The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-11
"CULOTrEs" OF WHITE
Full Of Diamonds and Part of a Won
derful Diamond Exchange.

Q5FIuI diamond Exchange.
From the NelC Orleans Pica1ntne.
In common cafe in the Boulevard Mont
msrtre, alongside the Varieties theater
which Bertrand managed until he was ap-
pointed manager Of the Grand Opera, there
Is diamond exchange which beats the
world, and yet very few foreigners seem to
know anything whatever about the Mace
nor can strangers go in and see what Is
going on, though the doors are omen to
everybody; for no sooner does a new face
appear than those inside close their mort
toIos quickly aud the precious stones are
9iuaen from the vulgar gaze. Instead of
diamond brokers' doing business among
themselves, you can see only a few Jews
playing cards, few Christians at dominoes
ana Turk who smokes his pipe and saws
hotnlnR. lie Is robed in his oriental Co.'S
tune, has turban on, and, In general
looks like any other Mohammedan. But
glance at his white brooches and notice how
tney bag out. Well, madam, those culottes,
dirty though they are, are full of diamonds
and rubies and sapphires and emeralds.
NOW, do not imagine that because these
dealers In precious stones so hastily put
away their property they are afraid Of be-
ing ROBBED; that is not what frightens them,
assure you. What worries them is the
possibility Of saying a real price before pro-
lanes, possibly before some small jewelry
merchant. They hate little retail dealers.
do these several Hebrews and few Chris
tlans OF the diamond exchange alongside OF
or the Varieties theater, and not one of
them would ever desgn to sell any
sort or stone to such a
shopkeeper. But when the unknown per-
son departs their arms stretch out, their
portfolios of white metal reappear, and IN
minute small tables are covered with pre-
C10ua RtOneR tho diamond s -
are worth millions of dollars.
All these valuabes were folded up in
packets OF white paper, which look lust like
those that the corner druggist gives YOU
when he puts up quinine or rhubarb or some
other powder. These white paper packages
are cautiously opened and in less time than
take to tell it all the tables in the room.
including the billiard table, are covered to
that point with precious pebbles that even
the Snah OF Persia would be astonished II
10 very curious sight, that of these dingy
ana dlrty-looking old man TRANQUILITY bring
ing million or so dollars worth Of
diamonds out OF their pockets, and each one
or the nearly 10 900 packages which these
brokers produce contains brilliants
OF equal weight and running in sizes from
the almost imperceptible fractured one up
to stones as large as hazel nuts. The
raresS pebbles are wrapt up IN special
packages, and one fellow shows a sapphire
which is almost as big as a pigeons egg.
Not TO be outdone, another son of Abraham
produces diamond surrounded by twelve
pearls, and the carbon alone is as big as the
precious drops got from dozen shells
II have here great bargain shouts au-
other broker, loud enough for ell to hear
him, "ole of the most beautiful of old lew
els" The Others look up and listen as he
he continues: 1t is necklace which once
belonged to the Princess de Guemenee The
setting, the diamonds, all are ancient, aud
end Prince Troisetoieff refused q, 900 francs
tor IL twenty-five years ago. VII sell it
for that price"
The necklace passes from hand to hand.
and With magnifying glass it is regarded by
each person, with joy in his heart but they
take good care not 10 show signs Of it. The
Jewel reaches Michels hand, and Michel is
the boss judge, the one Of them all in whom
they have the most confidence. He takes
the object, weighs it in his hand, looks at it
indlfferently, and says:
These two brilliants are ancient Gndicat-
ing with his finger; these two others, with
their setting, came from the Countess de
PreJean; these other two are still more
beautiful, and were part of a necklace that
was stolen In 1904 from Nine Morisfni.
1t afterward belonged to Lady Temple, her
husband having bought it at Candahar
from isaac Lsvlen, your grandfather Mons
Lyon this to broker present. Lady Tenn
pie left it to her daughter, whose husband
a shifbless German, sold it three days after
the mar iage. AS for the sapphire in the
middle, it WAS one of Schneiders precious
stones and was bought at the sale Of her
jewels. When say Schneider, / mean that
great artist who created the "Grand Ouch
ess" and 30 many other characters in the
works OF Ofenbach. All the rest of this
necklace, stones and setting, is
new and comes straight from Hamburg,
but it is weil-made, and 1 think that the
10000 francs asked for ID a very fair
| price,"
! This decision of Michel settled it, and the
necklace was sold then and there for that
sum of money to man who two days later
disposed Of it to Vernona Jarbeau, the
| American actress, then stopping at the
| Grand hotel. for $1,000 francs, though at
/ first the mau asked her 100000 1t will be
worth ct least S25, 900 in the United States,
but it Is none too beautiful nor too rich for
that charming artist