The mountain Democrat., 1864-04-09

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Tue DUKE OF BgUNswICK AND HIS JEW
ELs.-Did you ever hear Of the Duke OF
BrunsWck's diamonds? He lives in Par.
is, and his collection Of diamonds is worth
G450,00O. But he dares not even sleep
away from home a single night, through
fear of being robbed. He resides 10 q
house which is built less for comfort than
for safety; it is proof against fire and
thieves. 1t is surrounded by lofty and
thick wall; upon the top of which is q
chevaux de lrise, so arranged t at when
a strange hand is laid on one of the spikes
bell Immediately begins ringing This
defense cost the Duke no less than e.
600 in being made, owing to its peculiar
nature. The diamonds are kept in safe
let into the wall, and the Dukes bed
stands before it, SO that no thief can
break in without waking or numbering
him. On the other hand he can enjoy
the sight of all his treasures without
leaving his bed. Were the safe TO be
broken open forcibly, four guns would be
discharged, and kill the burglar on the
spot; and with the discharge of the guns
is connected the ringing of an alarm bell
in every room to arouse the household
The Dukes bedroom has Oily one small
window; the bolt and lock on his door
are of the stoutest iron, and can be open
ed only by man who knows the secret.
4 case, containing twelve loaded revolv-
ers, stands BY the side of the bed. A
catalogue Of the Dukes gems, which be
has published, contains 268 quarto pages,
and he gives in it the history of each in.
dividual stone. One came from Turkish
saber, and, after many adventures, became
the property Of Jew in Europe another
has sparkled in a regal diaden; q third
giStened on the breast of a German En-.
peror; fourth adorned the head of an
Arch Duke. A black diamond, obtained
from the treasury of nabob, served for
centuries, in lndia,ea the rye of an idol.
A wonderfully fine pink brilliant once be-
longed to the jewelry of the Emperor
Babner, at Agra, and is said to be inval.
liable. A solitaire of twelve studs was
once worn by the Emperor Pedro of Bra
Zil, as waiStcoat buttons. A diamond
ring Of the purest water belonged to Ma
ria Stewart, as her arms and m. S." en-.
graved on it prove. A pair of diamond
earrings were once the property of the
unfortunate Marie Antoinette. In this
way one curiosity follows another. The
Duke has any quantity Of diamonds at
$4,000, $4,000 and $4,000, two at co.
600, three at Gl0,500, and one at Gl2,-
900. But. Notwithstanding this. he is
at present bargaining for two gems-ons
estimated at 935, 900, and the other at
$4,000. The millionaire, however, is
the slave of his treasures-he dare not
leave Paris, for his diamonds constitute
the chain which binds him.
WATERLOO all inorganic substances,
acting in their own proper nature, and
without assistance or combination, water
is the most wonderful. If we think of i,
as the source Of all the changefulness and
beauty which we have seen IN the clouds;
then as the instrument by which the
earth we have contemplated was modelled
into symmetry, and its crags chiSeled into
grace then MS, in the form Of snow, II
robes the mountains it has made with that
transcendent light which we could NOT
have conceived il we had not seen then
as it exists in the foam of the torrent, in
the iris which spans, in the morning mist
which rises from it, 10 the deep crystal
line pools which mirror its hanging shore
in the broad lake and glancing river; fnal
", in that which 10 all human minds j,
the best emblem of uBwearied, uucon
querable power, the wild. various. fantas
tic, tameless unity Of the sea-what shal
We compare to this mighty, this universe
element, for glory and for beautye or how
shall We follow its eternal changefulnes'
of feeling! It is like trying to paint 4
Soul.-LRuskin.