The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1863-09-09
THE DUKE AND HIS DIAMONDS.

lives in hotel Of peculiar Architecture
painted brickdust-piuk, all over, situated
not very far from the Champs Ulysses, on
the Boulevard Beaujon. The duke is
more than seventy years old; but to meet
him as he drives along in state, in his ell
egant carriage, you would say there is a
very happy man of about forty, in the
very prime of life. He is gotten up ev-
cry day by his valet, who paints bis
cheeks, his lips and his eyebrows artisti-
cally. His hair can not be dyed, for,
alas it has departed. But he had the
habit in former days of having his hair
cut every month; he has thirtyone wigs,
each in the exact state of growth his hair
would have been if il had remained-so
that it would be impossible to say that
he has not the natural ornament Of his
head. His dress is elaborately elegant,
and he lives in state and grandeur. But
he has /" the skeleton in bis closet" (more
than one, the world says, having had a
wild h)-the dread of being robbed
He resides in a house which is built less
for comfort than for safety. 1t is proof
against fire or thieves. 1t is surrounded
by lofty, thick wall, on the top of which
is a cheva'Gr de trise, so arranged that, if
strange hand should touch one of the
spikes, a bell Immediately begins ringing.
This defense cost the duke no less than
$4,000, owing TO its complicated ar
rangements. The duke has an extraor-
dinary collection of diamonds, valued at
$2,250,000 He has caused to be print
cd catalogue of these gems, giving the
history of each one of them-the whole
forming pamphlet of two hundred and
sixty-eight quarto pages. One came
from Turkish sabre, and, after many adj
ventures, became the property of Jew,
in Europe; another once sparkled in a
royal diadem; a third glitterod on the
breast of German emperor; fourth
fastened the plume in the hat of an arch
duke. A black diamond, obtained from
the treasury of nabob, served for centu.
ries in India as the eye of an idol. A
wondrously fine pink brilliant once be-
longed to the jewels of the Emperor Ba-
ba, at Agra, and is said to be invaluable.
A set of twelve studs was once worn by
the Emperor Pedro, Of Brazil, as waist
coat buttons. A diamond ring Of the
purest water belonged TO Maria Stuart,
and has her arms and AN. S." engraved
upon it. A pair of diamond earrings
were once the property of Marie Antoin-
etc. The duke has large number of
diamonds valued at $4,000, $4,000
and $4,000; two at $4,000; three at
$4,000 and one at 100000. Notwth-
standing these valuable possessions, he is
now bargaining for two others, estimated
at l77,5o0 and S4S7,50O.
The possessor of all these treasures is
their slave. He dares not leave his
stronghold, even for single night, lest
he may be robbed. The jewels are Kept
in safe, set into wall, and the dukes
bedstead before it, so that no thief can
break in without either waking him, or by
first putting him out of the way. If this
safe should be broken forcibly, four guns
would be discharged, and the burglar
would have little chance of escape with
his life. The discharge of the guns causes
an alarm bell to ring in every room in the
house. The bedroom has only one small
window. The bolt and lock on this door
are of the stoutest iron, and can be open
ed only by man who knows the secret.
A case containing twelve loaded revovers
stands by the side of the bed. Besides
this every window in the house is provid-
ed with secret apparatus which sets a
regular chime Of bells to ringing if any
sacrlegious hand should touch them from
the outside. His story, with all its count