 1t in my pocket and
took It home, intending to get Jim
Benton, q fellow workman with whom
| had fallen In and who seemed dis
posed to be chummy with me. to pass
upon II.
III never forget the look on Jim's
face when he turned It from the stone
to me.
"How in the world did you ever get
out with it," he asked.
"Get out with 1t! What DO you
meant"
"Out Of the minesr'
~ didn't bring It out Of the mines.
IL found 1t miles from the mines.
What Is it?"
"It's q diamond"
1t was now my turn to look peculiar.
had fortune in my possession. but
I saw at once that would be suspect
ed Of stealing 1t while at work and
not only lose It but serve term in
prison.
"For heavens sake, jim" said.
don't say anything about It! took
a long walk today and found It BY q
stream. It must have been washed
out by the water. It looked some
| thing like the stones We are digging
| out of the ground. but It was 30 large
that I didn't think It conld be a dia-
moAd."
Jim had q cast iron conscience and
believing that stole the stone. con-
sidered It his duty to inform his en-
| ployers, though he might have been
moved by the hope Of reward or the
splendid position the act would give
him with the management. Anyway.
he went that very evening to the gu
perintendent's house and told him the
story. Not having got any promise
from him to keep his mouth shut !
took pains to bury my treasure where
no one would find It
Early the next morning was called
to Hartwells Office. he told me he
had understood that had valuable
stone In my possession and demand
ed 1t.
acknowledged I had a stone, but
had found 1t outside the mines. He
gave me my choice Of giving 1t up or
standing trial. knew what standing
trial meant. had valuable dia-
mond In my possession which there
| was every reason to suppose came
from the company's mines and ]
would be convicted. agreed to give
up the gem on a promise Of not be-
ing prosecuted. I was only discharged.
Having told where the stone was to
be found, went to Jim. and from
the way I talked to him he was con-
WINGED that I had really found the
diamond and knew he had deprived me
Of It.
He was very much cut up and
| volunteered to do what he could to
mend matters by telling Hartwell that
be had done me an injustice.
Don't make a fool Of yourself Sec
end time I retorted; III you really
wish to undo what you have done do
| It in another way"
"HowT
well. the diamond is mine and I'm
going to have It You've got Hart
wells confidence. Learn from him
where he keeps 1t and advise me-"
"You're crazy. Do you suppose
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