A LOST PEARL.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1737, 13 September 1879, Page 3

A LOST PEARL.

About a year ago an ill clothed and noedyIcoking Jew went into a jeweller’s shop In the Herrengasso, at Pesth, drew a small paper parcel from his pocket, unfolded it carefully, and took from It a little black object. Holding it up before the jeweller, he asked, ‘What is that worth?’ After scrutinising it very closely for some time, the jeweller replied, ‘ That is worth a great deal ; it is a black pearl, one of the greatest rarities. I have seen many a grey one, but never before a black one. It has onefault, a small broach, which shows that it waa formerly in a setting ; but it’s value is very great. Where did you buy it ? ’ The Jew answered, ‘ A gentleman wishes to leave it with mo in pawn, and I want to know what it is worth.’ The jeweller said ho could not exactly tell, the thing being snob a rarity. * May I lend 200 gulden upon it ? asked the Jew. ‘Three times as much at the very least,’ replied the other. ‘ Will you not bay the pearl ?’ No, Indeed,’ replied the shopkeeper ; ‘ there is but one firm in the monarchy which would have an opportunity of selling again ; that is the Court jeweller, Biedermanu, at Vienna,’ The Jew left with

the pearl. Next day he appeared at Biedermann’s shop. Biedermann, however, made a short process with his would-be customer. He had no sooner seen the black pearl than he sent for the police, and had the Jew arrested on the spot. At the hearing of his case, the Jew said his name was Isaac Both, and that ho was the owner of a pawn-shop in Grosswardein. One day he saw a great stir going on outside the house of a neighbour and co-religionist, Herr Guyri. Upon enquiry he found that poor Guyri was in trouble for mn-payment of taxes, and that the local officer was seizing his furniture. Both paid the needed earn, twenty gulden, ont of his own pocket, and Guyri, out of gratitude, presented him with the pearl, of whose immense value he had no conception. The story was confirmed by witce 893 from Grosawardein. Guyri as it seems, had been the confidential servant of a renewed man, Count Louis Bitthyani. and when Batthyani died, he presented his servant with his breast pin as a memorial Guyri, under the pressure of want, had already sold the gold in which the pearl was set, but he would not part with the jewel, partly out of esteem for his late master, and partly from a notion that it was of great worth. The pearl, as the Court jeweller Biedermann, at once perceived must have been stolen property at some period in its adventures. Being an authority in the history of famous jewels, he had recollected that three black pearls had formerly adorned the English crown, and that they were stolen from that important symbol about two centuries ago. They were renowned os the only black pearls in the world, according to the belief of the belief of that time. The English Government, as Herr Biedermann stated, advertised for them in vain. How Court Batthyani got hold of the pearl nobody knows, but it is conjectured that he must have bought it at one of the old cariosity shops, places in which he delighted to rummage ; while it is certain that he was ignorant of its value, or he would scarcely have beqneated it to a servant, without any hint of the greatness of the bequest. The Jew of Grosswardein. according to the story current in Vienna, is now thanking the black pearl for the foundation of his fortune, since the English Government, hearing of its discovery, have bought it from him for the sum of 20,000 gulden.— Echo.