Middletown transcript., 1870-11-26
CROUssEAU IN GERMANY.

The g trousseau," furnished by the
brides parents, consists chiefly of linen,
both household and body linen. generally
sufficient to last lifetime, and adapted to
the rank and means of the bride. Thus
the rich mother buys what is bes. and 6n-
est in the shops the less rich one buys
up gradually, years leeore the occasion,
good strong household linen. carefully
kept in lavender, and cut up and sewed
Ly the girl herself when her marriage is
settled. The poorer classes do the same.
beginning almost at the birth of the girl
and the peasant woman grows or buys her
flax, spins it herself, and lays by pro-
vision of strong linen, durable as sailcloth.
for her daughter, as her mother and grand
mother did before her. The pride of
German woman, no matter of what rank,
is in her linen-press and it is exhibited
to friends and discussed with gossips as
one of the chief subjects of female con-
versation. 1t happens rarely that any
well -fttedout woman has to add any ma
teral store to her treasure. The jewelry
is invariably the pl esent of the bridegroom,
He presents to his betrothed the orna-
ments suited to the rank and station he
intends to place her in. The rich man
presents his pearls and diamonds; the less
rich one, his pretty gold ornaments, the.
simple artisan, his plain gold brooch, with
lock of his hair at the back, to be worn
by his loving wife solemnly on grand oc-
casions to the end of hor days, and at tho
last bequeathed affectionately to some low
ed individual as her best treasure. The
wedding-dress is likewise graduated From
the seryiceable black silk of the artisans
wife, it ascends through all shades of use
fulness-browr. dark blue. gray, light
gray, to the simple white taffetas, and the
costly white more antique. This consti-.
tutes no class difference; every woman
chooses naturally the sort of gown which
her friends ana relations have chosen in
their turn, and the wedding gown, like the )
one chosen by the Vicar Of WakeAeld's
wife, is as useful as any other article of
the trousseau.'
Besides this, the prudent" middle class"
mother carefully puts into little purse
the pieces of gold provided by the "gov-
ernor'' for another pretty gown, and gives
it to tho bride for by-and-by, when it is
wanted, WHSu thc WeuuluS CiuIucb arc
soled, and the young matron does not
wish to Wear the old fashioned things of her
Iousseau" The wedding gifts, we are
assured, give rise occasionally to some
little grumbling, but even these are man
aged in the same methodical style. The
first principle is that the gifts are for the
young household" not for the young
lady. Accordingly they are invariably
adapted to to the rank, station, and means
of the young couple, and arranged on a
preconcertcd plan, SO that duplicates ARE
impossible; yet every giver's means and
individual tastes are duly regarded.
The result is that as all is well consid-
cred and well fitted together, the young
people start in life with well-ftted house.
prettier and more valuable than would be
the case if provided by themselves alone.
From the richest to the poorest house,
hold, the wedding gifts are ever preserv-
ed, valued, and exhibited from pride or
vanity or affection; and no giver objects
to see his gift treasured for life as the
wodding gift which is to last life.