Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-27
y. wHITMORE,
Publisher and Proprietor
THE DIAMOND BRACELETS.

>
empire. 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. All Paris
knew that he would grace the opera that
night, and add to its usual luster the gilt
tering pomp and circumstance of power.
Accordingly, all that portion of Paris
who had the necessary number Of francs,
went to the opera, and in honor of so
great an occasion, Mons. Blauvais, the
director, 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 grouped in the background. In
another moment the bell would tingle,
and the opera commence But in an in
stant of time, when every sound was
heard, the second box to the right of the
Emperor was opened, aad the curtains
were drawn aside, and revealed the
lovely wife Of the Russian Ambassador,
Duke Me'zkerwitch.
No wonder that the hell tinkled un-
heard, and the curtain went up unno-
ticed; no wonder that every eye was fixed
with fascinated gage upon the woman
who had just taken her seat, and was
calmly and with well-bred nonahalence
glancing about the house; for upons 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 admira-
ton ran through the house, and then, for
the first time, the enchanting strains of
the chorus we're listened to.
When the curtain fell upon the first
act, and Milford This ogling Milady
That servant wearing the imperial
livery presented himself at the Russian
Ambassadors box, raped only as an i'm
perial Aunky could rap, and then onter
ed the box.
"Her Majesty had noticed the brace
lets, and was dumb with sdmirationi
would milady be so gracious as to allow
the Empress to make personal eXami.
nation OF one of the braceletsT
In an instant the fair arm was shorn
of its gems, and with O smothered ejacu
lation of delight, the man wearing the
imperial livery bowed himself out Of the
box, bearing the bracelet that million
francs could not purchase.
The curtain fell upon the third act, as
cended again on the fourth, the notes Of
the finale rolled through the house, the
curtain fell for the last tine; and still
with well-bred politenessr the wife of the
Russian Ambassador waited for the re-
turn of her priceless jewels. The i'm
perial party rose and departed, and yet
the bracelet was not returned. Then the
Duke, with terrible froWn of impa.
tience, rose and drove rapidly to the
Tuileries, and demanded the return oi
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 coachmar
drive to the office of the Prefect of Pc
lice, and ere daylight hundred of the
shrewdest officers were searching Paris
for the gems, The Duke, filled with
anxiety, remained at the Office for It'd
ings, while the Duchess restlessly awaited
the recovery Of her bracelet at home.
The great clock had just tolled tht
hour of six when the bell of the Duke
hotel rang violently, and an officer o
the police was ushered into the presenc,
of the Duchess.
"Was the bracelet recoveredH ant
would they imprison the scoundrel 70
the rest of his days2" eagerly demande,
the Duchess.
With grave bow the officer stateC
that the thief had been taken, and upol
his person was found the bracelet. Bu
the fellow stoutly insisted that he wa
not thief, and that the bracelet in hi
possession had been in his family 70
many years. Would madame intrust u
him the mate 10 the missing bracelet
that the identity might be oomplete2
Madame the Duchess, without Q word
unlocked her casket, and placed in th
hands of the trusty officer the secon,
bracelet. The officer, with a profounv
bow, left the apartment and madam
retired once more-this time TO alec
and to dream Of her precious diamonds
When the bel tolled the hour Of nins
.. the Russian Ambassador, haggard an
disordered, entered his wiie's apart
ments and threw himself in despair int
q chair. Madame opened her eyes, anc
! with smile of delight, asked for th
bracelets.
9Satan exclaimed the Duke; w
can learn nothing Of tbeml'
what" shriked the madame, hav
) YOU not recovered it2 The officer wh
came for the other bracelet said the tbi'
I had been taken and the bracelet found
y aH. Drka urth IN avciar, t;o,, ,