Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-11-15
0blo Statesman.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY
The Ohio Statesman Company.
TUESDAY MORNING, NOV. 10
THE DIAMOND BRACELETS.
"a FACT.)


Theevening of the fifteenth of February,
1881, was gala night in Paris. 'Don Clio
vanni" was to be performed at the opera by
an assemblage OF talent rarely announced
for one night, even at the opera house OF
Paris or in the great opera of Don Clio
yann." Yet it was not the names OF the
artistes that most attracted the attention as
one reads the bills-nobler and more cele-
brated names caught the eye. They were
those of the reigning king and queen
Louis Philippe and Marie Amelie. The
ofches announced that they would honor
the opera with their presence on that even
ing. They had been but short time re-
stored to their native land, and this was
their first appearance at the opera since the
s'three days" of July had placed them on
the throne; for this reason as many Orlean-
lists as could obtain tickets had secured them
for the opera OF the 10Th February to hear
s.Don Giovanni" and to see their king and
queen. About six O'clock (for be it remem-
bered, the Paris opera did not begin at the
present London hours) carriages were to
be seen conveying their gaily-dressed oc-
cupants to the classic building. An unusu-
ally handsome equippage stood at the door
of large house in the Rue des Champs
Elysees, evidently also for the purpose of
taking some fashionables to the opera This
de V, who was just then standing at
the bottom of the noble staircase inside the
mansion calling playfully to his wife, tell
ing her that the carriage was waiting.
'.I'm coming, Pm coming" was the an
swer to this appeal; don't be in such
hurryw
AS the last piece of advice was proffered
the speaker appeared at the top OF the
stairs.
She was dark beauty of about one and
twenty. and dressed purely in white. She
came fluttering down stairs, chattering
meantime to her handsome husband, who
stood looking admiringly at her.
snow I'm quite ready, so please don't
scold. I've only got my bracelets to put on,
and those want you to clasp for me. Here's
the case, if you'll take them out, and here's
my wrist. Now, suppose | were to lose
them in the crowd, what would our good
mother say?"
A smile was the only answer the baron
youchsafed, as he took the bracelets out of
their case and clasped them on the fair white
arm of his bride.
They were very costly, being each COM
posed of three rows of valuable table dia-
monds, whilst in the center of either gilt
tered spray of heartsease, artistically
formed of smaller diamonds. The bracelets
were rendered more precious to their pos
SCISSORS by the fact of their having been in
the De v family for three generations.
They now by right belonged to the dowager
baronne, but she insisted on giving them to
her son for his bride, who, therefore, wore
them on such occasions as the one we are
describing.
The Baron and Baronne de " stepped
into their carriage, and in few minutes
were entering their box at the opera. The
house was already full, although it wanted
fifteen minutes to the time announced for
the overture to begin. At length the mem
bers of the orchestra took their places, and
the peculiar, subdued sound of tuning
stringed instruments was heard. Still the
royal box was empty, and all eyes were
turned towards 1t in eager expectation. In
another moment applause burst from the
pit and gallery and the entire house, as
Louis Philippe and Queen Marie Amelie,
attended by large suite of officers and la
dies and gentlemen of the court, appeared.
The king and queen bowed graciously in
return for the homage paid them. and then
took their seats, at which the rest of the
company did the same, and the overture
commenced.
The queen looked unusually happy, and
seemed to takea lively interest in all around
her. She not only gazed at the stage, but
the boxes also came in for share OF her
penetrating observation.
Suddenly she bent slightly forward and
looked in the direction of the box that con-
tained the lovely young Baronne de v.
The latter was leaning forward, her right
hand raised, a finger of which touched one
of her dimpled cheeks deeply interested in
the fate of "Don Giovanni" and quite alb
sorbed in the beautiful music.
Her husband had noticed the queens
gesture, and was aware that she had OBJ
served his wife, and when the queen turn
ed away he laughingly told her of it.
Nonsense" cried the bride, ''don't fancy
such absurdties."
The truth of what her husband said, how
ever, soon forced itself on her mind, for at
that moment an officer, dressed in the same
uniform as those attending the royal party,
drew back the curtain behind their box,
and stepping forward, said, "Pardon, mad
anne, but her majesty's admiration and Gu
riosity has been so reused by the sight of
the beautiful bracelets you wear, that she
has commissioned me to come and request
you to spare me one for few moments for
u closer Inspection" The pretty baronne
blushed, looked up to her husband for his
approval, then unclasped one of the brace
lets and handed it to the officer, feeling not
little flattered at the attention and dis
tinction the queen had conferred on her.
The last act of the opera began, and at
length the last scene ended, yet the brace
let was not returned. Its owners thought
the officer had doubtless forgotten it, and
the baron said he would go and make in
quiries for it. He did so, and in few mo-
ments returned, though without the brace
let. "7
"Adele," said he to his wife, ''it is very
strange, but not seeing the officer who took
your bracelet, 1 asked one of the others
who was in the royal box the whole even
ing, and he says your bracelet was neither
sent for nor Fetched"
The baronne looked aghast. "Francois,"
she said, "that man must have been an inn
postor. He was no officer, but an q6rea1
thief"
The baron smiled as his little wife jump
ed SO speedily at such conclusion, and per-
sisted that the bracelet was safe, and had
really been sent for by the queen, and that
the officer whom he had consulted had
been misinformed. - - ~
But woman's penetration had guessed |
rightly, as the morrow proved. .iips
AS the bracelet was not forthcoming the
next morning, M. de W spoke to the
Chief Inspector of Police on the subject,
who quite coincidcd with Madame's opin-
ion as to the valuable ornament having
been artfillly stolen. The baron was great