Connecticut western news., 1881-11-09
THE DIAMOND NECKLACE.

When the Countess Dubarry was in the height of her power, holding in chains vicious king, Louis XV. ordered for her necklace of diamonds, Bohmer and Bassenge. the jewellers, hunted the world through for gems worthy, to be wrought into necklace for the favorite of king. Before the necklace was ready for delivery the king died, and the jewellers found themselves burdened with heavy debt incurred in purchas- ing the diamonds.
 They made an effort to sell the gilt tering and costly bauble to the youthful Marie Antoinette, but the Queen de- clined the purchase. The finances of the country did not allow of so great an expenditure on an article which, how ever beautiful, was by no means nec- essary to the Queen. It was offered to the various European Courts, but they were not willing to give ESQ, 900 for 8 diamond necklace, however precious the stones might be. For ten years the jewellers persisted in offering the neck lace to the Queen, until she grew weary of the persecution. Thinking that they saw their oppurtunity when the Dau- phin was born, again they appeared at the palace with the necklace, and the king taking it, offered it to the Queen, and was astonished at the warmth of her words when she rejected the gift. So the jewellers still had the unlucky necklace on their unwilling hands.
 There was plot brewing which, if successful, would. relieve the jewellers of the now obnoxious necklace, but which would not place it in the hands of royalty. It was plot wonderfully con- trived and wonderfully carried out, the chief conspirator, woman, showing remarkable fertility of resource, uncom- mon audacity, and great recklessness oi consequences. .-. t--
 This woman, the Countess de Ia Motte, was descended in an irregular way from Henry IT. of Valois. The Saint Remi family, however, had been reduced, through poverty, to the lowest extreme of degradation and, however exalted their lineage, they had lost all traces of their royal pedigree.
 When we are first introduced to the wicked Countess she is begging on tho roadside with her little sister on he1 back, she herself child of tender years
 Deserted by her unnatural mother, these little ones had to take care of them selves, and perhaps the cunning fol
 which the willy Countess was distiu
 guished had been acquired during he
 vagrant career. .f k.
 It was a fortunate day for her when
 running beside the carriage of the Mar
 chioness de Boulainvilliers, she cried
 "Pray take pity on two. orphans, de
 seconded from Henry II. of Valois, Kin
 of France" Such an appeal was likel
 to attract attention, as it was unusus
 to see members of @ royal family re
 duced to such plight. The Marchior
 ess inquired into the girls story, an
 finding that her lineage could be traced
 even though remote and irregularly, t
 King of France, she sent the childre to her chateau and befriended then Every educational advantage was give
 them, and by persistent efforts she ha
 their claim to royal descent acknow 3 edged, and pension of 932 year SC tied on each of the three children-fc ; there was boy also. The little begg, Valois; and after she had completed h, 3 education she went to Bar-Sur-Aub 3 the place of her birth. Here she e . countered M. de Ia Motte, an officer the Gendarmes, and married him.
 Even at this early age her nor character was not above suspicion, al 3 it is clear that she was utterly deficie 2 in self-respect and in proper principl Full of pretence and of ambitious aspir ], tions, she thought that daughter r the house of Valois should support @ certain style. Neither her husband n @ herself had the means to keep up d play, or even @ moderately genteel a 2 pearance, and. like many other wea a minded people under similar circul s stances, they began to borrow, beg a y steal. She now assumed the title
 Countess and her husband that of Coul t Fancying that she was kept out of z? ancestral estate, she, fairly besieged }. who she thought could be of service | pushing her claims.
 Having been, unfortunately for hi " introduced to the Cardinal de Roh, $, Grand Almoner of France, she prepal p, to secure him in her tolls. He was ss hard to ensnare. She was not destitute 'A attractions, was cajoling, fattering,
 sinuating and without any moral sc u pies while he was vain, prohigate 6
 easily duped by women. He was Grt te Amoner of France, and rich prize Si her to grasp.
 | Resolved to secure her ancestral