The sun., 1893-09-10
rnEycn norALrr IN EXILE
Perr,itt.d Visits or the Confess. q rsris "a
France.

son are by the decree OF expulsion, debarree
from setting foot on the territory OF the Frencf
republic. no such restrictions are imposed OF
her Royal HiRhness the Comtesse de Paris
, and she cannot always resist the pleasure
OF reyisitInR the fatherland. She has this year
as the last, been spending some weeks at tn
Castle OF Randan. near Vichy. while her hus
band was In Scotland. On her former visit she
was accompanied by much larger suite; she
received and entertained more and lived. as II
were, more officially than she does now
Whether she went to Randan especially for the
benefit OF her health or any other reason. 1t 10
certain that she has been especially desirous
OF leading quiet, domestic. country
existence, seeing only q few friends. max
ing no deliberate appointments for visitors,
and naming neither day nor hour for uncere-
mon neous interviews Her spare time Is given
to the administration OF the property, and as
business woman she finds that II care and sur.
veillance were not exercised the output would
frequently exceed the incomings.
The Comtesse has with her her second SON,
Ferdinand. the heir to the ducal title Of Mont
pensier and the estate OF Randan. The young
Prince Is now 8 years old. and has inherited
from his mother strong liking for outdoor
exercise and sports. which she encourages.
Princess Helene. whose charm and beauty ex-
Duke OF Clarence, has quite lately Joined her
mother. after spending three weeks at Mont
Dore. Together the family return this week
to Stowe House to meet the Comte do Paris ON
his arrival from the north.
Randan is situated about nine miles from
Vichy. in the picturesque country OF the Puy
do D6me: turning to the right after leaving
the city. the large forest stretching to the
small clean. and pretty town. is entered and
affords the most delightful drives. The houses
are OF red brick picked out in black: the
church. enlarged by Nine Adelaide. has q
square. battlemented tower and in the middle
Of the main street sharp turning discoses q
broad avenue OF beeches and plantains lead
ing in straight line to the castle. The ancient
Court OF Honor has been transformed into
parterre and lawns surrounded by bright
flowers and orange trees. divided from the
avenue by wrought iron grilles starting from
the pillars OF the portco and eliminating in
tall gates surmounted by lions and serpents.
Randan. formerly an abbey. became the
property OF Etienne dc Castreau. who styled
himself Lord Of the Manor. and died in 1915.
The large and magnificent domain was rected
into Duch6-Pairie In favor OF Marie Cathe-
rine de la Rouchefoucauld. first lady in wait
ing Of Ann Of Austria. and governess OF Louis
XIV. BY this gift she became Duchess and
Peeress OF France. Her only daughter con.
ferred the title on her first husband. CASTOR dc
Folk. aud although she married again ut his
death. the title passed to his brother. who left
no descendants. The Duche-Pairle then be-
came extinct and the property. after passing
through various hands. was bought In 1921 by
Nine. Adelaide for the sum OF $40 900 fran cs.
chiefly because its lands touched the extensive
domains OF tho Duchy OF Montpensier.
The left wing is old: the right one was built
by Mme Adelaide. The facade OF the central
building facing the park is fanked by two
round pavilions The hall Is paved in black
and white marble. and at tho furthest extrem-
ity domed round inner hall leads to the re-
ception rooms Of the Princess. the furniture
being OF the correct style OF 1880. The red
velvet coverings have been embroidered by
the Prlncesses OF Orleans and the ladies OF the
court OF Louis Philippe. The drawing room
habtually used By the present family is an i'm
mense apartment opening on raised terrace
from which beautiful and extensive views are
obtained over the mountains Of tho Puy de
Dome and the magnificent plain OF Limoges.
Next to 1t are the rooms tstill called OF tho
King" and Of "the Queen" although since
1880 Louis Philippe never entered Randan. but
Nine. Adelaide always reserved these apart
m ents for his brother on the chance that he
should come to visit her. From his libra ry the
King could enter the chapel. where still stands
the angel sculptured by Princess Marie and at
the lower end is a Martyrdom Of st. Felcite"
painted for the Comtesse de Genlis. of which
three Of the faces are portraits ofthelCountess
herself. her brothers and Louis Philippe
Tho chapel Is open to the public. who are
never tired OF gazing on the replicas OF the
nortuary statues OF Mme Adelaide and two
u her brothers. Ihe stained windows pro-
iced from the royal manutactory OF Sevres.
The reception rooms OF the Comtesse do
Paris include huge dining saloon capable Of
sixty guests. and an armory,
shaped like the old tower. entirely hung with
tufts into which the feur de lys Is woven.
Tho oardens of Randan ara snIend,d ID
nirablv kent and cultivated since the Prin.aa.
,ntared on her liza tenoncv a, tbo nronartr ~
he death Of her father. the Duke de Mont
,ensier, who left it by will to Prince Ferdinand.
rhe estate Is not. however. 30 large as 1t was,
or the woods that surrounded it wore sold for
braa millinpa of franca In 1870 uhan TN