Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-25

the necklace for some days through
the plate-glass panes he one morn
ing entered the shop and requested
the proprietor to permit him to examine
the dazzling ornament more closely, as
he had some thoughts of purchasing it.
" His name" he said, "was L, Gen.
L. His only daughter was about to
be married to Russian nobleman, and he
was DESTROYS of selecting something very
superb as wedding present for her"
The necklace was accordingly taken from
the window and placed before the General,
who admired 1t, inspected it closely and
priced it; but he finally departed without
deciding to take it, the price being, as he
said, little beyond what he wished TO
paw. But in a few days he called and re-
Quested to be allowed to look at it again,
remarking, at the same time, that ne mad
met with nothing that suited his ideas so
well. Again was the necklace produced,
again inspected, and again replaced in the
window, the General promising to call
again, and being still unable TO decide
upon making so costly a purchase. He
came on several occasions after that to ad-
mire the necklace and to examine it closely
in every part, still being apparently un-
willing to pay the large sum demanded
for it; but treated by the jeweler with
every courtesy, the hope of disposing of
so costly trinket proving a sufficient in
centive to politeness on his part.
Late one evening, about a fortnight
after the day on which the General
had first desired to inspect the neck
lace, he entered the shop and an
nounced his determination of taking it,
and paying for it at once His pocket
Iool- ,OroIrooH fOr+1r ha,oly of n
thousand francs each were counted out
and carefully scrutinized by the wary
ieweler. the costly trinket, in its velvet
lined case, was placed in the hands of its
new possessor and deposited by him in
an inner pocket of his coat, and the Gen
eral turned to leave the shop. Arrived at
the threshold, a sudden thought seemed
to strike him. Idiot that | am" he
cried; &" forgot that | had urgent need
of that 10000 francs this very night
A friend in difficulties-a debt of
honor l will say no more; but
will you not oblige me by returning to
me the money have just paid, and by
keeping the necklace for me till noon to-
morrow ?" The courteous jeweler con-
sented; the 10000 francs were refunded,
the case containing the necklace was re-
placed upon the counter; the case was
opened and the trinket glanced at, as a
mere matter of form, and then was laid
away in the fireproof safe. The General
then took his departure, with profusiOn
Of thanks and assurances that he would
certainly call to pay for and take posses
sion of the necklace at noon on the IL Or
row. The next day came, and noon, and
afternoon and night succeeded each other !;
another day followed, but the General
g. ii - I,a
| jeweler began to suspect that something
was wrong; yet how could that be while
the necklace still remained in his posses
sion? A close inspection of the trinket
confirmed his worst apprehensions. Some
thing was wrong; terribly wrong; horri-
| bly, and unrightably wrong; for the neck
| lace in his possession was only q cleverly-
| executed COPY, in imitation stones, of the
original ornament! The pretended Gen
eraI must have had the case containing
| the counterfeit necklace in his pocket
when the real one was handed to him; ,
and when he returned it to the jeweler it
was an easy matter to substitute one case
| for another. The transaction having
| taken place at night, the imitation neck
lace looked, under the gaslight, sui.
! ficiently like the original to defy deteC-
| ton unless it were very closely examined.
The many visits of inspection paid to the
shop beforehand were doubtless under
taken by the thief for the purpose of be-
coming sufficiently familiar with the gems
and general design of the coveted Orna-
ment to enable him to execute a perfectly
| accurate copy. A rather singular phase
Of the affair is the fact that the
thief was able to obtain, for some
hours at least, so large sum
as 10000 francs, for the bank-bills
which he rendered to the jeweler appear
to have been undoubtedly genuine; and
it is an amusing object of speculation as
to what he would have done had NJ. Fou-
| lin refused to accommodate him by taking
back the necklace and returning the
mOney.-Lucy Il. Hooper, IN Appletora's