Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-03-05
A FRENCH DIAMOND ROBBERY
ALARIC CARR.

A1ARIC CARR.
It was in the palmiest days of the ill.,
fated second empire. The ttiumphs OF
the C1imea were not yet forgotten; the
laurels won at Magenta were still YER
dant and fresh; Sedan, with all it's bitter
humiliation and disastrous train Of
tragic consequences, loomed in the misty
future, undreamed of amidst the almost
fabulous luxury and Incredible frivolity
which paved the way for the terrible
iasco.
It was an evening in mid-winter. The
Partisan season was at it's height, and q
brilliant audience had assembled at the
Theater Francois to witness the per-
Torrance Of Jules Sandeau's delightful
play, "Mlle. de la Ssigliere," in which
the role OF Destournelles was filled by
the great Regrier, and that of Helene
by Madeline Brohan, then in the zenith
OF her fame. radiant with youth, beauty,
and those destinations, the outcome OF
innate talent and refinement, which rem
dered that gifted lady one of the most
charming and perfect actresses o;
modem Gays.
The empress was present, beautiful
and graceful, the emperor at her side,
wrapt in his favorite air of gloomy
abstraction, which, like Lord Burle,gh's
celebrated nod, was supposed to mean
so much, yet which, viewed by the i'm
partial light of subsequent veracious
history, seems to have signiied 80 very
little. Several officers in glittering uni
forms were in attendance, sparkling with
decorations showered upon them by a
grateful sovereign; and, among these
gallant warriors, conspicuous by reason
Of the somberness Of his attire, was a
solitary, humble, black coated civilian
in ordinary evening dress, with the in
evitable speck of red at his button-hol
In box almost Immediately opposite
that occupied by their imperial majes-
ties was young and exceedingly hand
some Russian lady, the Countess Ivan
of, concerning whose manifold graces
and destinations the great world of
Paris elected to interest itself considera.
bly, at this period.
The beauty and wit of this fair north
ern enchantress were the theme of every
masculine tongue, and her magnificent
| diamonds the envy and admiration of all
feminine beholders.
The countess was accompanied by her
husband, a fine man of distinguished,
prepossessing appearance, who looked
an embodied refutation of the celebrated
Napoleonic aphorism, as though no
amount Of ''scratching'' could ever un-
earth the Cossack element underneath
his refined, polished exterior.
The curtain fell after the first act.
The emperor and empress withdrew
during the entr'acte. Many humber
mortals followed their example; among
them Count Ivanoif, apparently in no
wise disturbed by the fact that the
golden youth in the stalls were bringing
a small battery OF opera glasses to bear
upon the dazzling charms of his beauti-
ful wife, with braZen persistency which
we chivalrous Britishers like to fiatte1
ourselves is the monopoly of foreigners.
The countess leaned back in her lux.
urious .fauteual, tanning herself dream
lily, serenely Indifferent to the interest
she Was exciting. In the dim light OIL
her curtain-shaded box the glitter of he,
splendid diamonds seemed to form 6
sort OF luminous halo around her grace
full head; myriad starry briliiantt
cleaned among the masses Of her gold
brown hair, and two priceless stones
popularity reported to be worth that uu
known quantity, kings ransom
flashed and twinkled like twin planets
in her little shell-tinted ears.
The count had not been gone fiv.
minutes when there was gentle KNOCK
at the door, and in answer to the count
ess' ttEntrez," the ouvree,se appeared
and said deferentially:
s'Pardon, Nine. la Comtesse. a gen
tleman charged with message from he,
majesty the empress waits in the CORR
dor, and desires to know if madame viii
have the goodness to receive him."
"Certainly! Enter, I beg of you
monsieur" replied the countess in low
sweet voice which was not the least O
her many attractions, bowling gracious)y
as she recognized the distinguished
looking civilian she had already noticed
in close proximity to the emperor in tn
imperial box.
The visitor advanced a few steps
aud, still standing in deep shadow, sal,
with grave dignity:
~ trust my intrusion may be par
doned. I am desired by her majesty t.
> ask favor of Nine. la Comtesse, and
at the same time, to beg that she viii
have the goodness to excuse a some
what unusual request"
"The obligation will be mine if
can fulfil even the least of her majesty
wishes" answered the countess grace
fully [yM,, ;, :,
gentleman, in tone of well-bre
ease, can argument has arisen concern
ing the size of the diamonds in your ca,
rings and those of the Countess W
The empress begs that you will intrus
one of your pendants to her care for
few moments ae the only satisfactor
method Of dispoDing Of the vexed quee
ton. I will myself return it the instan
her majesty gives it back into my keep
ing
with the greatest pleasure" agree
the countess with amiable alacrity, de
taching the precious jewel forthwith, an
depositing it, without misgiving, in tn
outstretched palm of the imperial mes
senger; for, indeed, diamonds were al
most as plentiful in the existence of thi
fortunate lady as,,in the pages of Lothian
and she attached no more importance +
them than did the jewel laden heroine
Of our late great and lamented premier.
The countess bestowed smlle and
gracious bow OF dismissal upon her maj
esty's distinguished ambassador, VIII
responded by profoundly respectful
: inclination as he made his exit. Ono
safely outside the box, the aristocrati
features of this hieh-bred imperial EN-
issary suddenly lost their serene expires
sion of digni6ed gravity, and relaxed in
to triumphant Mepistophelean grin.
Shortly afterward Count 1vanof re