The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-08-03
OUR PARIS LETTER.

Exposition which, Tor weeks and
weeks, have been constant centers
Of attraction. Go when you will,
early in the morning, or when the
shadows of night are falling, the
eager, anxious, excited throng
seems always to be the same. One
Of these points is the exhibition
made by The diamond merchants
and jewellers of Paris; the other is
the exhibition of the crown Jewels
of France.
While the simple monetary value
represents many thousands of mil
lions of francs, the historical inter-
est which centers around the nation
al collection is above and beyond all
estimate. In many places on the
! continent are rich and royal collec-
tons, and in the Tower of London
may be seen the jewels Of the crown
Of England, but the visitor is hurried
along and at every moment his at
tention is excited by something of
absorbing interest, a gentle push
frcm the anxious attendant reminds
him that time is precious. But here
you can stand by the hour if you
wish and examine these glittering
piles of gems realizing that such a
privilege is not accorded to common
people much oftener than once in q
lifetime.
In the national collection are
eight royal coronets and four minor
! tiaras Of enormous value aud of rare
and exquisite beauty. -Four of the
eight coronets are composed almost
exclusively Of diamonds, the others
have mingled with the king Of jems,
sapphires, rubies, emeralds, opaIs
and other precious stones. lovely
strings of pearls are temptingly dis
played, but the Regent, like a gilt
tering star, stands solitary and
alone. This great gem was former
| ly known as the Pitt diamond, hav-
ing been purchased by Mr.. Pitt of a
native Prince, while Governor OF
India. 1t was bought by the Due
+ id'Oheans at a cost Of over four
millions OF francs, and shortly after
the proclamation of the Empire,
/ Napoleon had il mounted in the hi!t
Of his sword. This royal bauble
was left behind on the field Of Wa
terloo, and was captured by the
Prussians, by whom it was restored
10 the eighteenth Louis on his acces-
sion to the throne Of France. Among
the collection is massive jeweled
belt which can be used as kingly
collar or a queenly cestus, which is
lovely beyond description. In the
! center is mass Of brilllants of enor-
nous size and Of the purest water
Many of these gems have been pur-
chased atvarious times by the Kings
and Queens of France, but many
more have been precious love gifts
or have been brought as royal
dowers by Princesses from other
lands. The huge diamond in the
center of the cestus of which !
speak, once glittered in the scepter
OF Clovis, the first Christian King Of
France, and the two magnificent
pearls under the center dIadem
were worn by the beautiful CIotilda
on the occasion of her marriage
with Clovis, at scissors, A. d. 493.
The three royal gems that glitter in
| the hemlet Of Charles Martel at the
terrible battle of Poitiers, are part
of the priceless collection. a collar,
of the whitest Of pearls, is here,
which once rested on the bosom of
/ the beautiful and unfortunate Mary.
Queen of Scots. Before me is the
coronet which crowned the lovely
brow of Josephine on that proud
day, when the husband of her heart
led her up to the most splendid
throne in Europe. 1t is told that
when she first appeared with these
superb jewels, that 2n old crone
who saw her in the distance proph-
ecied the hour Of her ruin. 1t was
said that the prophecy reached the
ears of the Empress and haunted
her with cruel foreboding. On the
fatal night when her imperial hus-
baud came to inform her that they
must part for ever, she was wear
ing the magnificent pearls that now
lie before me; tearing them from
her neck she dashed them on the
floor; the fatal prophecy came back
upon her and she remembered her