The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-03-03
MARRIAGE IN FRANCE.

To many of us there Is something shocking
In the business like airs with which French
people contract alliances; but among The
poorer population, at any rate, the culcRla.
lion, foresight, deliberate preparation OF
home, aud arrangement OF the means ef sup.
porting It., meaus lifelong comfort, each Of
the contracting parties having q due regulated
share of the dulles 10 perform. Tne only bit
of extravayance Is the wedding dinner, fol-.
lowed by ball. Iu u couple of days the duties
of lite are taken up, and the vile Is
busy with her linens and her saucepans.
Mr.. Walker describes marriage among
Eagllsh farm laborers: "Women brought
ND 10 ignorance Of comfort OF course
are careless about the means OF providing ior
Ii. They are needless how they marry and
when married never think OF the dulles Of
their situation. recollect o young woman,
the wife of laborer ln tie country, once ap-
plying 10 me respecting some alleged harsh
treatment on the part of shopkeeper to
whom she owed money. 90 Investigating the
case found that she regularly spent about
three shillings week In sweet things, and
that she held herself entitled 10 pass the hrst
year alter her marriage In complete ldleness,
. privilege. discovered, oy no means seldom
claimed. of course tne habits OF the hrst year
would become In a great measure the habits oil
after lite, aud the inuulgences In sweet things
would most likely be transferred In time to
things less harmless"
When Celestiue married her Antoine, who
was railway porter, she begged that she
might return 10 my service Tor the monlns
she had to remain 10 Paris, before leaving lor
Italy, where her bridegroom had effected an
excellent engagement lhat would Keep Lne
pair in comfort. She pleaded That In this way
she would not have to draw on her resources,
all of which would be wanted for her lnstala-
tIop In her new home. She was very proud
at the same Time, to org that my family would
taste the wine of her husbands vintage,
grown on q bit OF land belonging to his 1ami-
ly, In which he had share. so the parls rail-
way porter was an infinitely small wlne-grow-
or iu his native place, anu the desire OF lls
life was To earn money In ''lne capital OF the
world" 10 carry back 10 the little property
In marriage he looked ior vile Hho would
bu -baud his resources, and at the same tune
add 10 them. leave others 10 moralize and
srnllmentallze on the subj.ct, give The facts
as they come under my eyes, and II l
dwell upon them 1t is because they ap'
NEAR to me to be very near the founda-
lion of the difference there is between tae
domestic aud social predicaments OF the
wages-earning classes OF England and France.
Celesline could turn every lard OF the family
income 10 the brsL account; could make q
lhoroughly good dinner out OF The slightest
and cheapest materials; could knit her nus.
bands hose and spin the flax for mis- linen
while The pot. au:t :teu was bnbuling within ear
sho; and having cultivated the habit OF saw
ins all her lilp, and being among saving peo'
nile. could invest lntelligently. Let the reader
not run away with the Idea that my old COOK
and the railway porter will ever become rich
people. They are thinking only Of their old
days and of crust of bread TO leave tnell
children. They will never move ous OF the
class In which, they were born. But the com
forts OF their degree they will command when
thew are old. They will grow their own wine
and vegetables, rear their own pork and poul
,ry, keep their own COW, and be aole 10 give
uin d'honneur aps day 10 the friend who may
pass their way. And Celestiue's is the every
day marriage of the French WORKING classes
AL the Year Round.