Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-09-20
THE STOLEN DIAMONDS.

It was during the palmiest days of the
empire.
The overture was over; the emperor,
accompanied by the empress, radiant in
her beauty and glittering with jewels,
had just entered the royal box. In an
other moment the bell would tinkle and
the opera commence. But in an instant
the second box to the right of the en-
peror was opened, the curtains were
drawn aside and revealed the lovely wife
of the Russian ambassador. Duke Metz
kerwitch.
Every eye was fixed with fascinated
gaze upon the woman who had just
taken her seat, and was with well bred
nonchalance glancing about the house;
for upon her arms, blazing like bea-
cons, sparkled the diamonds of which
Paris had heard so much and which
royalty in vain had long sought to pnr-
chase.
A hum of admiration ran through the
house.
When the curtain fell upon the first
act, a servant, wearing the imperial liv-
cry, presented himself at the Russian
ambassadors box, raped only as an inn
perial turnkey could rap, and then entered
the box.
aHer majesty had noticed the brace
lets and was dumb with admiration;
would milady be SO gracious as to allow
the empress to make personal exami-
nation.
In an instant the fair arm was shorn
of bracelet. and with smothered
ejaculation of delight the man wearing
the imperial livery bowed himself out Of
the box.
The curtain fell upon the third act,
assembled again on the fourth, the notes
of the finale rolled through the house,
the curtain fell for the last time, and
still with well bred politeness the wife
of the Russian ambassador waited for
the return of her priceless jewels. The
imperial party rose and departed, and
yet the bracelet was not returned. Then
the duke, with terrible frown of inn
patience, rose and drove rapidly to the
Tuileries and demanded the return of
the diamonds.
Explanations followed, and the duke
was at last convinced that the empress
had never sent for the bracelet, and the
man wearing the imperial livery was one
of the daring thieves who infested the
capital He bade his coachman drive to
the prefect of police, and ere daylight
hundred of the shrewdest officers were
searching Paris for the gems. The duke,
filed with anxiety, remained at the office
for tidings, while the duchess awaited
the recovery of her diamonds at home.
The great clock has just tolled 6, when
the bell of the dukes hotel rang. and an
officer of the police was ushered into the
presence OF the duchess.
WAS the bracelet recovered?" and
awould they ilnprison the scoundrel for
the rest of his days?"
With grave bow the officer stated
that the thief was taken and upon his
person was found the bracelet. But the
fellow stoutly insisted that he was not
the thief, and that the bracelet had been
in his family many years Would mad
anne intrust to him the mate of the miss
ing bracelet, that the identity might be
complete2
Madame, the duchess, without word,
uU1OCkGQ 0CI CE1ACS dAG pAdSC0 Ia tAO
hands of the trusty officer the second
bracelet. The officer, with a profound
bow, left the apartment. and madame
retired once more-this time to sleep and
to dream of her precious diamonds.
When the bell tolled the hour of 8 the
Russian ambassador, haggard and dis
ordered, entered his wife's apartment
and threw himself in despair into chair.
Madame opened her eyes, and, with a
smile of delight, asked for the bracelets.
@Satanl we can learn nothing of them.
sWhatl shrieked the madame, 4have
YOU not recovered It? The officer who
came for the other bracelet said that the
thief had been taken, the bracelet
fOundl"
The duke, with an exclamation of
amazement, sprang to his feet, and, in
husky voice. besought his wife to ex-
plain. In few words she told him
And then, with q grOan, the duke
dropped into seat
81 see it all, said he; @the rascals
have robbed you of the second bracelet
The man to whom you gave it was no
officer, but . bolder thief than the
first >
And 30 It proved. The bracelets were
never returned, and the Russian ambas-
sador recalls the fete day Of the fallen
emperor with 3 long drawn sigh.