Evening star., 1909-06-19

wood with thousands of gay birds that
came flying in clouds TO eat from silver
gilt trays perched on aca1ou poles.
Over the high road to Malmaison. where
automobiles now burst tires on the old
belgian blocks. went a continual process
sion from Paris. army officers. civil serv-
ice functionaries. retail merchants with
gifts. clerks with bills and samples. man
tractors architects. Napoleon was re-
pairing torn France He held the bust
ness at an arms length from his home.
Tourists reverently tread an avenue OF
trees to a brick villa called the En-
perors Offices.
Lunch was at II am. Josephine invited
only lady friends. There were never any
men at lunch. Then Josephine gave
audiences. Napoleon was never visible
before dinner. He was at the offices
from 6 to 10 am. and thenceforth IN his
library with generals. ministers and ad-
ministrators. At dinner there were num-
erous guests. Napoleon enjoyed romp
games after dinner. And he liked to have
them sit on the lawn at twilight.
These We're the happy days OF Jose
phine. Only too soon she was to live
alone again.
After her divorce, declared a state ne
cessity, the senatus-consulte maintained
her in the rank of a crowned empress.
contributed 100000 francs year to her
with the chateaux of Navarro and Nal
mason. To Malmaison she retired to be
near Napoleon, although she should never
see him. They kept up tender cor
respondence. which caused Marie Louise
painful jealousy.
Again Malmaison became a silent park.
As suddenly as It had bloomed into inn
perial activity 1t faded to its former
quiet. Again a mother walked with her
two children in it's shade. Eugene and
Hortense, now grown up.
Was 1t all a dream? Josephine would
shut her eyes She remembered how she
used to walk from Croissy with the little
ones. The place was uninhabited, and
she had been glad. She had her book.
The children played In the shade. There
had been none to warn her off.
Then Josephine would wake to the real
ity of things. Malmaison was her own.
She lived there alone. She lived In a
museum of the empire, such as tourists
see today. 1t was already Josephines s
museum while she dwelt there.
Yesterday couple of hundred Ameri-
can and French University Extension
girls were driven out in breaks to see 1t.
Of fresh spring morning they fooled
through the Bots. past Garches. the ponds
of ST. Cucufa. Marley forest and had
at BOugival.
II
At Croissy village they saw the church
of Josephine's first marriage. the three
houses she inhabited before she knew
Napoleon. They stood at her tomb In
Ruel Church. At Malmaison they heard
a lecture on Josephine by Frederic Mas
son. Jean Ajalbert, curator Of the mu-
scum, explained the exhibits. In the
music rooom. it's walls covered with all
those brocades and velvets. a young lady
soloist played for them on the harp OF
Josephine.
See the reception parlor. Note the
gided. chiseed bronze work on the CEN
ter table Those armchairs In brocade
with the eagle would sell for fortune.
Observe the wood-carving and the bronze
work of the walls. That carved marble
chimney and it's ornaments are precious
in themselves. The carpet is too splendid
to be walked on. 1t is partly rolled up
where the railing begins
In the dining room. with its Pompeian
frescoes, you see the elaborate table dec
Grafton service in Spanish porcelain Of.
fered to Josephine by King Charles "