Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-08-26
A HARD
DIAMOND
By EVERETT P. CLARKE

for long Wulie IT'S ouly poSsessuT. lie
wsnt to South Africa with his wife
md two little children to make his for.
,rne leased some land and began to
hrnt for diamonds. He picked up
nothing but very small stones for
awhile till one day he found one OF
extraordinary size. It was as big as
an acorn.
Rainsley was unwise enough to show
The stone to John Bradner. a neighbor
indeed. he was not sure 1t was q dia-
mond until Bradner told him 80.
The next day Rainsley was surpris
al nj visit of Bradner with a consta.
HE who had search warrant for the
diamond. Bradner having put in
claim that the stone had been found
nm his land and he was the nghtful
owner. Mrs Rainsley, taking In the
situation and knowing that what they
sought was in her own bureau drawer.
took It when the searching party was
at another part OF the house and drop
ned 1t In a chink between two logs Of
which the house was built
1lt uldLhoha WaS NV ANthA-
Joe Rainsley and his wife now had
problem before them. The stone was
A fortune In itself, but unless they
could get 1t away it would be OF no
use TO them.
After considering many ways they
bit upon one which they hoped would
be successful. They determined to
leave their home. taking with them
the scnnty supply OF household goods
they possessed. Their living room
was decorated with a rough plaster
head and shoulders Of child. Mrs.
Rainsley, who had some artistic skill.
made a replica Of this and while the
plaster was soft embedded the dia-
mond In its center. Then she broke
the original Into fragments, which she
buried In the ground.
Though Bradner and his officials
knew of the Rainsleys' departure. they
made no effort to recover the diamond.
The family went to the coast, whence
they sailed for America. They would
have been willing to pay the duty on
the diamond. but feared that Bradner
had sent an agent with them to at
tach II If they did so and to inform
the customs officers that they were
smuggling 1t into the country II they
didn't
On the steamer with them was a
young Englishman named Cults. who
won Mrs. Rainsley's good will by pay
ing especial attention to little Tommy
Rainsley, aged four years, and in this
way became intimate with the family.
Cults talked a great deal about how
to outwit customs officers. Mrs. Rains
ley placed such confidence In his meth
DDS and experience In smuggling that
she asked him II he had ever thought
OF concealing small dutiable articles
In plaster ornaments. Cults said that
he had not. but thought it would be a
good way. Then he began to talk
about plaster casts, harping on the sub
ject till Mrs. Rainsley grew suspicious,
and, her suspicious once being aroused.
she was soon sure that Cults was
Bradner's agent and would inform
the customs officers that they were
smuggling a diamond concealed In a
plaster image
The night before reaching port they
smashed the image, and Rainsley con-
Guided to carry it in his mouth. AS he
and his wife and children stepped
ashore they were invited into room.
where all their baggage was taken.
The baggage having been carefully ex-
amined, they were all searched. but |
nothing discovered. Rainsley had the
stone well tucked away far back on
one side Of his mouth and gave no evil |
dence in speech or otherwise Of its be- |
Ing there. He was congratulating him |
self that he had got his fortune safely |
through when he was arrested on a |
charge made by Cuts that he had |
stolen money from him. Cults declar-
co that he had lost bank bills. the num- |
bers of which he gave. One of the
Oils was found In Rainsley's pocket |
oook. Cults had put it there. Rains |
ley was taken to Jail
Mrs. Rainsley followed her husband
TO the jail and went with him to his
cell. After he was locked in she asked |
leave to kiss him goodby. This was
granted. and the lips of husband and |
WE were glued together and the dia- |
mond passed from the husbands mouth |
to the wife's.
The next day Cults secured private
interview with Rainsley, telling him
mat he was sure OF conviction and
would be sent to state prison for a
Term OF years. Cults admitted that he
was Bradner's agent and for half In
terest in the diamond would withdraw
the charge against him. Rainsley re
fused. Later Mrs. Rainsley called to
see her husband and told him that she
mad buried the diamond where no one
Out herself could ever find it.
When Cults came again to the Jail
aainsley told him that Mrs. Rainsley
mad put the diamond where no one
could find IL and after he had served |