Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-04-29
The Story of an Empress Jewel.

a RICHLY-FURNIsHED double parlor in a
prominent hotel IN this city-two glow
ing heaters casting forth summer-like
beams, overshadowed by massive mirrors
with embossed frames. In the back par.
lor group of four seated in corner,
and a single gentleman in the oppos; te
corner leaning against the mantel-piece'
In the center of the group scribe of
the press was seated. The other three
were ladies, and on the bosom of one, a
golden, brown-haired charmer, one of
our New World queens, sparkled a
breastpin wondrous in its beauty and
shining like far-of Alpha Lyre.
"Come and examine this rare work of
the cunning craftsman's hand" spoke
the scribe.
The man with the pale face, the curl
ing hair and the full dark eyes, a student
who had oft burned the midnight oil in
deep researches, approached the gay
and blithesome beauty, who, in her fieecy
robe of white, seemed like messenger
| of light and love and joy from the other
world.
In the center of the breastpin shone
superb emerald, worth Kings ran
som; diamonds and pearls surrounded
it, arranged in crosses, circles, triangles,
and from it's center depended lovely
pearl embosomed in shell of gold.
nd no ha
of the student, it seemed to sparkle with
strange light and to flash out mysteri-
Gus meanings, and, looking closely upon
the translucent star of green, he beheld
strange scene.
Beneath the shadow of the pyramids
of old Egypt two men sat engaged in a
deadly contest, not with deadly weap-
ons, pistol, sword or knife, but with the
painted pictures that first were invented
to soothe the madness of the unhappy
Charles of France. One was Spaniard,
tall and swarthy; the other dark-haired
son of Israeps banished race.
1.-The stake is yours" cried the Jew, in
despair, and am a ruined man.
Not so,' said the other; the breast
jewel you carry within your bosom, that
remains; stake it against all l have VOL"
The Jew shuddered
"That jewel is sacred" he cried; d" for
years it has been handed down to my
tribe; should lose it, life must go also"
He that fears should not play" re-
piled the Spauiard.
Maddened by the taunt, the desperate
gamester drew from his bosom the costly
gem in whose center great emerald
shone.
The cards were dealt, the Spaniard
won, and then, with a wild, piercing
shrek, the Jew placed pistol against
his head, and with his blood stained the
luster of the sparkling gold and precious
stone. The Spaniard coolly wiped away
the gore, and placed the ornament with
in his breast.
My beautiful Eugene will prize this
triHket," he muttered. A cool, dark,
silent man, the Count de Montijo.
And then another scene appeared upon
the surface of the emerald, ever bathed
WIN multltuQlnOuS light.
A tall, ill-shaped man, with curling
mustache and pointed imperial, forever
dreamy with the dream of destiny, in an
obscure Spanish chateau, attracted bv a
charming brown-haired girl, in form and
feature, in grace, wit and sparkle the
counterpart of our heroine, and upon her
bosom regal ornament, the center stone
an emerald.
Who is yonder lady9" he asked.
Eugene Marie de Guzman, Countess
of Teba," was the answer
The man was Louis Napoleon, and
Jan. 80, 1868, he married the girl,
whose bosom, radiant with It's mighty
enchantment had attracted his attention.
Again the scene faded, and another
appeared in its place, and this time it
showed Paris in flames, and under the
mad rule of the Commune Sedan had
been lost, King William was master of
France, and the imperial family had fed
to the white cliffs of Albion for safety.
So'sudden was the flight that in the con-
fusion some precious jewels were left
behind, and soon the mystic breast-pin,
won from the desperate son of Moses on
the plains of Egypt, was in the hands of
the Commune; and then came willy
French Jew, who, foreseeing the early
downfall of the Red Caps, cunningly
possessed himself of the emerald king,
and fed with it to this country.
land from whom did you obtain this
beauteous charm, PImperatrice, asked
the student.
From q gentleman who fed from
France during the trouble there" replied
the pleasant-voiced lady, and, bending
forward to adjust a tiny slipper, richly.
carved, solid gold comb dropped from
her shining tresses on the floor. The
scribe handing it to her, she continued:
He presented it to me, and then sud-
denly disappeared"
This is the story of an Empress Jewel.
This is no fiction, reader, but literal
fact. The lady is at present on visit
to Washington, and on her bosom she
wears the strange ornament, the center