Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-12-09

impotence, cried out: - Selim, clear the
way there! Draw your saber, and cut
me down some hall dozen Of these i'm
pertinent creaturcs!"
Imagine the effect Of this outburst in
the midst OF crowd composed Of the
most elegant ladies and the highest dig
nitaries Of the new Empire!
II there was anything on earth that the
Duke loved better than diamonds it was q
lawsuit He would 60 to law about the
merest tride or the most Insignificant sum.
Once he sued washerwOmau about a
bill Of seven francs. A single watch,
which he sent to q jeweler to be repaired,
and of which the back was formed of a
single ruby, was in itself the subject Of
twelve lawsuits. The erection Of his ho-
tel on the Rue Beaujon furnished occasion
for ten more! He said himseH, just be-
fore he died, that he had squandered mill
ions in that way, and that justice was n
lottery.
As to his diamonds, he consecrated
fabulous sums TO the formation of his col
lection, which speedily became celebrated
throughout Europe. Among the most re-
markable of the trinkets which he pos
sessed was pair of epaulets, formed,
not of gold thread, but of magnificent yell
low diamonds from Brazil They were
valued at 5000, 600 each, and were eXhib-
tied at the Paris Exposition in 1866,
watched day and night by four policemen,
who took turns in mounting guard over
the crystal case which contained this
treasure. These epaulets gave rise one
evening toa curious and comical scene.
1t was at a ball given by the Count de
10 Il, 81,
form of Brunswickian General, was
blazing with diamonds, and had on the
famous epaulets. A lady, passing by. re-
marked to the person who accompanied
her.
"Only look at those epauhts, made of
topazes"
"Topazes, madam" cried the Duke,
indignant at the insult offered TO his jew
els "they are diamonds--the finest vel
low diamonds of Brazil. Look we'll at
them If you never saw any before"
Thus adjured, the lady, nothing 10th,
examined minutely the dazzling epaulets;
then she passed to the orders that the
Duke wore and so prolonged her inspec-
ton that she attracted number of other
lady spectators, and the Duke was soon
surrounded by crowd Of ladies, all adj
miring his gorgeous gems and causing
him to resemble very much Palais
Royal window with its throng of gazers
He never forgot nor forgave the broken
promise of Napoleon III. to reinstate him
on his paternal throne. One day, being
present at some scientific experiments
shown before that sovereign on reducing
diamonds to vapor, the Emperor offered,
laughing, TO sacrifice all his diamonds to
the cause of science if the Duke would do
as much
"Ah, sire" made answer the Duke,
with meaning glance, 81 ain only
poor exile and am forced to be economi-
cal. Were l ever to have the happiness
OF mounting throne as your Majesty has
done would promise to be more gener-
ous-aDd 1 keep my promises"
His daughters conversion to Catholi.
cism seemed to arouse In his breast ter
rible enmity against her. Up to that time
he had treated her rs became his ac-
knowledged child, but afterward what
ever heart he possessed seemed closed
against her When she married the Count
de Cirrey, though he gave his consent to
the alliance, he was only represented at
the ceremony by one Of his chamberlains.
Prayers, entreaties and finally long years
of litigation were exhausted in the effort
TO make him provide for her and for her
children, but in vain. An adverse decis-
ion Of the French tribunal in this question
drove him from lis fairy palace on the
Rue Beauion to Geneva No particle of
his immense wealth was bequcalhed TO the
Countess. He at first intended to leave his
whole fortune to the Prince Imperial, and
Will to that effect was actually drawn up.
When the war with Prussia was declared
the Duke, then once more installed in Paris,
FASTENED to remind Louis Napoleon of the
old compact between them, and claimed
from him in advance, as the conqueror of
Germany, the tulfillment of his ancient
promise. But a few weeks later the Duke
was forced to fly with his diamonds from
before the advancing legions of the Prus-
SLAMS. He took refuge anew in Geneva,
and there, in March, 1871. he drew up the
new will, which constituted the city of
Geneva his sole heir On the 18th of Au-
gust, 1873, he was engaged in a game of
chess quite late in the afternoon; sudden
ly he arose, and saying to his adver-
sary: "Do not cheat me-" he passed
into the next room. These were his last
words. When his attendants, surprised
that he did not return, went to seek him,
they found him in the agonies of death,
and in few moments he expired. Thus
ended that strange, heartless, eccentric,
useless life whose commencement had
been surrounded with such halo of
romance and chivalry.
1t WAS this sudden death that preserved
to the city of Geneva the inheritance of
the eccentric old voluptuary, who had
scandalized its Calvinistic walls by his
manners tor three years past Having
carelessly thrown some water from a
tumbler out of window, it had drenched
a passer- by, who forthwith threatened the
Duke with legal proceedings. Furious at
the threat, he resolved TO tear up his will,
70 return to Paris and to turn his back on