The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-01
CHRISTINE WILSON'S JEWELS.
They Are Not Less Than a Thousand
in Number.


in Number.
New York, Sept 29.-Christine Nilsson
made her debut in Paris at the Theater
Lyrique, undeiS the management of Car
valho on the night of Oct. q, 1854 She
had just passed her 21st birthday. Miss
Nilsson sang for twenty years. She al
ways 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 remark about her
figure. as she had grown somewhat stout.
There were present at her debut Empe-
ror Napoleon III, Empress Eugene. their
court and a veritable crush of the cul-
ture, nobility and financial celebrities of
Europe. She sang "Violetta" in the grand
opera Traviata.
The patronage of the nobility that was
given to Miss Nilsson on the night of her
first appearance continued through her en-
tire professional career. She is to-day pos
sessed of more jewels, gifts of crowned
heads, than any other artistic in the world
AS a token of her rendering of Marguer-
lie in Faust, in Paris, the Emperor Ma
poleon III presented her with a daisy of
diamonds, the leaves of which the singer
could pick off in the trial of 'he loves
me, he loves me not" and these leaves
could afterwards be replaced Even after
their sorrowful downfall, and the unfor-
tunate little Prince Napoleon had been
killed in Africa, the ex-Empress Eugenie
sent a magnificent souvenir of her son to
Nilsson. This was a ring. Under a large
diamond, cut fiat. there were the date
of the Princes birth and death and his
portrait The diamond was guarded on
either side by golden eagles
Nilsson has been married twice. The
ceremony that made her the wife of Mon
seur 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 Ed
inburgh, Lord and Lady Gerard, members
of the family of the Marquis of Lorne
the Earls of Dudley and Bradford, the
Lady Eastwood, Disraeli, the Lords Liund-
Dukes of Westminster and Campbells.
Lady Eastwood, Disraei, the Lords Lind
say and Cavendish, the Dukes of Man
chester, Beaufort, Sutherland, besides an
almost lnnumerable list of 9th
er mobiles and celebrities. She has
four large albums filled with au-
tographs portraits of kings, queens and
mobiles. together with many volumes of au-
tograph letters from these same people.
one of the most valuable of Nilsson S
gifts was presented by unhappy Car
Alexander II. who was killed by the OK
plosion of a bomb. He gave her a star.
so immense In size that when worn it
half covered Miss Missions 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 honored, or probably ever will be. The
most valuable of these court orders from
the King Of Sweden is in oval form. on a
blue enameled center. Over the symbol
the word Oscar is cut, and 1t IS COM
pletely crcled with diamonds. Another OF
her court order from the King of Sweden
is the in suae memoriam." This is a
beautiful medal of gold, surmounted with
a crown of diamonds, and blue and yellow
ribbons. the Swedish national co.ors. Miss
Nilsson is the only woman upon whom this
order was ever conferred; and il is, In
point of fact, only held by a few military
officers of eminence and high rank
A decoration that the singer daily wears
Is composed of brilliants. It is the Com
manders' Order of Art and Science of
Germany"
From King Alphonso OF Spain she re-
ceived a piece shaped like large shell,
in the center of which is a costly black
pearl slumbering upon red Of purest ray
wh.te diamonds.
At Pesth the lately murdered Empress