Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-10
A NOTED CRYSTAL FLUTE.

NOTED CRYSTAL FLUTE.
Ny memory Of . valuable relic of the long
past was recalled by the sight Of q crystal flute
now on loan exhibition to the National Museum.
1t was the property Of DR.. Cornelius Boyle and
is now owned by his family. saw it years ago.
at the time it came into the possession Of the
doctor. This flute was presented to Mr.. Madi-
son by dignitary Of the court of the fra Ma
poleon, and is inscribed "Presente Son Excel
lence, James Madison, President dEtats Unis
1916" but the name Of the giver is not known
It is about eighteen inches long. composed Of
three separate parts, each about six inches
long and evidently cut from solid block Of the
material The silver mountings bear the name
OF the silver worker, but nothing is known of the
panent iaborer who Tor years must have devoted
himself to the production Of work 80 beautiful
At the death Of Mr.. MadiJ Ion it passed into the
possession Of his venerated consort and from
her 1t became the property Of her son, Payne
Todd, esq, who presented or bequeathed it to
his friend who had attended him in the illness
from which he suffered greatly. being afflicted
with that penalty, the govt, which Mr.. Todd,
like many others have, invited by being q veri.
table bon vivant, DR.. Boyle had written the
history OF this relic as given him by Mr.. Todd,
but unfortunately it could not be found among
his papers after his death and much of the story
az have told it came from the doctor. Time
has somewhat furnished the silver mountings,
but has not obliterated the inscriptions or i'm
paired the tones Of melody heard from it
years ago.
remember 90 we'll Mrs Madison and have
seen her frequently taking an evening stroll
along street visiting Mrs. Adams, Mrs. Major
Wheaton and the families who resided on
that street, then containing only private resi-
dences. She was accompanied always by maid
as companion, and a. I recall bore none of tho
evidences Of age. Her handsome face slightly
rouged, for she said she considered it duty to
society to hide the ravages of time instead of
allowing them to intrude their presence upon
her friends.
Mr.: Todd, her son, was, have always under
stood. man ofconsiderable talent and culture,
but he seems to have devoted his life after the
death OF Mr.. Madison, to whom he was private
secretary, to the enjOyments Of the table. He
did not possess the retaining power or did not
value the treasures he inherited for he sold or
able Madison papers, which are now held by the
heirs Of the late Jas. c. Mcclure. When
knew Mr.. Todd he had reached the period Of
the scar and yellow leaf and bore but little re-
semblance to the young private secretary of his
stepfather, the leader Of the gayeties Of the Ex-
ecutive Mansion.
The Legendary story we have Of the flute
comes down to US from the past. The crystal
1t Is saio, came from the mines Of Siberia, and
political prisoner confined there by long and
patient labor fashioned this work Of so much
beauty, the differ mt parts being fitted to form
flute of rare tono. The story goes on to say
it came into the possession of Napoleon during
his campaign in Russia, either as q ransom Of !.
town or as one Of the spoils of war, and was BY
him presented to President Madison, who had
won his admiration by the successful conduct
Of the war Of 1912 against their common enemy,
England. The size of the piece of crystal from
which each part is cut has somewhat puzzled
biologists, as blocks 30 pure and DO large are
very rare. The whole formation il without
flaw, and when we consider the hardness Of the
material the labor seems to have been that Of
years. 1t was highly priced by Mr.. Madison 81
gift 80 unique as to attract universal attention
and admiration. JNo. r. CoYLH.