The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-09-18
A HARD
DIAMOND
By r P. CLARKE

Joseph Rainsley. who was its first and
for a long while its only possessor. He
went to South Africa with his wife
and two little children to make his for
tune. leased some land and began to
hunt for diamonds. He picked up
nothing but very small stones for
awhile till one day be found n Of
extraordinary size. 1t 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 so.
The next day Rainsley was surpris-
ed at a visit Of Bradner with a consta-
bic who had a search warrant for the
diamond, Bradner having put in a
claim that the stone had been found
on his land and he was the rightful
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
ped it in a chink between two logs OF
which the house was built.
The diamond was not found.
Joe RainSjey and his wife now had
q problem before them. The stone was
4 fortune in itself, but unless they
could get it away it you'd be OF no
use to them.
After considering many ways they
hit upon one which they hoped would
be successful. They determined to
leave their home. taking with them
the scanty supply of household goods
they possessed. Their living
was decorated with a rough plaster
head and shoulders Of a 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.
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 it II they did SO and to inform
the customs officers that they were
smuggling it into the country II they
didn't
On the steamer with them was u
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.
Cuts 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 If he had eve thought
Of c%Oncealing small dutiable articles
in plaster ornaments. Cults said that
be had not. but thought it would be a
good way. Then be began to talk
about plaster casts, harping on the sub
ject till Mrs. Rainsley grew suspicious.
and, her suspicious once being aroused.
she was % sure that Cults was
Bradner's agent and would inform
the customs officers that they were
smuggling q diamond concealed in a
plaster image.
The night before reaching port they
smashed the Image. and RainsIey con
cluded to carry it in his mouth. As he
and bis wife and children stepped
ashore they were invited into q room.
where all their baggage was taken.
The baggage having been carefully ex-
amined, they were all searched. but
nothing Uncovered. Rainsley had the
stone well tucked away far back on
one side Of his mouth and gave no evi-
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 Cults that he had
stolen money from him. Cults declar
ed that he had lost bank bills. the mum
bers Of which he gave One of the
bills was found in Rainsley's pocket
book. Cuts 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 be was locked in she asked
leave to kiss him goodby. This was
granted. and the lips Of husband and
wife were glued together and the dia
mond passed from the husbands mouth
to the wife's.
The next day Cults secured a private
interview with Rainsley. telling him
that 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 a 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
had buried the diamond where no one
but herself could ever find II.
When Cults came again to the Jail
Rainsley told him that Mrs. Rainsley
had put the diamond where no one
could 6nd it and after he had served
hi term in state prison for the