The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-02-11
MINNIE's PRESENT.
The Magnificent Bridal Gift to Gen.
Sherman's Daughter from the Khedive.

sherman's Daughter from the Khedive.
There is at present stored in this city,
says The New York Times, for safe-
keeping-.we need not say where-a dia-
mond necklace of such splendor and
value that it would be worthy of public
notice, even were it not on other consid-
erations. It is double necklace, and
each of these consists of three rows of
diamonds, any one of which any lady
might with pleasure see upon her finger.
But in each necklace, both inner and
outer, there is, at intervals of about an
inch and half, large diamond, SO
large that no lady could wear it on her
finger, and of size that very few of the
fair venture-even if they can afford-to
wear as solitaire earrings. In the mid
die of the inner necklace is stone of
great size, the worth of which must be
fully $4,000, and from the outer one
depend seven pear-shaped stones of very
unusual size, the middle one, which
hangs just below the large one of the
inner necklace, being of even greater
size and value than that. The necklace
is not alone. It is accompanied by ear
rings of corresponding value and design
"a union of round stones above with
pear-shaped pendants below, all within
borders of smaller stones-which, how
ever, are small by comparison with the
great ones to which they are satellites.
This magnificent decoration, the value
Of which cannot be less than $150, 900,
and which, if all the stones were of the
very first water, would command more
nearly 5000, 900, is merely an addition to
the long list of rich presents received by
Miss Sherman on her marriage. It Is a
compliment from the Khedive of Egypt
to the soldier who made the great march
to the sea.
We believe that Gen. Sherman could
not accept this present; but his daughter
as she holds no Office of profit or trust
under the United States, may do so, al
though the fact that her husband is in
federal service might, at least on some
old fashioned grounds, be held to pre-
clude her from receiving such very
valuable gift from foreign potentate.
But apart from this consideration, the
question presents itself, what will she do
with it? What does any lady, who does
not wear a crown, or at least a cornet,
when she is in full dress, do with such
stupendorls ornament as this? She may
keep it locked up, and on rare occasions
feast her eyes by looking at it, or pro-
woke the envy of her dearest friends by
exhibiting it to them. But think of the
anxiety accompanying such a possession
A guard ought to be set over it night
and day. AS to wearing it, the owner
would, if she had any taste or sense of
congruity, be utterly at loss tc find
any good reason for SO doing. We have
no occasions here when such ornaments
are in place. Even in Europe they are
worn very rarely-only on state occasions
Or at some very grand festivity. The
notion that the noble women-the 'sfe-
male marksses'', and such ike-of the
old world go about blazing with dia-
monds, even in the evening, is as absurd
and unfounded as the belief formerly
entertained that kings and queens wore
their crowns as other persons wore hats.
Diamonds or jewels of any kind, except
a modest brooch, a seal ring, or somthing
of the kind, are scarcely ever seen upon
ladies of rank in Europe, except on full
dress occasions, and then they are not
great deal, although what they do wear
is apt to be of the very highest value
and quality of its kind. But diamonds
or fine jewels of any kind on other oc-
casions would be regarded among such
people as evidences of bad taste, and
even inferior breeding.
It is undoubtedly true that much Of
the European misapprehensioa of the
genuine American character-that, for
instance, which comes of long New Eng
land, or Knickerbocker, or Southern
decent-is produced by travelling Amer
leans who have suddenly acquired wealth,
who have not had the advantage of the
best training at home, and who suppose
that to produce a good impression and
get among the best people they must
make display of their possessions
This duty is committed to the ladies Of
the party, and by them, 1t must be con-
fessed, it is generally performed with a
thoughtlessness and dash which are
quite startling. The diamonds in which
they are occasionally seen at tables
d'hote, even in the morning, actually
frightenssome of the very people Eupon
whom they are seeking to make favor
able impression. They would be aston
ished to learn that the rather dowdy-
looking person in a somewhat dingy
wrapper, whom they passed in the cor
ridor, was the wife OF one nobleman and
the defendant of a coroneted line of an
cesters This new diamond necklace
may be very pretty to look at; but the
young lady who has received it ought
not to be trusted out with it unless she
policemen in plain clothes and well
armed.