The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-04-24
THE DIAMOND BRACELETS

II was during the palmiest days OF the
empire. Never was Paris so gay; IN iact'
Il was the fete day of the Emperor, the
last flickering blaze OF greatness ere MS
glory departed forever. All Paris knew
that he would grace the opera that nlghl,
and add 10 its usual lustre the g!itterlng
pomp and circumstance OF power. Ac'
cordingly all that portion OF Paris who
had the necessary number OF francs went
10 the opera, and, in honor OF so great
AN occasion. Mons. Blauvais, the direct
or. was TO produce LA 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 SUITE,
uniformed in every color OF the rainbow,
stood groupedin the background In an,
other 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 curtain was
drawn aside, and revealed the lovely wife
of the Russian Ambassador, Duke Metz.
kerwitch.
No wonder that the bell tinkled un-
heard and the curtain went up unnotlced Z;
no wonder that every eye was fixed with
a fascinated gaze upon the woman who
had Just taken her seat and was calmly,
with well-bred nonchalance glancing
about the house; for upon her arms. blaz-
inc like beacons, sparkled the diamonds
of which Paris had heard so much, and
which royalty in vain had long sought 10
purchase \ 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 ogling Alilady That,
servant wearing the imperial livery
presented himself al the Russian Ambas-
Sador's box raped only IS an imperial
ilunky could rap, and then entered the
box.
"Her majesty had noticed the brace
lets and was dumb with admiration
would Milady be so gracious as to allow
The Empress to make ! personal eXamin-
alton of one of the bracelets :
In an instant the fair arm was shorn o:
its gems, and with smothered eiacula,
ton of delight the man wearing the i'm
perial livery bowed himself out Of the
box, bearing the bracelet that million
Of francs could not purchase
The curtain fell upon the third act
assembled again on the fourth, the note:
of the finale rolled through the house
the curtain fell for the last time; anc
still, with well-bred politenesS, the wife
of the Russian Ambassador waited fol
the return of her priceless jewels. The
imperial party rose and departed, and ye
the bracelet was not returned. Then The
Duke. with terrible trown of impa
tience, rose and drove rapidly to III,
Tuileries and demanded the return o.
the diamonds.
Explanations followed, and the Duke
was at last convinced that the Empress
had never sent for the bracelet, and tina
the man wearing the imperial livery wa
one of the daring thieves who infest TIT
capital He babe his coachman drive t.
the Office of the Project Of Police, and err
daylight hundred of the shrewdest of
fcers were searching Paris for the gems
The Duke, filled with anxiety, remained
at The office for tidings, while the Du
chess rcStlcsSly awaited the recovery o
her bracelet at home.
The great clock had Just tolled the hou
OF six when the bell OF the DnkcS hote
rang violently, and an officer OF the po
lice was ushered into the presence of tn
Duchess
"Was the bracelet recovered :" anC
"would they imprison the scoundrel 70
the rest OF his days !" eagerly demanded
the Duchess.
With grave bow the officer stated tina
the thief was taken, and upon his per
son was found the bracelet But the fel
low stoutly insisted that he was not
thief and that the bracelet liz his pos
session had been in his family for man,
years. Would madame intrust TO hin
the mate TO the missing bracelet, tina
the identity might be completes
Madame the Duchess, without q word
unlocked her casket and placed in tn
hands of the tyuSty officer the secon
bracelet The officer, with a profoun
bow, left the apartment, and madame re
tircd once more-this time TO sleep ant
to dream of her precious diamonds
When the bell tolled the hour of nine
The Russian Ambassador, haggard and di,
ordered, entered his wifes apartment
and threw himself in despair into chair
Madame opened her eyes, and with
smile OF delight asked for the bracelet;
SatanI" exclaimed the Duke, "w
can learn nothing of them.
CIV hat" shricked the madame, "hav
YOU not recovered il ? The officer VIII
came for the other bracelet said the THE
had been taken and the bracelet found.
The Duke, with an exclamation @
amazcment, sprang to his feet, and in
husky voice, besought his wife to explain
In a few words she told him And the
with groan the Duke dropped into
seat
see il all, said he; "the rascals hav
robbed you OF the second bracelet. Their
was no messenger sent for the bracelet
The man to whom you gave it was n
officer but a holder thief than be VIII
robbed you first"
And SO it proved. The bracelets wer
never returned, and the Russian Amba.
sador recalls the last .tete day of the fall
en- Emperor with sigh, for it made hir
apoorer man by many millions of franc
than he was when he handed his charm
ing wife into his carriage and babe hi
coachman drive to the opera.