The times., 1899-10-01
NINE. NELSON'S JEWELS.
Numbered by Thousands and Worth
Nearly N Million.

Nearly n Million.
Christine Nilsson made her debut in
Paris at the Theatre Lyrique, under the
management OF CarvaIho. on the night of
October %, 1864 She had just passed her
twenty-frst birthday. Miss Nilsson sang
for twenty years. she always said that she
would retire as soon as the critics began
TO say that her voice was failing The cause
OF her retirement was really some foolish
remarks about her figure, as she had grown
somewhat stout
There were present at her debut En-
peror Napoleon III, Empress Eugene, their
court, and veritabIe crush of the culture
nobility. and financial celebrities of Eu-
rope. She sang "Violetta" in the grand
opera Traviata.
The patronage of the nobility that was
given 10 Miss Nilsson on the night of her
first appearance continued through her en-
4 tire professional career. She is today pos
sessed of more jewels. gifts of crowned
heads, than any other artistic in the world
As token of her rendering of Marguer-
/ lite in Faust" in Paris, the Emperor
Napoleon III presented her with daisy
Of diamonds. the leaves of which the singer
NoAih PiIh OA IL Tie lildi VI uB tONE5 int
he loves me not" and these leaves could
afterward be replaced. Even after their
sorrowful downfall, and the unfortunate
little Prince Napoleon had been killed in
Africa, the former Empress Eugene sent
magnificent souvenir of her son to
Nilsson. This was a ring. Under large
diamond, cut fiat, there were the date of
the princes birth and death. and his por-
trait. The diamond was guarded on either
side by golden eagles.
Nilsson has been married twice. The
ceremony that made her the wife of Mon
sieur Auguste RouZard was performed in
Westminster chapel. in 1872 Dean Stanley
officiating. Upon this occasion Queen Vic
toria herself was present also her court
and many mobiles and notable individuals
Nilsson has numerous gifts of jewels from
Queen Victoria the Prince and Princess of
Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh,
Lord and Lady Gerard, of Lorne the
Earls of Dudley and Bradford, the Dukes
of Westminster and Campbells. Lady Dash
wood, Disraeli, the Lords Lindsay and Cav
endish. the Dukes of Manchester, Beaufort,
Sutherland; besides an almost innumerable
list Of other mobiles and celebrities. She
has four large albums filed with auto
graph portraits of kings, queens, and
mobiles, together with many volumes OF au-
NoSA apu 4AOu4 ltltSt same People.
One of the most valuable of Nilsson's
gifts was presented by unhappy Car Alex
ander III, who was killed by the explosion
of a bomb. He gave her a star, so immense
in size that when worn ii half covered
Miss Nilsson's neck. This star was formed
OF roses and leaves that were all diamonds
King Oscar, of Sweden, has honored his
country-woman as no other woman ever
was hcDored or probably ever will be. One
OF her court orders from the King of Sweden
is the In suae memoriam.' This is a beau
tiful medal of gold, surmounted with a
crown Of diamonds, and blue and yellow
ribbons. the Swedish national coIors. Miss
Nilsson is the only woman upon whom this
order was ever conferred; and it is, in
point Of fact, only held by few military
officers of eminence and high rank
decoration that the singer daily wears
is composed of brilliants. 1t is the Com
manders' Order of Art and Science of
Germany"
From King Alfonso of Spain she re-
ceived piece shaped like large shell.
in the centre of which is a costly black
pearl slumbering upon bed of purest ray
white diamonds
Al Pesth the lately murdered Empress
OF Austria gave Miss Nilsson a magnifi-
cent bracelet, the centrepiece of which
is a large Hungarian opal, surrounded with
diamonds.
From the Baroness Rothschild she has
received a bracelet of pink, black, and
white pearls. set in the shape of a trefoiI;
also a pair of earrings. These last are
sapphires. surrounded with diamonds.
But the presents that Miss Nilsson loves
most and best are her laurel wreaths that
are the gifts of the general public. OF
these she has a great number One of
especial note and value came from Vienna
Another perhaps equally as valuable, and
certainly as dear to the heart Of the singer,
is the gift Of the Swedish residents of
Chicago. Another that binds her heart to