Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-14

going the way Of all the rest OF them. and
thinking OF nothing but himself; ENSURE
/ feel a drausht upon my shoulders
The old gentleman fastened to obey.
The draught existed but IN the IMAGINATION
Of the old lady; as. truth to say, did num-
berless other things of somewhat less in
1--WE are both horribly dull tonight,
Marquis. suppose you tell me story 70
pass tho time till GERMAN brings IN the
tea. It's quito early yet"
The clock upon the mantelpiece chimed
out 10 rs if in response.
"A storyf Well, yes. though do not
exactly know"
"Oh. hunt up something in that wicked
old head of yours; something true. you
know, with Just spice OF scandal to flavor
it-you know exactly what / mean"
The old gentleman passed his delicate
hand across his brow. and would probably
have gone on TO caress his hair had he not
been afraid of deranging the Paris-made
troupet with which the summit Of his
Uranium was garnished. After amoments
silence on his part, and expectation on
hers, he said;
did ever tell you the history of her
Majesty's-her late Majesty, of course
sapphire brooch Z"
mo, never. That will do famously.
You can begin in orthodox nursery STYLE
once upon time there lived king"
She stopped and sighed. for the thought
obtruded itself that neither the Marquis
nor herself were very distant from that
second childhood that so pitilessly awaits
those who are forced TO linger somewhat
too long in this go-ahead world of ours.
81 scarcely wonder at your never hear
ing Of II, for il was hushed up as well az
might be, and you were IN ST. Petersburg
when it happened"
"Ah. dear 81. Petersburgi" murmured
the old lady. letting her fan slide from her
grasp, and clasping her two hands upon
her lap, II shall always look back to those
davs az golden ones"
Whether the late Dukes Che was ambas-
sador there) having caught bronchitis IN
the said city that finally carried him OF
had ANYTHING to influence those golden"
days, the old Marquis was too prudent and
polite 60 inquire. He simply cleared his
ancient throat and startedi
- was one evening waiting for his Ma
iestV IN the yellow saloon-you remember
the yellow saloon, Duchess?"
Yes. | should think do! No fair wo--
man could ever fail remembering and
hating it after she had once set her foot in
it. Please 90 on"
For | WAS to accompany his Majesty to
one OF his shootlug-boxes for days hunt
ing, and we were to return IN time for the
opera next night. Madame y. was 70 sing
IN the Huguenots, and the whole Court
and town were in state OF excitement and
expectation
"Of course they were, as was quite natu-
ral-and his Majesty in particular, II GER
tain tales are to be credited-for \. was an
artistic among thousand and q beauty
among o million"
Quite wrong for once. Duchess-there
Int t,la .nnTQ "a tiae-
ton" -
Now. Marquis, Marquis, don't talk nom
sense-you know better than that. The
idea OF q platonic affection between hand
some woman-an artistic into the bargain
and a crowned head Preposterous! As
well say that tow and finder won't blaze
up on coming together! But Just go on"
The gentleman shrugged his shoulders
and continued:
At last his Majesty came in, and we
were lust going 10 leave when he e1claim-
ed in a vexed tone: had quite forgotten
TODAY is the 25th-Fifne's birthday, and |
promised her doll Then, after biting
the tin Of his glove. as WAS his wont when
porulexed. he added: Just wait here a
minutes; I'll go and see what's to be
done
$50 ! waited-and in less than five
minutes he came back smiling. and with o
long parcel in his hand. Fifine shall have
her doll all in time-l've purloined one of
Princess AS for the moment. Tell Made
moiselle la Roche TO have it replaced. ,
Fifne, YOU know. was Madame rs little
Girl. and AIademoiselle La Roche was gov
erness 10 his own little daughter. SO we
got into the carriage and drove of, stop
ping on the way at Madame X lodgings
and handing over the dbl to her maid,
who had come down to the carriage.
1--WE cot back the next evening just in
time TO dress for the theatre. But. on en-
tering the palace we were met by piece
of news that. for the moment, put every
thing else ont of our heads
All now We are coming to it," put IN
the Duchess.
"Weu, not quite so fast as you think,
perhaps" n.s,
Nothing less than robbery IN the
Princess AS doll. perhaps?" laughed
the old lady.
Sometime rather more serious. A
splendid sapphire brooch had disappeared
from the Queens toilet table and was no.
where TO be found or accounted for. The
brooch was priceless and matchless. Her
Majesty was dreadfully angry, for the
level was q fayorite one and"
Il can quite feel for her. Sapphires are
such lovely stones,
"Of course the thing had been kept as
ouietlv as possible awaiting the Kings re-
turn-and then -
Al. we all know what a palace secret
is' Something that every one within the
walls knows and is dying to speak ot-only
doesn't dare. Well?"
1.-The King was quite as much puzzled rs
the rest. No one had been III her Majesty e
apartments except the lady in waiting, the
vounp urincesseS. and their governess and
The usual attendants. They. of course,
we're above all suspicion. Nor could any
ono Gain access 10 the dressing-room; un-
less bv passing through tho private draw
ipp-rooms on the one side and the chill
dren's plav-room and bed-chambers on the
other. And yet some one must hsve TAKEN
the iewel-for gone IT was"
What pity there were no clalrvoyants
in those DAYS" said the Duchess. II
might have made fortune Tor one OF
them at least" -
But there were not, you see. They are
later invention"
YES. ike imitation bric-d-brac-and
about as barefaced. But 60 on" -,
$50. there being no clarvoyants tnt
head of the police was sent tor--
"A much wiser plan."
a
with the order to set to work Gs quickly
and silently as possible"
and them" =,
1--WE dressed and went TO the theatre"
All. the tow and finder are drawing
nigh each other"
"Well. his Majesty was somewhat tin
Aorisb that evening, if you like to call Il
go. The hunt had turned out oil but
failure. and the news of the robbery com
nIeted the measure of his i'll humor. TIT
drive TO the opera-houSe was not pleasant
one"
Il dare say not"
And. altogether, I was ANYTHING, bu
sorry when il came to an end. We had no
been seated very long before the moment
| for y = appearance on the stage arrived
| You might have heard mouse sigh. so 81
| lent and attentive was the whole house;
Yes, not like nowadays. when peopl
| do nothing but chatter. Rich vulgar wo
men lolling in their boxes and trying t(
outyie each other in the number OF thei
visits and the loudness of their tongues.
AT last she came on-adyanced RICH
under the royal box, and made her courtesy
| And al the same instant her Majesty OK
claimed in tone loud enough. fear, Z
have been heard half a dozen boxes of
| NV sapphire brooch! W
stut,at ,usp,t uuaen-lika. but can quit