CHILDREN’S CORNER

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18009, 20 November 1926, Page 19

CHILDREN’S CORNER

A LETTER TO YOUNG MEMBERS

OF THE “ STAR ” CIRCLE.

jyjY DEAR STARLETS AND SHOOTING STARS— To-day I am going to ask you to accompany me to Malmaison, ■where Napoleon once lived. Although he was known as the Emperor of the French, he was not born in France hut at Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica. Can you find that island in the Mediterranean? The house where he was horn is still preserved. Many streets and squares there are called after him, and statues of the great Emperor stand about the town. Cigars and mat'aroni are made at Ajaccio, and sardine and coral lisliiug are carried on from there. Now, to return to Malmaison. "We left Paris one morning in the spring-time and travelled the ten miles to the noted chateau by electric car. The route was very pretty—lilac trees w ith both the while and lilac blossom decorated the gardens of the brightly-painted villas, and the quince flower softly dropped its petals on the cool lawns. Trails of wisteria hung on bowers, and we were delighted with the art displayed in the gardens, which were gay with beds of pansies and forget-me-nots and minaturc lakes. The chateau, or castle, is not a very large one, and the grounds arc small, and cannot be compared to the eleven thousand acres of forest which surround the castle at St Germain, where I took you recently. Instead of blue-bells, golden cowslips sprinkled the lawn, and two swans which shared my lunch, glided along a stream flowing through the grounds. Roses, daisies, and butter-cups and marble statues all helped to make it one of the prettiest little gardens I had ever seen. At one side of the chateau ran the Avenue of Exile—it was there that Napoleon said good-bye to his family before leaving for St Helena. The interior contained many relics belonging to Napoleon and Josephine—his first wife. The beautiful Josephine died there, and the guide pointed out her bed. We saw many of her personal belongings, including a wonderful dressing-case which Paris presented to her. Then we saw the harp she used to play and the tapestry frame at which she spent many hours. After seeing Josephine’s things, we were taken to another part Of the chateau and shown the library of Napoleon, his compass, camp bed, camp stool, and other pieces of furniture which were brought back from St Helena. I expect you would like to hear something of Napoleon's tomb, which is in Paris, very near to the River Seine. We looked down at it from a circular marble balustrade. The sarcophagus is of red Finland granite, arid around it are wreaths in mosaic, and the names of many, of the battles he took part in. Huge white angels guard it. Directly above the tomb is a dome of glass, which sheds a soft mellow light over all. It is a wonderful place and a fitting memorial to one of the greatest and most ambitious men in the world. This is all for to-day, because the animals in the big Competition are waiting for their heads.—much love, EVANGELINE.