In
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TTTtf OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 29, 1920.
1
The Startling
Fascinating Stone, the "Curse
That Has Followed Its Owners
for Fourteen Centuries and the
Story of the Ruined Life of ;
May Yohe,;VIio Owned It and
Wore It' ;';-::'"-'..V?--''
MwHE story of May Yohea cateef
I will be told from week to week
in these page by May Yohe
herself. Few plots in drama of fiction
. 'equal the extraordinary real lifi ex
perience of this remarkable American v
t irL
Something, indeed, seemed to sud .
denly cast its sinister shadow over her
life and pursued he , relentlessly itt
America, in Asia, throughout ; Europe,
and even in South America.1 She is
certain, and perhaps others may be,
that the "curse of the Hope Diamond
had something to do with it,"
Jean Baptiste -Tavernier came into
possession of the stone in 1643, stolen
from the sacred golden statue of Rama.
Tavernier sold the diamond to King ;:
Louis XIV. Tavernier was torn to
pieces by wild dogs. Madame de Mon- .
tespan, who wore the jewel, was aband- .
oned by the King. Nicholas Fouquet,
Intendent of France, who borrowed it .
for a festive occasion, died miserably
in prison. Queen Marie Antoinette,
who wore it, was beheaded. Beautiful
Princess de Lamballe, who wore it, was
torn to pieces by a French mob. King
Louis XVI., who owned it was be
headed. Hendrik Fals, the diamond
1 merchant's son, who stole it, was a sui
cide in London in 1830.
Francis Beaulieu, who sold it, died
In misery and want. The first of the ,
Hope family who bought It suffered a
long series of misfortunes.. Lord Fran
cis Hope, the grandson, suffered finan
cial reverses, scandal and ? unhappy
marriage. - . , ;- J s
Simon Frankel, New York broker,
who bought it, met financial difficulties.
Prince .Ivan- Kanitovski, next owner,
was killed by revolutionists, f Lorens
Ladue, to whom he loaned it, was myr-
dered by her lover. ' I
Zubayba, the Sultan's favorite, who ,
wore it, was killed by her master.
Abdul Hamid paid $400,000 1 for the
stone. He was dethroned. -
Mrs. Edward B. McLean, of Wash
, Ihgton, D. C, bought it, wore It, and
was sued for $180,000 by Cartier, the
jeweler. Her- only son, Vinson Mc
Lean, the "Hundred-Million-Dollar
Baby," was crushed to death, f The ex-
- traordinary record of this sinister
4ttrl in related on this ca. from
week to week, for the first time by the
remarkable woman whose own life was
blighted. t i
CHAPTER VIII.;
(Continued from Last Sunday.)
Copyright, 1$20, by International Feature
. Service, Inc. , ,
yfiiTVE often been asked by persons who
-I knew me well enough to admit such
curiosity to me how an ngiish lord
does Jiis courting. This question has been
asked me so often I am wondering If tny
readers win . not ' like to know just how
Lord Francis courted toe. ; .
I have already told how we' met, at &
dinner In the old Hoffman House, in New
York, where Lord Francis, whom I had
seen on the street during the same after
noon was presented to me as plain 'Mr.
Hope, of England.
- The 'Horse Show then 'was In 'progress
at Madison Sjuara Garden. I tola Mr.
Hope I intended leaving the dinner party
rather early, so ! could attend the, showi
where I was to be the guest of one of the
gorernors.- He at once asked as If 1 .
would not let him (be. my escort -to the
show he said he had been wanttngito go,
but had delayed his attendance, hoping for
pleasant company, which, he said, gallant
ly, I ould afford him If I would consents,
I was very enthusiastic over the horses
and enjoyed greatly Mr. Hope's diseussion
of the good and bad points of the most
famous animals. ; He .was very' attentive,
to me. Presently I began to' notice lorg
nettes from all over the seat tiers turned
In my direction. In the boxes near fne
the splendidly colffed heads of wealthy so
cicty women, matrons of families known
tnrougnout tne wona xor tneir leadershln
ot fashion, were turned upon me with
stares that were frank and curious. ' And
here and -there I, caught bows of friendly
recognition, to my escort. I thought, of '
; course, these society women, whom I knew
only by . sjght. were just , interested in a
close-up view of the famous May Yohe, the
; new star In the theatrical firmament. I
: was greatly excited about their interest,
r'ejid talked and laughed about It with my
companion. You are so very beautiful.
Miss Yohe," he said smiling, T can oiilte
well understand anyone's wanting to get
; - a good look at you."
After a week or s?t announced to him
C57 Intention of sailing , iwith , mother to
" h' - '
History of This
4V
4
V.
Lady Francis Hope (May Yons) in
Her Gown for the Fashion-
. " able) Ascot Race. 1 ; C:
London, where a number .of managers
wanted to offer to stage new productions .
for me. "I am going home before you"
sail," he said, "and I want you and yoaf ,
mother to be my guests in London. "No,
Indeed," I replied. W will hare but two
thousand dollars or so when we arriT, as
I am getting many new gown made, and
we will need every dollar of this to see us
'-through the time i rehearsals or looking
about for acceptabm contracts, vve can-
"not afford; to4 b guests oi any on
WelL,h said, "you must letm take
y 011 around bit, anyway." - '
We JSSiW h!m off at the ,nier. His last
words werev'! must be yohr host anyway
it not for all the time most of the llmur,
When wo arrived we were met by; Mr.
Hope. He was so glad to see us he really
bamed. ,H.e held my hand a long time
when he greeted, me. He said we must
com with him to the Savoy, because he
was going td tnsfst opon our having dinner
wits him there that evening.
The next day Mr. Hope went about ifrHh
s while we- looked for a cheaper hoteL
He risked me if he might not be with me
when -I received the London theatflcaJ
managers wno aireaay were saowerm
down upon me request for Interviews. II
t was when he made -this request that h
said i thing ' which set my little heart
a-buzzing. You know, ;Misa May, I am
hoping awfully, that you are poing to let
me have a lot to hIo with your, affairs
perhaps have the same Interest In them
tliat you have." - - - . . .
It took my tre- ay. I looked at him
quickly. He r erUing. a 6trange
whimsical . sc 1 1 t -.a, but there was a
very earnest lis-- fining in his eyes.
"Why" I said to r-y self, -this ts reaflj
a proposal a sort c
clearing the decki
for the direct qics
He's just giving r.:e
llshman's eportszn -
a a little later on
mh. rr"
rning, with an Ens
so X may throw
T " If y -wv I" S -
-y-'f :",
' f
him aside If I decide not to welcome hint
further."
j When J got my breath and could trust
my voice 1 just said,-That will be tery
nice, Mr. Hope I'm sure."
I- He took my hand, gave it a little squeeze
- and satd in a matter of fact way, jus as
. if he were making a casual arrangement
' for tea at something like that, "Then lfs ;
all setOed. I'm terrfbly glad '
. War didn't get away from the Savoy that
day, and that evening Mr, Hope visited ns .
in our suite. There waa a big fireplace in
the drawing room, and We, mother and he
and I, were grouped in front 6f this fire
place, talking over the different shows in
-London, some of which I had seen on this
side, and discussing the hundreds of let
ters that had come to me from London
managers. I remember w were trying to
' pick the manager we would receive first
the next day. . - '
We had promised Mr. Hope we would
hate supper with blm that evening at one
of the all-night clubs.'. It Would he well, he
said, for me to show myself at one of these
clubs, as Ixmdmi's : prominent theatrical
folk gathered there. As the evening waa
wearing away there w&i a tap at the door.
, Mother opened It and taw It was Mr. -Hope's
valet. Mr. Hope was stopping then
at the same hotel. r 4 ,
The velet said: May t ask his lordship
. whether he will wear his Tuxedo ot his
.eveninff clothe this evening ?- -,
' Mother stated at Win blankly. "Ask hl$
lordship? vLordship who?"
"Lord Francis, madame.
Mother, turned toward us breathless. 1
, had heard and was almost stunned. T!ien
my heart gats one big Jump. 1 thought 1
v was dreaming. I looked at oaf guest. He
was looking at tae with a sort of quizzical
' expression and smiling humorously. He
spoke to the valet, ordering his evening
clothes, and then turned to me again.
"Murder will out, eh; Miss May? You'd "
s- have t6 fliid it out sdmd day, anyway. Will
you care any the less for me now that you
know if you keep me you will have .to some
day be the Duchess of Newcastle V
I don't know what I would have laid If
It hadn't been for mother. Shd dropped
into her chair and was looking . at Lord
Hope with such a comical, "flabbergasted"
expression,. her mouth agape, that we both. ;
broke our laughing. "His j lordship!" she
gasped. ) 1
"No, just Francis to you. both from now
On.said. Lord Francis, " reaching out for
my hand.
He bowed himself out then, to dresf. ..
Mother said, when the door closed: "Good
ness, Maysie, you've caught 4 lord!" -
I was starred In "Christopher Column us."
In this piece was the sons "Honey, Man
Money, wnicn became my createst soncr.
7!vu"1 1 sang tne last word
ot the first verse of this number the nit
and the gallery rose to their feet together
LlSSOjJntwnaUonal Feature Sendee, Ino.
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Recently
Discorered
Knife
Which -J
Cut oft
the Mead
of ,
Queen -;
Marie
Antoinette
at the
Guillotined
-VI
(it
King
.Louis
XVI.
with one long, loua cneer. I have heard It
w tbe wildest demonstratloti evef seen
la a British theatre. Men id the pit threw
pocket books onto the stage; the women
tore off Jeweled rings and 'diamond tiaras
and threw them at my feet. Down from
th gallery came fluttering that rarest o?
I had captured them, v -
Lord Francis one Saturday night took
me tip td his shooting box for a stay over
Sunday. It was after we returned that our
engagement was formally enounced. But
few people really ever knew Just what
Lord Francis and I agreed upon that Sun
day at his shooting box.
ttn asked me If 1 would be nry with
him if he asked ; me to -marry him in- a
peculiar way. T assured him I would not
be "alwaya remembering," I added, "that
I may refuse." , . . ' . V -
His peculiar proposal was that we have
a "probation marriage for five months.
If at the end of the five months I still loved
him we would be married formally. If by
that time I had found him wanting and had
grown tired of him, or found some one I
liked better, I could leave and forget htm.
We were supremely happy. I took a
beautiful house a little way out from the
city, and here Lord Francis came to be
husband and suitor at the same time.
Great Britain &icbU Beserred
r
fc . -X
French RerolutionisU Tramping
Alone; die Palace Corridor to
Arrest KinB Louis XVI. and Marie
Antoinette. "From Painting by.
Flam eng.
r4 t
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4
V
y
.' 'u ' sf X t '
During this 'probation" period Lord
Francis was as careful in his attention to
me as if he wefe, indeedrjust a suitor for
my hand. He waa with me constantly, add
took me everywhere. - His kisses revet
lost their warmth. We never spoke of our
being together - as we .were as a "trial."
One morning, while we were ft t breakfast
together in my dressing room, Lord Fran
cis said to me:
T wondr if you will have time to-day,
Maysle, to run down to Hempstead with
toe?" . '
"I'm afraid 1 won't, deaf," t replied. -1
have two engagement with my modiste
and one with committee that want me
i to do something for some charity."
."But this Is a very special trip," he In
sisted. "It has something to do with a cer
tain five months that expired this morn
ing." - : ,1.-. - ; , .
r was shocked.' I had forgotten all about
the passing xf the time. We seemed to
have been children In a lover's dream for
ever. "And what has Hempstead to do
with itf'M asked.
"I have arranged for a quiet wedding
there In the vestry at noon."
, Of course the other engagements were
cancelled. , Lord Francis summoned a few
of our closest friends and we all went down
. ? " it,:! J
A ;: '
f-
to Hempstead. If there was any -change
In Lord Francis after that noon time it
' was only that now he had become in sight
of all th world my really truly husband.
And for me well, now I was Lady May,
. on the way to becoming one of the proud
' est and richest duchesses In the British
empire, , mlstresi, of half a score of won
derful castles, and palaces the Maysle of
"Honey, Mah Honey" transformed into a
peeres 0 the realm and a prospective Hr
Grace! ' Z
, Of course it was not long after Lord
Francis and I became everything to each
Other that I learned of the great collection
of Hope jewels, in point ot individual ex
cellence and purity of its different gems
the most remarkable assortment of jewels
In the world. Lord Francis did not, for a
time, show them all to me, but he did bring
out to the house one evening for my in
spection the huge "Blue Diamond." I shall
never forget the strange, weird thoughts
that fascinated me that night as 1 held in
my hands for the first time tbla beautiful
gem. Lord Francis remarked with amuse
ment that I gave him the same sort of
- feeling Louis XVI. must have had when
that last of the royal Bourbon owners of
the diamond saw it upon his Queen, Marie
Antoinette.
Louis XVI- as I have told before, came
into possession of the Blue Diamond when
Cardinal Rohan purchased it from jewelers
Into whose bands it had passed mysterl-
- ously after the death of Louis XIV. Fre-
quently he-insisted that Marie Antoinette
wear It at a ball In the Tutleries, little
caring that each time it appeared around
the royal neck the gossips and critics of
the court found hew material for their at
tack upon the royal family the Queen for
her extravagance and frivolities and the
King for his subservience to the wilfulness
' of Marie.
In a few months the King found It neces
sary to run away from Paris and take
refuge in a retreat far outside the city.
On January 21, 179.3, he was taken la
a common cart . through the assembled
mobs Of Paris to the Place de la Louis
XV, and there his head was struck off by
the guillotine.
Tears later the gem was found, as I have
told before. In the hands of a pauper In
-London, after passing through the bands
, of the diamond cutters In Belgium. I shall
tell at another time how the diamond came
into possession of Thomas Henry Hope,
the maternal ancestor of my husband, Lord
Francis.;. ' -..
6t course ray marriage to Lord Francis
caused a great stir in London society. My
first social appearance was at a house
party where the Prince of ; Wales, after
' . ward Edward VII., was a guest. Naturally
the most prominent society women of Brit
ain were there also. Lord Francis was
very proud of me, but those austere women
decided to "teach me my place." It was a
Chrlstma eeason party. During the after
noon a very haughty woman, a Duchess
who Was known as one of the arbiters of
London society, passed near , me while I
was speaking with the Prince, She stopped
land obtained the Prince's permission to
-speak to me. VMay I ask. Idy May. what
your Johnny gave you for Christmas?" the
. said to me, with a most contemptuous
sneer. . "V. - . , ..
I turned to the Prince. ; "Have I your
permission, sir, to reply?" I asked him.
He merely nodded his head. Then, turn
ings my look full upon the dowager's face,
I replied:
"Many beautiful things, your grace. And
: now may I inquire what all your Johnnies
gave you?" .
The Prince burst out laughing. From
' that day on that dowager Duchess waa
. ridiculed in all London society and L poo?
little me, was lionized.
(To Be Continued 2?ex$ Sunday.'