Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-07-11
Communication.
Paris Letter.

Splendid Diamond in the World
and it's Legend-Other Dia-
mOnds-Cashmere Shawls that
would Pass through a Wedding
Ring and Shawls that would not
Unique Decoration of a Mann
moth Shawl--The Rich French
Ladies who give ton wherever
Fashion Journals Penetrate.
From our Regular Correspondent
"Le Vesti6ule d. Honne1r, !"
or the grand entrance to the
exhibition, is in the central fa-
cade in front Of the garden of
the Trocadero, and between the
English and French sections.
On the French side it is TO be
adorned with the ex-iewels of
the crown (for there being now
neither King nor Emperor the
jewels must be SO termed), and
the products Of Gobelins and
Sevres. When these are well
in their places | hope to de-
scribe them, but since France is
still in dishabille, in the grand
entrance hall, we must pay our
respects to England, who is
ready to receive. Let us ap-
proach and see what people are
looking at with all their eyes. F"
The objects of their admiration
are les Diamants dep AngleteTre.
Eight policemen, French and
English, keep guard over them
night and day. Queen Victo-
ria up to the last moment held
back from sending this part of
her regalia, and is understood
to have yielded to the pressure
of Lord Granville, Disraeli, and
the Prince Of Wales, who has
made himself very popular in
France by the prominent part
he has taken in the Exhibition.
The curiosity of the French
ladies was so great in the first
weeks Of May that in pressing
against each other to look we'll
at the wondrous gems, they |
broke through the glass case
sheltering them. To prevent a
recurrence of this kind Of |
thing, the Diamonds are placed
on a low platform, square at the
base, and rising with steps a.
round in the form Of a truncated |
pyramid. On the top Of the
platform there is a low railing
to protect the glittering treas
ures which consist of couple |
of diadems, some necklaces,
clasps, buckles, rings and hair
pins. The largest Of the dia-
dems is worn by the Queen
when she holds court at Buck
ingham Palace. 1t is formed |!
of eighty-six brilllants of diff
ferent sizes, and many large
diamonds Of the purcst water.
The central one cxtinguishes
the radiance Of all the others
as the rising sun pales the stars,
or as an electric light puts out
a gas lamp. Who has not heard /
of it? 1t is the famous Ko-
hinoor. A legend is attached |
to this ''mountain Of light" to
possess which, according 10 the
tradition, is to be blighted. I'M
easy is the head that wears it.
Bad luck is bound to go with |
it. The Queen Of England has
not broken the evil charm, the
Prince Consort having since
she placed it in her diadem been
cut off from her side in man
hoods prime. The Kandervas-
sy, in the second coronet, is lar
ger than the Kohinoor, and
would be thrice more valuable !
were it not for a little flaw, visi-
bic only to the eye OF a practlced
expert. The other gems in
this ornament are diamonds and
emeralds, every one Of which
is without a blemish. A superb
emerald, the purest and most
beautiful that is known, is set
in the middle of the necklace
which the Queen has sometimes
allowed her daughters to wear
at great solemnities. The rest
of the Vestibule d. Honneuy,"
between the diamonds Of the
British crown and the Canadi-
an trophy, is taken up with the
presents which the Prince Of
Wales brought back from In
dia. The India section of the
English side of the Exhibition
is where ladies of rank most