THE MISER'S DIAMOND NECKLACE

Temuka Leader, Issue 2102, 23 September 1890, Page 1

THE MISER'S DIAMOND NECKLACE

In the year 1740 there, lived ia the Latin i quarter in Paiip a famous miser nsmed , Jean . Avcre. The wenlth concealed in th&obscure I rookery,where,he reiid«d was believed-to be fabulous, and was no doubt very great. Amoßg:his treasures-was a celebrated diamond neoklace,,of immense,value. This he concealed so carefully that he ultimately forgot its biding plaoechimself. He sought diligently for ,weeks,, and, failing, to find it, became almost, insane. This rendered him even less .capable of remembrance, and he took to bis bed, broken in body as m mind. A few weeks later a doctor,■ and; an old

woman,. who .had sometimes done odd jobs about, his bouse,, were, at his. bedside, seeing that the end was near. As the dock in the neighboring lower tolled one, he ceased his low muttering and sat up i and shrieked " I remember .;where it ,-isiinow. f i Jyoanjput my r >hand pa, the nepklace. , For ;G-od's,,B»ke let me go "for it before I forget it again.' Here bis weakness and excitement overoame him, and he sank back among his rags, ■ stone dead, i Physjotans t and ar&lamiliar wit h : these, sudd en, of, memory at the great crisis of human Fate. Let the reader consider this while we relate an episode in'the humble career of - a signalaiaD,;)Acdrew, iAgge,i wbi may be found on duty in, hie box, at Culgaith, a little station oh the r Midland, twenty-three miles south of Carlisle. ' ''' j

:i Mr ( Aisge is on duty nearly every day, and must', break, hie taet without-leaving his;post* The qonfinemept; and mentßl strain, tell on the system. ...The strongest, inen cannot stand it long without feeling, its : effects. . It makes one think of the pastionato exola> clamßtion.iniTonriHood's ■•■ '< gong- of this Shirt,'!—

[ " f Oh,|Q;od I,that bread shpuld, be so. dear, And ,fleib and blood 10 cheap," Our friend had been at the same work for many yean, although he was only thirty-five when theae lines wore written. In 1884^ e began,, to feel that, he wag sbon* t 0 br " ea fc would toy L « bofcj oan , teat> » WM b e , for(?e a ao ** prpauced.no seose of satisfaction or strength. Sometimes.he.was alarmed at finding-he eould scarcelywalk on, account of giddiness.* He said' t'd'himielf,' "What' if I should Deceived with thif at some moment • when there is trouble on the line, and I need all my wits about me ?". Other features of this ailment were pains 1 in the chest and sides, cbstiveneis, yellow skin and eyes.'bad^taste 1 in the mouth, risings of foul gas in the .throat, &o. The doctor said Agge, njuat give up his, confining work or risk utter disability. He could BOt. Wife,and children were in the w»y. So he remained ut his post and grew worse. But his work was right, telegrams were properly -received and Bent, and no train gob ■ into trouble through any negleot or. fault of his., Hiadiieaie —indigestion and dyspepsia—took a step further, and brought on kidney and bladder trouble. The doctoral Appleby Agge, yon sir* poisoned with the foul stuff in your stomach and blood." His doom seemed to be sealed. It was,like a death-warrant. Six months more rolled by. Onduty one morning he was attacked with so great and > so• sharp a distress he could neither aib, nor stand.; He says: «T.tumbled,down, on thatJoqker and lay there all the forenoon. Signals might be given, the telegraph needle might oliok, but I heeded them no more than a man in the grare'heeds the ; baiting of the rain against his:own tombstone. He was alone at first, bat help arrived and the poor signalman was carried home. Physicians labored on his case without avail. Around his bed were - hit five > little children, the mother being absent in an institution, ■ to be treated for a serious ailment.

Here he lay for weeks, part of the time unooDsoious. ■' Nothing wai to bs done bub to wait for, the end. Then tbe torpid faculties awakened for a moment.; ~Mbmoby:fi.abhbi> UP, ASJDBBOAMBD THE FACT. THAT A iMBDICiITB WHICH HB HAD USED TBAB* . BBFOKB AUD THBU THBQWN ASIDB AHD FOBGOTTBN WAS CONOBAfcBD IN A BBCBBT PIACB AT THE SIGNAL box. He aeut for it, and fcooi a dose. Boon his bowelsmoved, the kidneys noted, the pain was eased, he fell; better. With brightened, hope he »ent to Carlisle for more. It arrived. > He \ued it, and in n few days the doctors were; aalonißhed to; find their patient out oi doors, and on, the road,, to re. covpry. He regained hia.healfch.completely, and, in speaking of hit experience, said to tbe writer, '' What a wonderful thing it'.wai that, on what promised-* to be my. death*bed,

1 <remembered;rwhere J. had. put that half-used bottle of:, Mother ißeigel'i Curative Syrup; : That flash of memory probably §aved me from death."