Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-19

COPYRIGHT, 1895 by Bachellcr johnson & Bachelor.
There is seldom a lovelier vision vouch-
safsd to the world OF opera than when
the Young Duchess des SarazinS BeauX-
IeuX entered her box AMI paused a mo-
rnout. her grear cloak of sablss as it fell,
making the - hi-eless of her shoulders more
white. When she turned in her slender
stateliless, and bent to return salutation
her dress of palest primrose satin. thread-
ell with gold. and the sudden blaze OF her
diamonds, made the more p1eical or the
SPECTATORS think of the young crescent
moon In the dark sky, that they had seen
down the length Of some avenue before
they entered.
As for the diamonds she wore. they were
simply marreioUs-their size. their purity
their depth. their splcndOr-a collar cIasped
about her throat. with a sunburst on the
breast and Il double fllet in the hair, I'M
rnense and magnificent stones that seemed
to breathe as she breathed, and TO shine
with a spirit of their own. There were, of
course none like them in the house. and
she wore them as IL they were a ribbon
.'Vvhen she comes into her box" the old
Cheyalfer St Nalo said. Il see the stars
rise in the sky
There had been fnnumeTable stories told
about those diamonds. They had been in
the possession OF the Beauxlieux since the
time of the CruSades, for all that men
knew 10 the contrary. The BeauXleuX OF
that day had spoiled the Saracens of them
barbaric and half-cut stones, one legend
ran. others said that the Beauxl:eux OF
the time of Charlemagne, who had carried
on the futile negotiations for the emperor ;
marriage 10 the byzantine Princess Irene,
had been enriched with them before ieslN-
ing the east. 1t was certain that they had
been recut and many times reset anu II
gas believed that no woman OF an tilal
Ioud and Iong-deScended race had worn
them with the grace and beauty ana nom
chalance of the present duchess. ran sup
pie. her dark skin colorleSS and clear, fer
dark eyes like liquid light. her features
modelled in ivory. You might say, the
waves OF her black hair carved out or
ebCny. the delicate curve of the red lips
opening on a smile that took one captive,
IL hardly a wonder that the last duke
had married her from her home In the
Bases Pyrenees without portion
The duke had gone down to his estates
I'm the Islands with a couple of friends for
sons shooting. At least. that was his
errand ostensibly. In reality he had
crossed the border to meet representative
OF the Spanish court in some endeavor TO
compose the endless quaTrrlS of the hostile
kinspeople OF the royal families and bring
fresh forces to urge upon the hesitatinS
king at home the necessity of strong
measures. He was returning. unSucceSs-
full. from his attempt hoping to make the
pass before dark, when his horse went
lame just where the road wound below
the wall OF a single tower, much like the
solitary peel-tOwerS of Ireland, set on a
shelf of the mountain spur. and looking.
in the dim light, as ii it might be tenanted
by bats and owls or by any company of
brigandS.
'Juste cfeIr' exclaimed the duke 1.-THE
last misfortune has arrived to US, And
the night coming on i'll the last quarter
of the moon, here in this land OF brigand-
ager'
II would like better, L confess, to be
guest at n little supper with In dame
Blanfie." said the chevalier. How goes
that, EtienneT'
''You have had little suppers and to
spare. chevalier, was the reply. Hank,
what is that
Ii was a voice. a sweet. fresh voice from
somewhere high in the tower, singing an