The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1878-08-03
Our Letter from Europe.
The Paris Exposition.

There are two points in the Expo
sition which, for weeks and weeks
have been constant centres of attrac
ton. Go when you will, early in tn
morning, or when the shadows q
night are falling, the eager, anxious
excited throng seems always to be th
same. Que of these points is the ex
hibition made by the diamond mer
chants aud jewellers of Paris; tn,
other is the crown jewels of France
While the simple monetary yalu,
represents many thousands of million,
OF francs. tue historical interest whicl
centres around the national collection
Is above and beyond all estimate. II
is not often that the common herd are
allowed to feast their eyes on such q
sight. In many places On the CONT.
nent are rich aud royal collections.
aud in the Tower of London NAV be
seen the jewels of the crown of En-
| gland, bit the visitor is hurried along
and at the very moment his attention
is excited by something of absorbing
interest, a gentle push from the anx-
lous attendant reminds him that time
Is precious. But here you can stand
By the hour ii you wish and examine
these glittering piles of gems realizing
tilat such a privilege is not accorded
to common people much oftener than
once in lifetime.
La the national collection are eight
royal coronets and four minor tiaras
OF enormous value and rare and ex-
anlsite beauty. Four of the eight
eoroHets are composed almost exclu-
siveiy of diamonds: one is composed
OF magnificent pearls and diamonds.
the others have mingled with the king
OF gems, sapphires, rubies, emeralds.
spals and other precious stones.
Lovely strings of pearls are tempting
IS displayed, but the Regent, like a
glitterlDg star, stands solitary and
alone. This great gem was formerly
known as the Pitt diamond, having
been purchased by Mr.. Pitt of d ma
tive Prince, while Governor of India
It was bought by the Due d'Orleans
at cost of over four millions of
francs, and shortly after the proela.
nation OF the Empire, Napoleon had
e mounted in the Iilt of his sword.
This royal banble was left behind ON
the field of Waterloo, and was can.
Tired by the Prussians, by whom it |
was restored TO the eighteenth. Louis
0I his accession to the throne of |
France. AmoHg the collection is n |
massive jeweled belt which can be |
used either as a kingly collar or a |
cestus, which is lovely be.
yond description. In the centre Ia n
mass OF brilliants of enormous size |
and OF the pulest water. Aauy of
these gems have been purchased at |
various times BY the Kings and
leneen of France, but many more have
been precious love gifts have been
brought asrOyal dowels by Princesses
from tsther lands. The huge diamond
III the centre of the eestus of which
speak, once glittered in the scepter of
Clovis, the first Clristian King of
France, and the two magnificent
pearls under the centre diadem weu,
worn by the beautiful Clotilda ON the |
occasion of her marriage with Clovis i
1t Scissors, A. D., 463. The. three
'oyai gems that glittered in the hel.
net OF Charles Martel Mt the terrible
battle of Poitiers, are in this priceless
collection. A collar of the whitest of
learls is Here, which once rested on
ne bosom of the beautiful andlunfor- /
innate Mary, Queen of Scots. Before
ne is the coronet which crowned the
ovely brow of Josephine on that .
'roud day when the husband of her
leart led her up to the most splendid
ltrone in Europe. 1t is told that when
he first appeared with these superb
ewels, that an old crone who saw her
q the distance propllecied tile hour !
4 her ruin. 1t was said that the
'ropllecsy reached the ears of the En-
'ress and haunted her with cruel fore ,
'oding. On the fatal night when her
imperial husband came to inform her i
hat they must part forever, she was /,
rearing the magnificent pearls that !,
oW lie before me tearing them from
er neck she dashed them OH the floor:
iO 3atai ptopicCf CGIi6 Uack upon
er and she remembered her pearls /
nd her tears.
The estimated value of this royal ,
plltction is over twenty thousand /
iillions of francs. The only wonder 4
that, in Sd many revolutions and :
hanges of government, that single /
iamond remains. Rich as this col I
'ction is, aud carefully as it is !.
narded, it has not always escaped d
isaster. An inventory was made of :
lem by the order of the Convention
1892, and only few days after the
lventory was completed descent
as made upan tho place where they d
ere kept aud the whole of the, crown 4
'wels were stolen. Though forty per. i
MS were concerned in the robbery. 4
My two OF them were ever discov- 4
ed, and the discovery of these two Il
light be termed a lucky accident. A y
sir-dresser by the name of Lamie- n
lie had been consigned to the Con- i,
a