A SABLE CLOAK WITH A STORY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 802, 31 August 1877, Page 4

A SABLE CLOAK WITH A STORY.

There was a sale at Dobenham and Storr’s last week.(says “ A man about 'town” in the Sporting Gazette) which ■caused some excitement in the “ upper ■circles of society.” It had been announced that the “ wardrobe of a lady •offfiigfh rank”'Would Resold. It was whispered 'that dt was a duchess, while ■others declare that the owner of the wardrobe was merely Madame Morbikoff, that mysterious Russian lady who is said to have materially assisted Russian diplomacy in England, and whom plain speakers bluntly called a St. Petersburg police spy. It turned out, however, that the “ lady of rank” was a duchess after all—that beautiful and fascinating dame who, with an income of L 300,000 settled upon herself, has contrived to contract debts to four times that amount. Rumor, that jade of the many tongues, says that the turf and the card-table claim an equal share in the wreck of this lady’s fortune. There was a certain fur ■cloak disposed of at this sale which attracted general attention, I suppose that cloak has no rival in the world. The skins which are the most perfect Russian sables, took three years to match, and the cloak cost originally L2OOO. It is a cloak with a history. It was a present from a very distinguished Royal personage to a famous Queen of the the demi-mondes from whom the Duchess purchased it, and it fetched L 460 at Debenham and •Storr’s. Perhaps its history did not enhance its value in the eyes of those who bid for it It was bought on commission and “wonderment guesses” who is the purchaser. Whoever the lady be, when she wears that wellknown cloak she will run the risk of being mistaken for either a duchess or a well, for a moment I can’t think of a sufficiently polite name for the latter.