Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-02-04
Gbekimberley
Gem
Ii Was Taken From the
Owner, and He Was
Obliged to Steal II
By ARTHUR STANTON

! thief of my own property. Possession
is nine points of the law. and posses
sion was with my opponent He held
| the gem, and | could fight for it in
! the courts. | must get possession of
it and let him fight for it by law.
No: could not do that either. for If
! j stole 1t the law would convict me of
being a thief and restore the diamond
! to its supposed owner. If Benton
! hadn't peachSd could have got away
| with my property without any trouble.
This is how it happened. Thrown OH
my beam ends, yet young and vigor
| Gus, l resolved to strike out for some
new country where there were chances
| for a fellow to get a clutch on
| the rounds of the ladder. Fate de-
| cided where l should go. Lettering on
| the dock in New York. where a
steamer was loading for South Africa,
! i went aboard, saw the purser and
| told him l would like to work my way
! across the big pond. l knew how to
! figure, and he needed a clerk, so 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 go 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 / had to stand it.
One Sunday l took long walk into
the country. 1t was a hot day. and to
get out of the sun went to some low
hills where there was shade and sat
down on the bank of a stream. Stones
and dirt were being constantly wash
ed down, and. my eyes becoming fixed
on a brown pebble, l picked 1t up and
looked at it. 1t was about the size
and shape of large almond. 1t look
ed to me like a diamond in the rough.
and II 1t hadn't been SO large | might
have suspected that 1t was a diamond.
l hadn't been working In the mines
long enough to become expert in such
matters, so l put it in my pocket and
took it home, intending to get Jim
Benton. fellow workman with whom
] had fallen In and who seemed dis
posed to be chummy with me. to pass
upon 1t.
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 it! What do you
mean?"
"Out of the mines?
Il didn't bring it ont of the mines,
found it miles from the mines.
What is it?"
IT'S a diamond"
1t was now my turn to look peculiar.
had q fortune in my possession, but
saw at once that would be suspect
ed of stealing it while at work and
not only lose it. but serve a term in
prison.
For heavens sake, JIM" l said.
don't say anything about it! l took
a long walk today and found 1t by
stream. 1t must have been washed
out by the water. 1t looked some
thing like the stones we are digging
out of the ground. but it was so large
that / didn't think it could be dia-
mond"
Jim had a 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 SUI
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 Hartwell's office. He told me he
stone in my possession and demand
ed it.
i acknowledged | had stone. but
had found it outside the mines. He
gave me my choice of giving it up or
standing trial. knew what standing
trial meant. | had a 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 promise of not be-
ing prosecuted. was only discharged.
Having told where the stone was to
be found. ! went to Jim. and from
the way talked to him he was con-
WINGED that | 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
he had done me an injustice.
Don't make fool of yourself sec
0nd time" retorted; III you really
wish to undo what you have done do
. IL.