The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-01-22
The Diamond Bracelets.

The Diamond Bracelets.
1t was during the palmiest days of the en-
pire. Never was Paris so gay; in fact, it was
the fete day of the Emperor, the last Pickering
blaze of his greatness ere his glory departed
forever. ALI Paris knew that he would grace
the opera that night and add to its usual lustre
the glittering pomp and circumstance OF power.
Accordingly all that portion of Paris who had
the necessary number of francs went to the
epera. and, in honor of so great an occasion,
Mons. Blauvais, the director, was to produce
Ella Prophetic"
The overture was over; the Emperor, ac-
companied by the Empress, radiant in her
beauty and glittering with jewels had just en-
tered the royal box; his suite, uniformed in
every color of the rainbow, stood grouped in
the background. In another moment the bell
would tingle and the opera commence. But in
an instant of time, when every sound was
heard, the second box to the right of the EN-
peror was opened, and the curtains were drawn
aside and revealed the lovely wife of the Rus
sian ambassador, Duke Metzkerwitch.
No wonder that the bell tinkled unheard and
the curtain went up unnoticed no wonder that
every eve was fixed with fascinated gaze upon
the woman who had just taken her seat and
was calmly and with well-bred nonchalance
elancing about the house; for upon her arms,
blazing like beacons, sparkled the diamonds of
which Paris had heard so much, and which
royalty in vain had long sought to purchase
A hum of admiration ran through the house,
and then for the first time the enchanting
strains of the chorus were listened to.
When the curtain fell upon the first act, and
Milford This oging Milady That; servant
wearing the imperial livery, presented himself
A ,Loc 20 hDx ropnod oulx
as an imperial Aunky could rap, and then en-
tered the box.
sHer Majesty had noticed the bracelets and
was dumb with admiration; would Milady be
so gracious as to allow the Empress to make a
personal examination of one of the bracelets %
In an instant the fair arm was shorn of its
gems, and with smothered ejaculation of de-
light the man wearing the imperial livery
bowed himself out of the box, bearing the
bracelet that million of francs could not pur-
chase.
The curtain fell upon the third act, assembled
again on the fourth, the notes OF the finale
rolled through the house, the curtain fell for
the last time; and still, with wel-bred polite
ness, the wife of the Russian Ambassador
waited for the return of her priceless jewels.
The imperial party rose and departed, and yet
the bracelet was not returned. Then the Duke,
with terrible frown of impatience, rose and
drove rapidly to the Tuleries and demanded
the return Of the diamonds.
Explanations followed, and the Duke was at
last convinced that the Empress had never sent
for the bracelet, and that the man wearing the
imperial livery was one of the daring thieves
who infested the capital. He bade his coach
man drive to the Office of prefect of police,
and ere daylight hundred of the shrewdest
officers were searching Paris for the gems.
The Duke, filled with anxiety, remained at
the Office for tidngs, while the Duchess rest
Bessly awaited the recovery of her bracelet at
home.
The great clock had Just tolled the hour of
6 when the bell of the Dukes hotel rang vio-
lently, 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 the rest of his
days ?" eagerly demanded the Duchess.
With grave bow the officer stated that the
thief was taken, and upon his person was found
the bracelet. But the fellow stoutly insisted
that he was not thief, and that the bracelet
in his possession had been in his family for
many years. Would madame intrust to him
the mate to the missing bracelet, that the lden-
tity might be complete?
Madame the Duchess, without word, un-
locked her casket and placed in the hands of
the trusty officer the second bracelet. The
officer, with profound bow, left the apart
ment and madame retired once more-this
time to sleep and to dream of her precious dia-
monds. When the bell tolled the hour of 9
the Russian Ambassador, haggard and disor-
dered, entered his wife's apartments and threw
himself in despair into chair. Madame
epened her eyes, and with a smile of delight
asked for the bracelets.
aSatan !' exclaimed the Duke, eve can learn
nothing of them."
"Wbat:" shrieked the madame, shave you
not recovered it? The officer who came for the
other bracelet said the thief had been taken
and the bracelet found"
The duke, with an exclamation OF amaze
ment, 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 seat.
"I see it ALL" said he; "the rascals have
robbed you of the second bracelet. There was
mn messenger sent for the bracelet. The man
IN whom YOU gave it was no officer, but bold
ar thief than he who robbed you first"
And so it proved. The bracelets were never
rotnrned and the Russian Ambassador recalls
the last fete day of the fallen Emperor with
SIGH. for it made him poorer man by many
millions of francs than he was when ne handed
his charming wife into his carriage and Dade
his coachman drive to the opera.
- It is said that Mr.. Charles Green, OF Mis-
souri, recently sold the body of his grand-1ather