Bridgeton pioneer., 1914-08-27
Mystery
OF Jewels
1t Remained a Mystery For
Many Years

meet. We were both very young then
and formed boy and girl attachment.
AS we grew older and reached an
age at which 1 realized that 1 had a
career before me and must be con-
sidering how to meet it the fact that
neither Lucy nor had any capital
seemed to render a marriage between
us undesirable.
don't remember that stated this to
her in so luany words. Indeed, there
was no need to do so, for she spoke of
It herself. She was practical girl and
looked at things as they were rather
than as she would have them. II would
Dnly be drag on you," she said "You
are capable Of taking a good stand in
the world provided you don't handicap
yourself in the start with wife who
must throw the whole burden upon
you."
Would you have me-that Is, con-
sidering yourself out ofsthe question
marry girl with fortuneY'
"No," she replied; 81 would not"
What are your reasonsT
First, it would deprive you Of the
stimulus Of necessity, which Is the
foundation OF all or nearly all success.
Second, do not believe that any
poor man OF proper pride can ever feel
comfortable If his wife possesses a
fortune and he has nothing
"The deduction being that poor man
had best not marry so long ass he is
poerg'
Rather that if he marries woman
who supplies comforts and luxuries he
Is IN an unpleasant position, and If he
~marries one as poor as himself he is
very badly handicapped"
In all this / agreed with Lucy, but /
neither admitted nor denied its truth.
We being practical young persons, there
was never proposal on my part or an
acceptance or refusal on hers. We
conferred upon the matter of our
marrying much as two persons will
talk over the practicability Of forming
business partnership. Whatever of
love there was underneath this COM
mon sense deEiberation was unex-
pressed.
This conditions lasted about a year,
when Lucy's mother died. It seemed
to me then that Lucy might best
marry me, for she must live alone. But
the conditions were otherwise un-
changed, and since her mother had
been nonproductive pecuniarily Lucy
could provide for her wants more
easily than before. was then strug-
Cling to get start in my profession,
ana it did not seem wise for me to.
urge her.
Then followed period in which Lucy
and + saw very little of each other. /
was away from home great deal, and
I heard of her being away, too, though
where she had gone / did not learn. /
wrote her a respondent letter, in which
said that at the rate we were pro-
gressing-or, rather, not progressing
financially she would soon be an old
maid. 1 advised her, If she found al
suitable opportunity, to marry. She
replied that If she. found the op-
portunity she would let me know be-
fore engaging herself.
Such was the very practical situatioa
when one morning received package
by express. Not expecting anything
in that way, looked long at the type
written address before opening it.
There seemed to be box under the
wrapper, and had it not been very
light might have feared an internal
machine. Untying the string and
taking off the cover, there, true enough,
was box. Its lid was on hinges and
was held shut by a spring, which
pressed and raised the lid. s
l recall with the freshness of that
moment the dazzling splendor Of what
lay before me. The box was lined
with purple satin, on which rested a
heap of diamonds. For moment was
lost in contemplation of their beauty;
then began to wonder how they could
have come into my possession. Again
I took up the wrapper and scrutinized
the address. There were my name,
street and number, plain as the stones
in the box. Turning again from the
printing to the jewels, made a rough
estimate of their value. Several large
stones I believed, If genuine, to be
worth between $4,000 and $4,000
each. There We're many smaller ones.
and when I figured up the value of
each concluded the lot was worth
not much less and not much more than
| $4,000.
After many theories as to why this
treasure had been sent me. came to
| the conclusion that it had been stolen,
the thief had feared being caught with
| it in his possession and had shipped ii
by express To- get it into the hands OF
some one else. But in doing so he
must haye given up all claim to the
| property for he must have expected
that the receiver would report the mat.
| ter to the police. But why had he
chosen me for his purpose? Ny only
theory on this point was that he had
! taken up. a directory to find a name
and address and his. hitting on mine
was a mere coincidence.