Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-09-29
NEW SERIES, VOL. ), NO. 81.

count had expressed themselves perfectly sat
s6ed, and their first meeting was to take
place the the following evening. in presence
Of an the members OF the two families resi-
ding Il Macerau.
Poor girl! What nervous affair II will
Be" said. what ia the ceremonial to be
obseryedr
'why,' said the contss,i quite graveiy, i
90 no, exactly know mamma does no, men
ton in her letter it depends on eireum',an-
ccs. Generally the sPoso merely comes for
ward. /, presented to tie Young lady. and
makes low bow. Sometimes, Il the hmi-
lie, previously have been intimately ac-
quaiulrd, he is directed to Kiss her hand; and
lisily-bui this is very lare'-and she low
cred her vaicc-'ii is only adopted where
there b, ,hc olle., friendship OF relationship
sub,is,ing-,ho gentlemen saluIes his bride
upon the cheek
Amused d, I wa, by this account, could
not help thinking il mus, be exaggerated, or
At leas, tha, these cour,ships whose program
me was as accurately defined asa state cere.
monv. must be restricted TO few rare in.
stances bu, found this was not the case,
ana lhs, the eon,cs.a had merely stated wha,
was usual in every family of the nobility Of
Ancona ard the sdiicCn, towns In many
instances, Afterwards learned, the rrsiimi,
uarIcs ior the marriage ola young lady were
an settled before she lsn the walls of the
convent vher, she had been brourh, up, her
wedding taking place within eiGh, days OF
her return to her plrsr,s' house; bu, this,
though esteemed highly desirable, eannO, al.
v,ys be arranged
As general rule girls are kcp, excessive
~ retired until sumo par,io has been found,
everything being dono to foster the impression
that their speedy sct,lcmru, In life is to be
,he signal for their admission into an The
pleasures OF socieiy, from which in the mean.
lime. they are ,cIuouslv excluded. Dressed
With scruru'ou, r'a.nue,s, seldom or never
tal-n in,, company, rarely appearing oa, Of
loo-, eKccFt for dnvc in a close carriage,
or O, 60 10 mass .or 10 call on some Old female
rrlaucs-vi,bou' ,he advantages oC culu-
waited mind or literary r,sources-,hc eouii.
roa or an Italian unmarried woman Is as
cherries. ani irstcuIscan, as i, is possible to
conceive.
Snail marvel is 10, then, thu, a, the fr,,
mention Of a ,u.ior a girl', ioough,, should
ey 20 all the fne dr,.e, sic will possess, to
,hc becoming co.lurrs she will adopt, and
should her im'ginauan have ever ranged .,
hr-,o the liberty Of speech ard action she
will br entitled to eH.oy. No, though, j.
given To the Disposition, tastes, or habits Of
ths person TO whom ,he j, soon TO be irrc,o.
cably united b. Is a'ei as the condition in
d.spsnsi5.c 10 the aiLlumen, Of an that has
been 90 slme.ily desired.
The scene Of the dri in,raduc,.on general. .
Iy takes place with the furmnlty the little
cor,s,si described, very rarely going beyond
a stately bow and courtesy exchanged be-
ts,s1 ,hs bc,ro,hcd.
After this interview, the gentleman issy.
ery evening expected to pay av.si, Of an
hour or 50 3, ,hs hou,, Of ms promessl, an
ihs member, Of her family, and the Old friend,
who compos1 the usual society, being present.
lie IS not placed mex, To her, nor is he TO al.
dress htmsrlfpllucularly to her Should he
feel inclined 10 venture on semark, she will
answer in mono.y'lable, with dovnrl,, ewes,
never moving from the sofa on which she sit,
holt uprch, by her mothers side Amer
week or so has elapsed. /, Is an understood
thing ,ha, he should ask for her portrait, aud
give her bis own in return.
Atthi, Stage ofprcercJio-,, be b. allowed
20 lis, ncr hand on presenting the miniature.
and on succeeding. evenings he brings her
noserly, bat vilhou, any repetition Of lhi,
privilege meanwhile the bride-clec, i, very
conpllesn,Iy occupied in knitting him purse
or em5ro.derinr him smoLing.csr, or some.
thing of that sort-NLaic,sr .he is told j.
cu,rSmlry, in fact--and finally goes to the
altar without, a thought upon the duties and
many responsibilities other own new conli.
iion.
Even their manner Of celebrating wed.
ding Is very different from ours. No BRIDE
maid, are ever seen, for j, would no, be con.
,dcred in good taste for many girls to be
prcsen, a, the religious ceremony neither
DO they take par, in the great dinner which
closes the jay. The neNly.marrisd pair DO
no, 90 into the country, or set ou, upon
jouuey, ba, at once enter into possession Of
he apartments destined for them in the house
Of the brilegroom's family.
Nv uncle used laughingly to quote a re-
mark made to him by lady IN reply 10 some
observation on the contrast thus afforded To
an English weddirg-,our; 4, may be all very
well Tor your nation, who make marriages Of
sentiment, caro- 5trio UsH0rc bu, confess that
TO luy of Us this prolonged tsie-a-i,is with
husband whom o0e knows nothing a, all Of,
would be tedious IN the extreme To avoid
being thrown upon this terrible eumPanln'hiP
the first week or so Of the young sPosa's:'
married lie Is fully taken Up IN receiving the
eongn,ula,ory visits Of her friends and ac-
quaiu,aoces; after which, she and her hus-
band make wha, is called the frs, sortita to-
TeItcr, 20 to hear mass, call upon every one
10 due form, and are considered fairly started
In their asN posi,ioo