Year: 1864




kind in all Moscow; and thither did the
officers and young noblemen of the place
always repair after the theatre to lose
their money and estates, and sometimes
even to the last item of their personal
property as we'll.


After the Circassian war, the house was
much frequented by the officers belonging
/ to the Circassian regiments who posses
sing the Oriental love of excitement by
the chances of gambling, and one day a
young man entered. the house for the
ostensible purpose of refreshment. He
was attired in the rich and faneifui cos
tune of native of Cireassia. His arms,
the embroidery on his surtout, the care
and time evidently bestowed upon the ar
rangement of his mantle, bespoke him as
belonging to the higher class of some dis
tant province. He mentioned that he had
come to the house in search of Count
-. This gentleman, one of the great
est supporters of the house, had not yet
returned from the opera, and, during the
time the stranger was made to wait, he sat
patiently looking on, without appearing to
take the smallest interest in the changes
and chance which were going on at the
table. The Count - appeared delight
ed to see the stranger, whom he presented
at once as having been, in former times,
one OF the richest proprietors of the pro-
vince Of which he had been for more than
seven years governor, but who had lost,
through misfortune, his land and focks,
his money, and his retainers. sU


Z" How long do you remain in the cityS"
was the first question.


"But a few hours--I come. to conclude
our bargain" returned the Circassian
youth.


"Ah, good, l knew you would grow
more reasonable with age" said the Count;
then turning to his friends, he added,
Gentlemen, behold, here is youth, from
whom l had the misfortune to win the
hocks and herds, the retainers and the
land | spoke to you about just now, and
offered to give them all back for "a small
gem in his possession, which he refused
Now am l still ready Tor the bargain, aud
you are here to witness it.


'Neverp' returned the Circassian sharp
ly. g L have come to stake it like all the
rest, not to sell it. have journeyed this
distance to test my fortune once more"


As ne spoke ne drew from his pouch
the pearl, when We have described, and
laid 1t OH the table Murmurs OF admlra-
ton greeted 1t, and Count -, sottened
at the memory OF the injury already done
by his own good luck to the young Cir
cassan, endeavored to persuade HIM to
forego his idea. But it was useless; the
last thing of value belonging to his tami-
ly-evidentlJ the magic token Of his house
was staked and lost. The young man
gave it into the hand of Count, and
presently his step was heard to descend
the stairs, and, before it reached the bot
tom, the loud report offs pistol echoed up
the staircase, and the usher brought in
word to the group Of gentlemen, still oc-
cupied in examination of the wonderous
marvel he had lost to Count, that
the young man lay dead upon the marble
floor of the landing. The pearl became
celebrated in Moscow; and one of the
beautiful daughters of the keeper of the
was heard to declare that
she would willingly become the wife of
the man who possessed this gem beyond
all price. The speech was reported to the
owner. He was old and wrinkled, she
was young and beautiful. She did become
his wife, and wears the wondrous pearl
Is you see. Perhaps there may be COM
oensatien for many things in the avowal
made by the Empress, that it is far supe-
'ior in beauty and interest to any of these
n the treasure of the Imperial Crown of
France.