Evening star., 1905-11-04

where she was asked to explain her new
English relations
But, monsieur, they were not English"
answered the poor queen. they were three
Americans from New York, old friends of
Madame Calve."
SO it was ever. The French colonial Of
fee saw no objection to 'automo bling"
and when Ranavalo desired to change her
automatic piano for f1rst-class Erard with
music lessons thrown In, the permission
was accorded; but photographic cylinders
addressed to her from New York were stop
ped en- route and cases Of native bric-a-brac
stuffs and hangings. gifts from faithful
Madagascar friends, were returned by the
next steamer.
In Villa Near Mustapha.
Nine years ago the government of the re-
public rented for her a coquettish and airy
three-story villa overlooking the vale of
Mustapha, outside the winter resort of that
name in Algiers, and there she has regu-
larly lived. on her pension of $1,000 per year.
The villa commands a well-wooded and
watered valley. The roads. some of which
date back to old Roman times, long
white stretches through the green, being
level, smooth, free from dust and lined with
fruit trees. In this semi-tropical luxuriance
that ought to remind her a little of her
tive Madagascar. the eX-Queen first scorched
on a bicycle, then learned to run a two
seated. 12-horsepower automobile, presented
to her by the government, her guardian.
And between automobile and automatic
piano she filled in long hours reading the
more innocuous French novels of the Ohnet
type. She had become French.
Being French she longed for Paris. And
the fact that Paris continued to be forbid
den to her naturally increased the longing.
Paris. also, is the center of the government
which was her guardian. Once on the spot
she hoped to obtain more liberal terms in
every way. That she was right in this cal
culation was proved within three DAYS of
her arrival in the capital. In yielding
finally to her never-ceasing prayers, the
government seems to have resigned itself
in advance to greater liberality. In the
midst OF her protocolian visit to the min
lister of colonies, NJ. Clemental-who has
been kindly to her ever since he took Office
lost no time in whispering into her attentive
ear:
THE government hopes that you will now
enjoy yourself in Paris freely. 1t takes
great pleasure in trying to make itself
agreeable to you. And to prove the good
ness of its intentions. it has decided to
raise your annual pension from $4,000 to
$4,000 on the funds of Madagascar.
Almost tainted at the News.
Ranavalo almost tainted at the news. II
thank you. monsieu the minister" she re-
peated three times. II thank you monsieur
the ministerl" She had not imagined it
would come so quickly. Then she sat down.
and they passed sweet champagne and little
iced cakes.
When she returned to her Withdrawing
house at St. Germain. Ranavalo at once
engaged three other rooms, which practt-
cally puts the little establishment under her
control. II is not really boarding house
but the villa of an army officers widow
who takes paying guests" and Ranavalo
has now two parlors and boudoir. besides
the usual sleeping rooms and BATH The
bath shows that she has not become COM
pletely French yet.
Around the corner Is the ancient palace
Of the bygone kings of France, now a mu-
scum and architectural and historical show
place. To the right, beyond the lovely town
Is the spreading forest OF st. Germain
where young princes hunted the red deer
ana sounded the horn. Straight in front Is
the famous st. German terrace, on which
great ladies futtered half a thousand years
ago.
Ranavalo walks this terrace daily 1t is
decorated with marble statues and vases
Its balustrade. which runs a mile and
hall, Is or precious hammered ironwork. Its
gardens and lawns are kept in state up to
midwinter ST German sits high on this
natural blufr above the river Seine which
winds like silver ribbon In the greenery
below. And as she walks the terrace the
ex-Queen seems to see the great world in
eluding Paris. spreading at her feet
She seems to have struck streak OF good
luck ever since that cold and rainy morning
when they let her hunt up her trunks alone
at the Care de Lyon; and the contrast be-
tween her arrival at st. Germain and her
departure from 1t on her first visit to the
minister of colonies was striking. Ranavalo
was to have taken the pm. express for
Paris And the local railway management
had done nothing less than put on a spe-
cial car for her and organized service of
order"
Well, the queen arrived At the station just
ten minutes late. The pm. express had
gone. But the special car rematned-and
the service of order''-and the well-dressed
crowd of ST. Germain, half smartiy dressed
ladies and ene-quarter dandy officers In uni
form--because st. Germain Is an ultra-chic
garrison town.
Ranavalo was radiant she took her
place IN the special car. One OF the chief
officials of the short little railway line came,
hat in hand. to say:
"rhe company holds this car at the orders
of your majesty. Whenever you desire to
go to Paris you have but to give US notice"
Began to Shower Attention on Rama
valo.
That morning President Loubet had sent
her a hamper OF pheasants, partridges,
l.. ~ -.