Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-16
SPARKLING SHAMS.

Curious Stories of Paste and Genuine
DiamOnds-A WidOwer's Surprise
thrift Wife.
From Paris Letter.
A gentleman of narrow fortune had a
wife who was fond of showing. She one
day begged him to give her 5000 to buy
paste necklace, which she assured him
nobody could distinguish from the
precious stones themselves. It embar-
raised him to spend 5000 on such an OBJ
ject, still he consented, for he loved his
wife. She purchased the paste necklace,
and was delighted. Ten years after
ward she died. He, having no use for
the necklace, took it to jeweler, told
him its history, and asked him to buy it.
The jeweler examined it, and said !:
"These are diamonds, not paste, and the
necklace is worth at least SIS, 900" Some
years since gentleman called on Jew
eler. He nd two necklaces, one of dia-
monds, the other of paste, but exactly
alike. The jeweler at once recognized
the diamonds, for he had sold them to
the grandmother of the gentleman's
wife. The gentleman said: Iwant
you to examine carefully these two neck
laces; one of them is made Of diamonds,
the other of paste. l wish you would
make the paste look so exactly like the
diamonds that nobody can tell the differ
ence between them. You would oblige
me by buying the diamonds. The paste
necklace l shall put in my wife's casket,
whenceI have taken the diamonds" The
ieweler was embarrassed He knew the
gentleman to be a great gambler
and that if he refused to
take part in the proposed transaction the
gentleman would 90 elsewhere and find
less scrupulous jewelers.; so he asked
twenty-four hours time to compare the
two necklaces The visitor had no sooner
gone than the jeweler took both neck
laces to the grandmother, to whom he had
sold the diamonds, and repeated to her
the conversation he held with her grand
daughters husband The grandmother
replied: "Give him the $4,000 he
wants, and the diamond necklace, and
keep the paste necklace for me. In this
way my granddaughter will not wear
paste, and her husband will not be tempt
ed to sell her diamonds again" A few
months afterward the wife came, bring
ing the diamond necklace She said: 81
owe my mantua-maker large sum OF
l want you to make me a paste
necklace so exactly like this that nobody,
my husband least of anybody,
will detect the substitution of paste for
diamonds" The jeweler replied he
thought he could execute her order, but
asked for twenty-four hours before re-
def, 70 II ~ ol
the grandmother, and related the fore
going dialogue. The grandmother said:
q Pay her the money she requires and
give her the diamond necklace; and bring
me the paste. So my granddaughter
will wear diamonds, and neither she nor
her husband will again be tempted to sell
the necklace, for they both will be GER
tain it is paste"
A Washington Romance.
The visit of Alexis has caused gossips
to revive stories about the mischief
which Catacazy made, and particularly
his quarrel which is said to have led to
the recall of poor old Baron Gerolt, the
Prussian minister, who had served the
interests of his government here for 80
years. He received his appointment
through the influence of Baron
Won Humboldt. One of the saddest ro-
mances of Washington is connected with
his retirement. The Gerolts were Cath
olics, and the children were brought up
in the Georgetown convent under the
most careful watchfulness of the sisters
Bertha, who must Iaow be about 80 years
of age, the youngest daughter of the
baron, at 20 was very beautiful, and fell
In love with her fathers secretary of
legation, a dashing, handsome young
Prussian officer, distantly related to Bis
marck. The secretary belonged to one of
the old Protestant families of North Ger
many, which was strongly opposed to any
alliances with Catholics. The succession
of this young officer to his fathers large
estates was conditional upon his
remaining faithful to the ancient
Lutheran faith. The love match was
very desperate one, and was favored by
Baron Gerolt The latter was so eager to
remove all difficulties that he applied to
Rome for an indulgence to allow his
daughter to marry Protestant. The
pope refused, because the condition was
that the children should be reared as
Protestants. But the family of the
young man in Prussia were entirely OBJ
posed to the marriage and succeeded in
having him recalled. The beautiful
young Bertha was entirely irreconcilable,
retired to the convent, and last fall, after
having been many years there, and hay
ing passed through the Intermediary
stages, finally took the white veil, which,
to the ceremonies of her faith,
is to forever separate her from the eyes
of the world and of man. Washington
Letter.