The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-08-14
A STAGE NECKLACE.
HOW MoDJEsKA GOT THE REPUTA-
TON OF WEARING PRICE
LESS JFWFTS

HOW MoDJEsKA GOT THE REPUTA-
TON OF WEARING PRICE
LESS JEWELS.
Mr.. III. j. Sargent, the manager of
Nine. Janisch for the coming season.
in conversation with New York re-
porter, made clean breast of his old
diamond trick the other day.
why" said he, when Modjeska
was employed by me she had not
enough diamonds to buy a loaf of
bread with. 1 had to advance her the
money to come on here from Califor-
MIA with, and we began the season
she was in my debt very nearly
$1,000. You can imagine, then, that
when she first played Camille at the
Fifth avenue theatre there were no
diamonds to exhibit. But when we
had played in several towns and got
through with Boston we began to
feel little easier. l had some money
in my pocket, and so had she. One
day we were walking along King
street, in Montreal, and we passed a
jewelers. just next door to the theatre.
In the window was a magnificent dia-
mond necklace. Modjeska and 1
Toasted our eyes on it, and then said
we might as well go in and see it. She
"What was the good ?" but
1 said, ut may do us good to handle
the man in charge of the store to see
the necklace in the window. He re-
cognized us, and taking it out, said ii
would be just the thing for the ma
dame. We nudged each other as il it
1nlf afA lob L. 81.
US that it had been made for Mary
Anderson but she had never come
to claim it. 1 thought Mary had
been going it rather strong, and then
asked him the price of 1t; 'e8,' said he.
$40 I'll give $35 for it, said /, and
the bargain was concluded. / took
the necklace away ESQ far Modjeska
had been playing Camille with queer
old necklace that fell to pieces every
a time l mended IT..
The next day had box made with
bands of brass, a strong paddock, and
handles on both ends for two men to
carry. When we got to Chicago put
The necklace in this strong box, ana
0ne night after the performance L
walked up to the Office of the hotel,
and had man lift the box on to the
Put that in the safe,' l
said. They looked at the box
and said they never could get
/ box like that into the
'afe. WELL said l, you put notice
n every room that you WON'T be re-
'ponsible for valuables unless they are
eft in the safe, and here is Mime.
$4,000 necklace, l want
you to take charge of it. BY this
line there was a crowd around the
counter cycling the box. The clerk
lidn't know what to do. Strange
said 1, that the present Nine. Mod
eska got from the Gar of Russia
amt be properly protected. Then get
,wo policemen and put them to guard
he box all night, and I'll pay them
myself The were got and they sat
On each side of the box of 1856 dia-
nonds till IL next day. Nothing more
was necessary for me to do. The pa
pers were full of the Cars $4,000
and Modjeska's jewelry
was one of the attractions of the
season.
"Rhea? Well, Rhea didn't have
enough money when she came over
here to pay one days hotel bill. But
she had bought few paste diamonds
n Paris before leaving. They were
worth fully $50, because they were
very well set. The Gar of Russia got
5he credit for these, too. 1t was
parure, which he had pre-
'ented her with when she played at
The Imperial theater. Both events
PATHS Gar diamonds, you
will see, though if they are no more
genuine than Modjeskas and Rhea's
t is simply the same old trick. But
we managed to get good boom out
Of the diamonds even in her case. No
end of reporters described them, but
who were given very cursory view.
If Rhea's acting had been only up to
the diamonds it would have been all
right. But apparently the trick had
been done to death. The public
neither came to see Rhea nor the
either.
"But what about Janischek's dia
monds? ?"
"Oh, they are really real diamondsl
They got the first prize for paste at
5he Vienna exposition. You can act
lally examine them without being
ible to tell the difference. And they
Ire very effective, indeed, and worth
quite $500 or 800. Beside Modjeska's
Ind Rhea's they are genuine old-mine
stones. 1 could really fool anybody
With them, but / won't, even though
Modjeska and Rhea did get me into
Dad habits"