Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-10-11
THE DIAMON D BRACELET.

the last Pickering blaze of his greatness
ere his glory departed forever. All
Paris knew that he would grace the
opera that night, and add to its usual
lustre the glittering pomp and circum-
stances of power. Accordingly, all that
portion of Paris who had the necessary
number of frances went to the opera, and
and in honor of SO great an occasion
Mons. Blauvals, the director was to pro-
duce ssLa Prophetic"
The overture was over, the emperor,
accompanied by the empress, radiant in
her beauty and glittering with jewels,
had just entered the royal box; his suit
uniformed in every color of the rainbow,
stood grouped in the background. In
another moment the bell would tinkle and
the opera commence. But in an instant
of time, while every sound was hushed
in expectance, the rustic of dress was
heard, thessecOnd box to the right of the
emperor was opened, the curtains were
drawn aside, and revealed the lovely
wife of the Russian empassador, Duke
Metzkervitch. No wonder that the bell
tinkledlunheard, and the curtain went up
unnoticed no wonder that every eye was
fixed with fascinated gaze upon the
woman who had just taken her seat, and
was calmly and with well-bred nonchal-
ance glancing about the house, for upon
her arms, blazing like beacons, sparkled
the diamond bracelets of which Paris
had heard o.much, and which royalty
had sought in vain to purchase. A hum
OF admiration, like the murmer of the
sea, ran through the house, and then for
the first time, the enhancing strains of
the chorus were listened to.
Wheu the curtain fell upon the first
act. and Milford This was ogling Milady
That, servant wearing the imperial
livery, presented himself at the Russian
ambassadors box, raped only as an i'm
perial fiunky could rap; and then enter
ed the box.
''Her Majesty had noticed the brace
lets, and was dumb with admiration
could milady be so gracious as to allow
the empress to make a personal examin-
alton of one of the bracelets?''
In an instant the fair arm was shown
of its gems, and with smothered ejac-
ulation of delight, the man wearing the
imperial livery bowed himself out of the
box, bearing the bracelet, that a million
of francs could not purchase.
The curtain fell upon the third act,
ascending again on the fourth; the
notes. of the finale rolled through the
louse, the curtain tell Tor the last time,
and still, with wellbred politeness, the
wife of the Russian ambassador waited
for the return of her priceless jewels.
The imperial party arose and departed.
and yet the bracelet was not returned.
Then the Duke with a terrible frown of
impatience, rose and drove rapidly to-
wards the Tuilleries, and demanded the
return of the diamonds. Explanations fol-
| lowed but the Duke was at last convin-
ced that the empress had never sent for
the bl acelet, and that the man wearing
the imperial livery was one of the dar-
ing thieves who inf est the capital. He
babe his coachman drive to. the Office OF
the Prefect of Police, and ere daylight a
hundred of the shrewdest officers were
securing Paris for the stolen gem. The
duke filled with anxiety, remained at
the office for tidi:gs, while the dutchess
restlessly awaited the recovery of her
bracelet at home.
The great clock had just tolled the honr
of six when the bell of the dukes hotel
was rung violently, and an officer of the
police was ushered into the. presence OF
the duchess.
"Was the bracelet recovered 2" and
"would they imprison the scoundrel for
4 the rest of his days?', eagerly demanded
the duchess.
With grave bow the officer stated that
the thief was taken, and upon his per-
son was founp the bracelet. But the
fellow stoutly insisted that he was not a
thief, and that the bracelet in his posses
sion had been i'm his family for many
years. Would madame entrust tn him
the mate of the missing bracelet that the
Identification might be complete.
Madame the duchess without word
unlocked her casket, and placed in the
hand of the trusty officer the second
bracelet. The officer, with a profound
bow left the apartment, and madame re-
tired once more-this time to sleep, and
and to dream of her precious diamonds
When the bell tolled the hour of nine
the Russian ambassador, haggard
disorder ed, entered his wife's apartment
and threw himself in despair into chair
Madame opened her eyes with smile o
delight and asked for the bracelets.
"a thousand cnrses!" exclaimed the
duke: 1--WE can learn nothing of them.
'What!' shrieked madame, shave
you not recovered it? The officer who
came for the other bracelet said the THE
hab been taken and the bracelet found.
The duke with an exclamation o
amazement, sprang to his feet, and in ;
husky voice besought his wife to explain
In few words she told him. And then
with groan, the duke dropped into I
seat.
81 see it ALL" said he. ssThe rascal
have robbed you of the second bracelet
The man whom you gave it to was n,
officer, but an older thief than he VIII,
robbed you of the first.''
And SO it proved. The bracelets wer
never recovered, and the Russian EN-
bassatlOr recalls the last fete day of th
fallen emperor with a sigh, for it mad
him poorer man by many million o
frances than when he handed his charm
ing wife into his carriage and had hi