Evening star., 1901-06-29
Madagascar's Former Ruler is Really
a Prisoner.
HER ROYAL PRIVILEGES CUR7AlLED
.NominaIIy the Guest of the French
Government.
FIRST VISIT TO PARIS
e Evening Star.

PARIS. June Il. 1901.
Ranavalo. former Queen of Madagascar.
tvho begged IN vain to the exhibition
has been allowed at last by the French gov
srnrnent to visit Paris. Had she come last
summer she might have seen in the NADIA
gascar building the two gigantic silver vases
from which on the verandas of her palace
at Tanauarive, she used royalty to dispense
iced lemonade to the wives and daughters
.f American and English missionaries She
might have heard the HOva brass band
playing selections from the Paris cafe con-
cert repertoire. Instead she was compelled
% remain in her Algerian villa waiting TO
learn what the decision of the ministry
should be. Now that she has been brought
on to Paris she stiu asks plaintively: When
snay go about like other women 1t Is a
|uuestiou she has been asking since the sign
ing of the treaty of Tamatave in 1885. and
now that she is among them Parisians be-
gin to ask il with her
! There is something touching in the way
the young queen spent her first DAY IN
Paris IL was Sunday, and as RanaNa4o IS
a stanCh Methodist, she asked PERMISSION TO
ktterd d Protestant service. Therefore, NJ.
eruafre the delegate of the minister OF
cnIori-S conducted her to the Oratury OF
the Ru,. St Honore where the Huguenot
pastor VI. Roberty. preached from the text.
i.T ct not your heart be troubled: in my
] FathpT'S house many nauSlclS- III
stalled in a high-baCked pew. with RaZnaI-
ftndrazana her aunt: Marie Louise, her little
grand -nefce: Nine Delpeux, her gouVern-
ante: Rauaivo the interpreter. and the ever
present Delegate Lemaire. the devout young
woman listened to a sermon that laSteu
&fTty minutes. Did she apply It's text TO ner
own condition? She has been deprived OF
her ancestral palaces, ana certainIy tno
mansion Of the rue Pauquet, in which the
kgovernment has installed inexpensiVeiy'
(her leaves much TO be desired
Reduced and Then Abducted.
Ranava-o has much to desire all around
lin To 1885 an independent queen among
Queens she was made vassal queen by
fthe treaty OF Tamatave, which stipulated
that henceforth the kingdom should be rep
resented in all its exterior relations by the
government OF the French republic Eng
land did not recognize the protectorate un-
Ill 1890, Since then France simply mas
given notice to the governments OF the
HGrli that she has annexed Madagascar
II 1897 the queen was abducted, put on
board a French man-of-war and taken 10
Reunion. Having thus become KIND OF
guardian of the queen france since mas
seen ht to draw even tighter the tutorlaI
bonds 20 the extent of continually lndlcat-
hng her places of residence, the amount and
disposition Of her pocket money, the nature
and extent Of her friendships and her oc-
Equations For example. the minister OF
.oIouies saw objection to "automobli-
'nE' and when she desired to change her
automatic piano for the real thing, with
music lessons. he gave permission; but
Ianavaldo begged in vain to be allowed
20 visit the exhibition Of 1900; and now
nat she is at last in Paris she has not
Tncsed once outside of her indicated resi-
UenCe unaCCOmpanied by NJ. Lemaire, the
ministerial delegate.
As 70 her personal liberty and her
finances therefore. the eX-eueen of NADIA
gasCar remains. even at this late date,
.frf7sa+ q ing of rNri 0f
nay dictate the thing: but there is no other
anne for 1t. Four years ago the govern
hent Of the republic rented for her a CO.
Uettlsl and airy three-story villa over
boxing the vale of Mustapha, outside the
inter resort town Of that name in Algiers.
ere she lived and spent the annual pen
nmni of sS aows hsr shs the to 1--we
Dberly. TO make no debts. and even put
pine savings by Ranavalo passed her
rlhoOd under the influence OF English
peaking missionaries OF the Presbyterian
nd Methodist persUasions. For this rea-
on she still keeps a kindness for English
p@aking women Such one, tourist in
llgi-rs last winter. gave me a sketch Of
h. eXiles daily life.
Her Life in Algeria.
The villa outside Of Mustapha is situated
eHghtfuIy on Il height overlooking a
niliug valley, with cool-looking blue
FOUNTAINS in the left. 1t is a well wooded
mi well watered country. with verdure
Everywhere. The roads, some of which
| ate to old Roman times are excellent, be-
hg long white stretches through the green
: level as a board and free from dust
fhere are fruits Of all kinds in prOfusiOn
nd the natives. thoroughly convinced of
|he benefits Of the French protection and
TusperOUs In the annual fall and winter
Ow Of tourists gold, receive the stranger
5lth heuev0lence.
Among these Ereen-edged roads Is a
PM 4 r,psrlCi! lIXuTlIncP that recalls
FER native Madagascar the young queen
-Crched on her bicycle, and later in her
To-seated. twelve -horse-powe automobile
1.-THE present Of the government. For a
kng time she delighted in the possession
II one II those self-playing pianos which
. the rest when you touch the electric
utt"u- 1t Is much TO her credit and that
II her daily companions that her artistic
enSIb abilities outgTOw the device. and Rama
Falo now practices her scales like any
European woman. For the rest, the villa.
while not lonely. is secluded, so that be-
sTeen the automobile and the piano there
Fere long hours to fill up These the ex-
Ueen occupied in reading the more correct
kenCh novels of the Georges Ohnet type
be has become French.
Longed for Paris.
All the influences around her are French
Her little grand-niece. born In captivity
as received the French name of Marie
Ouise. And France, to all the French, Is
urn TO Paris. She had saved money and
'arts is the place to spend it. She has a
aste for dress. and Paris Is the place to
ducate II. The fact that Paris continued
p be forbidden so Obstinately to her In
reaSed the longing. Paris Is the center
z the government. which Is her guardian.
|nce on the spot. perhaps she hoped to get
more liberal decision the question Of
er personal liberty Perhaps also this Is
hat the government fOresaw
II any case the permission was long In
oUhng- RanavalO was invite ed by the min
ter Of colonies to spend three months in
-ance as the guest Of the ministry on a
| PvrsoEally conducted" tour, so to speak
n then to return TO her villa outside of
I:st 1pha. She will spend a month in
laris and then be taken to the seaside re-
pr Of Arcachon- All her expenses are
aid All her gOings and comings are laid
II for her beforehand. When a goyern-
bent sets out to be a guardian il does
hings thoroughly.
Her Quarters In Paris
Frankly. the Paris apartment house
Posen for the ex-queen Is as little royal
possible. far from the prtncely Hotel des