The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-05
a CURIOUS JEWEL sToaY.
The Clever But Dishonest Maid Was
Not So Very Clever After All.
IL -.


From the Netc York Tribune
Here Is a very curious Jewel story which
we are told Is authentic On the night of
her first ball little Miss B. wore a lovely
string or pearls, belonging to her mother,
which quite came in for their share of the
general admiration accorded to the pretty
debutante and her toilette. Eyes they are
very beautiful" said Mrs B., in reply to
the enthusiastic comments of friend, land
they have, moreover, very interesting
history, which, as have lived so long IN
seclusion abroad, You have probably never
heard.
"At one time. you know before my hus.
bands death. went out O great deal in
London, and, as my pearls, which are
really remarkable for their size and color.
are immensely valuable, had duplicate
string made OF Roman pearls which / wore
on all ordinary occasions, leaving my own
precious stones in the safe at home. About
that time cousin of mine who was an ex-
tremely pretty girl, but rather badly Off in
the way Of worldly gear. came over from
America to stay with me, and on the oc-
casion Of her first dance took great pleas
ure in seeing that her undoubted beauty
was advanced by a becoming toilette AS
she had no jewels l clasped the string of
Roman pearls around her neck. saying: Il
will give you these as they are so becoming,
and can easily have another string made
If l should want them The child was a
great success. and at the end of the season
was married to the Count ven s. of the
Austrian legation, who fell In love with her
pretty face, and wooed and welded her de-
spite the want Of dover.
Just before the wedding my French
maid, who had been with us for years, and
in whom had always had the greatest con-
tidence, disappeared, and with her my
pearls. My loss was the tall, OF the town at
the time; enormous rewards were offered,
and both English and French detectives
were busy over the affair for months. with
out, however, the slightest result. The dis
appearance OF such valuable jewels puzzled
every one, and the mystery was only ex-
planned few years ago, when my eldest
daughter came out In Paris Count Won
s. was there with his family, having at
tanned to the rank of first secretary of the
legation, and on the night of my Bertha's
first ball my cousin, Madame Won s.,
came over TO our apartment with the iden-
tlcal string of Roman pearls / had given
her several years before. I have always
kept them, she said, put away carefully; :
and now l want Bertha to have them, as
they brought me such good luck
The clasp, however, appeared to be i'm
perfect, and Nine. Won s. offered to leave
it at the jewelers. on her way home, 1T is
they can easily be sent back in time for the
ball. An hour later the card of we'll
known jeweler was brought to me, and
wondering what he wanted, l gave orders
to have HIM admitted. An elderly GENTLE
man presented himself 4 have brought
back the pearls myself. madame he said,
bowling respectfully. On account of their
great value l preferred to deliver them per-
sonally into your own hands,
Amused to see one of the trade so
easily deceived answered. And what
should you say was their value p Not less
than 5000 at their lowest valuation he
responded, promptly. 4 have examined
them carefully; they are without flaw, and
are remarkably perfect Ny dear, I
nearly tainted, for wild idea suddenly o.
cured to me: What IL these were the real
pearls after all. and my clever maid had
only taken the duplicates = Well, the long
and short of 1t was that that was exactly
what had happened. Bertha wore the bona
fide jewelry to the embassy ball, and again
they seemed to bring good fortune, for she
is most happily married to Lord A,
whom she met that evening; and now 1t is
little Mary's turn, and 1 have been wonder
ing ali the evening what will be her fate. !"