The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-03-08
A FRENCH DIAMOND ROBBERY
hLARIC CARR,

1t was in the palmiest DAYS of the ILL
fated second empire. The triumphs of
the Crimea were not yet forgotten; the
laurels won at Magenta were still YER
dant and fresh; Sedan, with all its bitter
humiliation and disastrous train of
tragic consequences, loomed in the misty
future, undreamed of amidst the almost
fabulous luxury and incredible frivolitv
which paved the way for the terrible
fiasco.
1t was an evening in mid-winter. The
Partisan season was at its height, and a
brilliant audience had assembled at the
Theater Francois to witness the per-
Torrance of Jules Sandeau's delightful
play, Mile. de la Seigliere," in which
the role of Destournelles was filled by
the great Regnier, 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 of
modern days.
The empress was present, beautiful
and graceful, the emperor at her side,
wrapt in his favorite air of gloomy
abstraction, which, like Lord Burleigh's
celebrated nod, was supposed to mean
80 much, yet which, viewed by the i'm
partial light of subsequent veracious
history, seems to have signiied so 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
solitary, humble, black coated civilian
In ordinary evening dress, with the in
evltable speck of red at his button-hole.
In a box almost Immediately opposite
that occupied by their imperial males
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, fine man of distinguished,
prepossessing appearance, who looked
an embodied REPUTATION of the celebrated
Napoleonlc aphorlsm, 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'dcte. MANY humber
nnnrfolc fnlloual
them Count 1vanoff, apparently in no
wise disturbed by the fact that the
golden youth In the stalls were bringing
small battery of opera glasses TO bear
upon the dazzling charms of his beauti-
full wife, with brazen persistency which
we chlvalrous Britishers like to fiatter
ourselves is the monopoly of foreigners.
The countess leaned back in her lux
urious jaufeuit, tanning herself dream
lily, serenely Indifferent to the interest
she was exciting. In the dim light of
her curtain-shaded box the glitter of her
splendid diamonds seemed to form a
sort of luminous halo around her grace
full head; myriad starry brilliants
cleaned among the masses of her gold
brown hair, and two priceless stones,
popularity reported to be worth that un-
known quantity, a kings ransom,
flashed and twinkled like twin planets
In her little shell-tinted ears.
The count had not been gone five
minutes when there was gentle knock
at the door, and In answer to the count
ess' "Eatrez," the ouUreuse appeared
and said deferentially:
pardon, Mme la Comtesse, a gen.
tleman charged with message from her
majesty the empress waits in the CORR.
dor, and desires to know if madame will
have the goodness to receive him."
Certainly Enter, [ beg of you,
monsieur" replied the countess in a low,
sweet voice which was not the least of
her many attractions, bowling graciously,
as she recognized the distinguished
looking civilian she had already noticed
in close proximity to the emperor in the
imperial box.
The visitor advanced few steps
and, still standing in deep shadow, said
with grave dignity:
trust my intrusion may be par.
doned. L am desired by her majesty tc
ask favor of Nine. La Comtesse, and,
at the same time, to beg that she will
have the goodness to excuse a some.
what unusual request"
The obligation will be mine if ]
can fulfil even the least of her maiesty's
wishes" answered the countess grace.
fully.
1.-THE case is this" explained the
gentleman, IN a tone of well-bred
ease, San argument has arisen concern.
ing the size of the diamonds in your ear
rings and those of the Countess W.
The empress begs that you will intrust
one of your pendants to her care for 6
few moments al the only satisfactory
method of dispoeing of the vexed ques
ton. l will myself return it the instant
her majesty gives it back into my keep
ing.
with the greatest pleasure, agreed
the countess with amiable alacrity, de-
tachlng the precious jewel forthwith, and
deposltlng it, without misgiving, in the
outstretched palm of the imperial mes,
senger; for, indeed, diamonds were al
most as plentiful in the existence of this
fortunate lady asin the pages OF Lothian,
and she attached no more importance to
them than did the jewel laden heroines
of our late great and lamented premier.
The countess bestowed a smile and a
gracious bow of dismissal upon her maj
esty's distinguished ambassador, who
responded by a profoundly respectful
inclination as he made his exit. Once
safely outside the box, the aristocratic
features of this high-bred imperial en-
issary suddenly lost their serene express
sion of dignified gravity, and relaxed in
to triumphant Mepistophelean grin.
Shortly afterward Count Ivanoff re-
turned. 81 have been talking to
D." he remarked. as he seated him