The Washington weekly post., 1899-07-11
Elorentine or Grand Duke.

Another adventurous stone, the third in
weight. is the FlOrentine, or Grand Duke.
This is of a fine yellow color. and is said
10 have belonged TO Charles the Bold. who
lost II at the battle of Granson, where il
was found by a Swiss soldier. who sold
II for a few pence. as a piece of rock
crystal. There is also d very doubtful
story OF the interval between its sale and
Its possession by the Duke of Tuscany.
from whom it passed to its final resting
place in the Austrian treasury chamber.
This story is that the stone was owned
by noble and chivalrous knight. who
sighed in vain for the affections of a
golden-haired lady, who smiled more
brightly on one of his brothers-in-arrng
Now, knight number two had been daz-
zled by the great yellow diamond, and
loneed above all things to see it shine in
his lady's hair So they agreed 10 fight
il out, the stakes being the golden dia-
mond and the golden-haired lady, the lat
ter have consented TO witness the duel
from her high tower. But when she saw
what valiant mincemeat her fiery lovers
were making of each other. and realizing
that her future lord would probably be
either manned, halt, or blind, if not all
three, the lady calmly confiscated the
diamond and its holder, the knights
young squire, who was possessed not only
of eyes 10 see and hands to hold. but also
Of legs TO run with, and the three eloped
beyond the border"
Famous Hope Blue Diamond.
Among the other rare colored gems is
the famous Hope blue diamond, whose
story is well authenticated. Its definite
history begins when the famous TaVer-
nier, the great traveller and describer Of
diamonds. bought it in India and took il
in the rough to France. where in 1865. il
became the property OF Louis XIV. The
King was Obliged 10 sacrifice part OF it's
bulk, and IL came from the cutters hands
reduced from IL ii earats, 10 g. Is
Like the family that possessed 1t, the
diamond came TO grief in l7S2 II was
deposited in the Garde MeUble in Paris.
and in a months time a thief, whose
name Is still a mystery, had made away
with il. For years nothing was heard OF
IT, and 4 has never been discovered
whether the white fingers Of some fair
lady caressed il. or whether it's dark,
radiant fires flashed in the bloOdshot eyes
Of some impoverished court dandy. who
had taken this way OF retrieving his fall
en- fortunes At all events. the diamond
did not appear until 1880. and naturally
when IL did come 20 light part OF il was
gone. Yet, though still cut away, il was
sril a magnificent stone Of fi1-i earats,
It's size when Henry Thomas Hope
bought il from Daniel ElIasOn When
the effects OF the late Lord Brunswick
were sold there were found among them
a lustroJs diamond % seven carats, that
was so like the one identified with the
Hopes that experts pronounced them TO
be a part Of the same stone. The third
part came 20 light in Paris, where IL vas
purchased for 1850 by f. W. Streeter.
The remainder. il is said. having been lost
in the cutting. To-day its radiancy tries
10 illumine the dark portions Of the Old
Paris bank, for much as he desires to do
so. the gay young Lord Hope, the hus-
band of May Yohe. Is not allowed 10 con-
vert into cash the great blue diamond
that has come down 10 him through so
many wonderful adventures.
Some Of the Russian jewels are very