The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1862-09-03
THE DIAMOND NECKLACE.
BY JOHN s. ABBOTT.

"Mind that miserable affair Of the
necklace said 'Talleyrand. 81 should
be nowise surprised if il should overturn
the French monarchy. Marie Antoin-
elite, bride, young and beautiful, was
naturally very fond ofpdress. Cardinal
Rohan, a prohigate, luxurious dignitary of
the church, by enormous extravaganza had
become inexrticably involved in debt
He had lost favor at court, and loitered
around the saloons at Versailles, watching
for an opportunity to regain favor. At
the same time there was at Versailles a
very beautiful and fascinating, though
thoro'ly unprincipled woman, the Count
less Lamotte. Occupying very equivo-
cal position, though the courtiers gathered
readily at her entertainments, the queen
had never met her. Versailles, in those
dawning hours of the Revolution, was
thronged with such characters, and the
universal corruption ofthe times was such
that they attracted but little attention.
The jewelry of the queen was quite
ample. She had brought from Vienna a
large number Of pearls and diamonds
AS queen of France she inherited all the
crown Jewels of the kingdom. The
daughter of Louis XIV. had also, on her
dying bed, bequeathed Marie Antoinette
a collar of pearls, of single row, the
smallest Of which was asslarge rs FL
bert. In addition to these, her royal hus-
band, Louis XVI, had presented her with
a set of rubies and diamonds, and pair of
bracelets which cost $4,000. Still the
queens thirst for gems was not satiated.
Boehmer, the crown jeweler, had collected
six pearl-formed diamonds of prodigious
size. He offered them, set as earrings,
to the queen for $4,000. The queen
could not resist the temptation, though,
rs matter of special economy, she
removed two of the gems, and re-
placed them by two Of her own, engaging
to pay for the jewels, thus arranged, $72,-
900, in equal installments, for five years
from her private purse. Boehmer now
busted himself in collecting the most mag
nifcent necklace of diamonds in the world
Wherever he could hear of large and
beautiful gem, he negotiated for it. Ii
this way he expended immense sums
far more than his own fortune, hoping tc
effect sale to the queen by which he
could secure great profits.
At length the magnificent string, o
the costlest diamonds to be purchased il
Europe, was complete. The glitterins
bauble was exhibited to the queen, and Of
fered to her for $35o,o00. The king, {
man Of no common sense, and, at tha
time, exceedingly attached to his wife
was anxious that she should possess tn
ornament, and yet the treasury was 81
bankrupt that he could not put his hand
upon the money. The risings of tn
storm of the French Revolution we're ais
then beginning to be felt, and the Who'll
nation were clamoting against the extrav
agance Of the court. The queen havinl
far more vigor Of mind than her husband
felt that the purchase would expose he
to measureless censure, and reluctantl
| declined the offer, stating, for public ei
, feet, ave have more need of ships tha
of diamonds"
Boehmer was in CONSERVATION. Fl
,, was ruined If be could not find purchas
er, and none but those possessing regs