Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-01-19
STORY OF A DIAMOND NECKLACE.

STORY OF A DIAMOND NECKLACE
When the Countess Dubarry was in
the height of her power, holding IN
chains vicious king, Louis XIV. or
dered for her necklace of diamonds.
Bohmer and Rassenge, the jewelers.,
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 jewelers. found them
selves burdened with a heavy debt in
CURED in purchasing the diamonds.
They made an effort to sell the gilt
tering and costly bauble to the youthful
Marie Antoinette, but the queen de-
clined to purchase. The finances OF
the country did not allow Of so great
an expenditure on an article which,
however beautiful, was by no means
necessary to the queen. 1t was offered
to the various Europeans courts, but
they were not willing to pay S400 900
for diamond necklace, however pre-
cious the stones might be. For ten
years the jewelers. persisted in Offering
the necklace to the queen, until she
grew weary ofthe persecution. Think
ing that they saw their opportunity
when the dauphin was born, again they
appeared at the palace with the neck
lace, and the king taking it, offered it
to the queen, and was astonished at
the warmth of her words when she re-
iected the gift. So the jewellers still
had the unlucky necklace on their un-
willing hands.
There was plot brewing which, if
successful, would relieve the jewellers
of the now obnoxious necklace, but
which would not place it within the
hands of royalty. 1t was plot Won
derfully contrived and wonderfully
carried out, the chief conspirstor II
women, showing remarkable fertility
of resource, uncommon audacitv and
great reeklessness of consequences.
This woman, the Countess dc In
Note, was descended in an irregular
way from Henry II, 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 arc first introduced to the
wicked countess she is begging on the
roadside with her little sister on her
back, she herself child of tender
years. Deserted by her unnatural
mother these little ones had to take
care of themselves, and perhaps the
cunning for which the willy countess
was distinguished had been acquired
during her vagrant career.
1t was fortunate day for ar when,
running beside the carriage of the Mar
chioness de Boulainvillers, she cried
Pray take pity on two orphans, de-
of France Such an appeal was likely
to attract attention, as it was unusual
to see the members of royal family
reduced to such plight. The Marchi-
oness induired into the girls story, and
finding that her lineage could be traced
even though remotely and irregularly,
to king of France, she sent the
children TO her chateau, and betriended
them, Every educational advantage
was given them, and by persistent eff
forts she had their claim to royal de
scent acknowledged, and a pension o.
$50 year settled on each of the three
children-for there was boy also. The
little beggar girl was now known as
Mademoiselle Valois, and after she hac
completed her education she went to
Bar-Sur-Aube, the place of her birth.
Here she encountered M. de In Motto
an officer in the gendarmes, ana married
him.
Even at this early age her mora
character was not above suspicion, an6
it is clear that she was utterly detieien
in self-respect and i'll proper principle
Full of preteuse and of ambitious az
pirations, she thought that daughte
of the house of Nalois should support &
certain style. Neither her husband no.
herself had the means to keep up {
display, or even II moderately gentee
appearance, and like many other weak
minded people under similar circum
stances, they began to borrow, beg an,
steal. She now assumed the title o
countess and her husband that o
count Fancying that she was KEEP
out Of her ancestral estate, she fairly
besieged all who she thought conld To-
of service in pushing her claims.
Having been, unfortunately for him
introduced to the Cardinal de Rohan
grand almoner of France, she prepared
to secure him in her tolls. He was no
hard to ensnarc. She was not destitute
of attractions, was cajoling, flattering
insinuating and without any mora
scruples; while he was vain, protligate
and easily duped by women. He wa
grand almoner of France, and a ricl
prize for her TO grasp.
Resolved to secure her ancestral do
mains, she was determined to gain &C
cess to the queen in order to enlist hel
sympathies in her cause. But sh,
failed in reaching the presence of MARI
Antoinette, Notwithstanding her artful