, 1873-12-21
THREE FRENCH MARRIAGES.


lront Ltpuincors .iapniine Gor Janaarp.
was present yesterday at wudalnB-mass in
tito Church Of st. Thomas dIAauin in the Fau-
hourg st. Qornaill. In tho aqunro before tho
ch"reh lnales III elegant ooasrme wore doseend-
ing from thclr carrtagos md mounting tho stops,
wllcro rich carpet WIS laid for tlor1, aa ono
would HOO In Now York Oh similar occasion.
At tho door stood two vorgors III wlto loso ut1l
scnr1ot brooches, with bluo cont. gold-otnbroitl-
cre1 laldric and tho picturesque thrco. cornorcd
Int trimmed with ligl,t-grav ostrich roathcrs.
At length tho bridal party cntored, preceded
by tho vcrgors with thoir gttorlng i,nlhorda
The bride was leaning on the arm of hor fashor,
while tho bridegroom conducted tho mother
Thoy were attended by several bridesmaids aud
groomsmop, and followed BY long train Of
relatives and friends Passing mp tho main aisle,
they took their seats in tho iuo1osod space be-
foro tic high nltar, tho bride aud bridegroom
In tho contro, apart from tho rost, in chaira
, Of crimson velvet md gold, rich enough
for thfoncs. Tloro was profusfon Of
white ilowors around the altar. but tAoy woro nil
Artificial, rs Heems to bo always tho caso in
| Fraucc on REch occasions. Though they are
exquisite limitations, ono would rrefor to l,avo
! real flowers at ono's wedding Moro SHOW than
! sweetness IL bad omen.
| Tho officiating priest md his assistants wore
whto robes, with luce which would hayo made
tho despair Of a Duclleap. The bride looked
worry graceful in whito ,gown, perfectly rlain:
orangc-blosaoms cleaning out. from her dark
riuglots. Tho ceremony was long aud inl-
plesasc. In ono part OF 1T tho priest presented
to tho bride and bridegroom the "piecos do
of dollar boating The namcs Of the young
couple, with the dnto of their lnarriago and ap-
propriato cnlblems. A little later they advanced
toward tho altar, when tho priest presented to
kissed, aud, returning to tAcir bents, two Of to
groomamoi held above their heads along whito
mantle Of cloth Of silver with, fringos Of gold,
while the priest wont on with tile service.
through tic assembly with their ronoto,lous
chant, Pour les nanures, sil uous plat f. For
tho poor. IL you pleaae y, each followed iy n
sroonsinan and bridesmaid, who held out tho
nnall crimson velvet bng to receive the offerings
would rather have takon part in the chnrge Mt
Dalakayn than do this myself. bnt tho perfect
oaHe and grace of these young Fronclt girla mado
it charming.
At the clopo Of tho mass tho brida party passed
around tho altar into tho sacristy, WHOM they ra
ccfvcd tho congratulations OF thoir friends. af-
tcrward returning through tho grand aalo OF
the church in tho yame order as they had
entered, except that tho bride now
lonnod on the arm Of her husband. while tho
organ rcaled forth oxultingly tie ,"Wedding-
March Of a1ondclssnhn.
AS wo cumo out Of tito church, my fricnd,
Ntalano Lofort. sail to me, "You hive soell
and Inclination, q rAmerieain. It Is Is tho only
| QUO hayo eyor known."
"And yonr own, MADAME 2" aait1 I.
"Mino has hcen happy marriage, but was
not acquainted With II. Lefort Wien I was mar
o. tho day Of rejoicing at tho birth of the Prince
Imperial. 1Io wns presented 10 mo III tho
C1a.nps-Elysccs, but was cngrosscd with tho
acono around NC, md did not much observe him.
| Trfn 41,or
on tho way homo. 7 do not know: I scarcely
looked at him. sDut, my daughter, your father
Inns solicited him for your husband. 1Ie will
1ina with Us Tomorrow, and uncss no is worry
somo man: lao il 30 STILL YOU know, mud ho was
much llandso1nor then. Ho pleased nc, but
! never spoke ton words to him till nfter
wo were married., wllich was just n nontl,
VIC were 30 busy, my mother and T. with propnra-
tons for the wedding that had not q mninont
to think. lie Hent mo tho most beautiful flowers
ovory day, and for my corteitie de marriage he
cont ono francs. llo was in . state to commit
follica then, said Madame with little ssgl1
II was bowidercd with all this now Hplentlor
for Frcnch girls nro always dressed in tic
simplest wny-not Mt oil as IN your country
where nliBs has everything as handy as hlatnnla
and they noyor 60 into tho street without q
chaperonc. Twas inl Of life and 1ongcd fo1
excitement: my mother WAS an Invalid and won
out very Eoluonl, 20 that marriage WAS like al
%"Dut do not SEQ how you tarod."
"oh, as to thst, I was thoughtles
enough, md besides ! never expected
ANYTHING different. Engono was vor.
good to me: by and bv TO had our littlo Olarco
.wo foil in ovo with eacll other ~ degrees, III,
we lavo boen very Happy. I think narriagct
arc US llappY In france as anywhere olso.
helped to make tlroo last wintor, and they have
NIL beon happy"
''.Do toll inc about thom," snid I.
with the greatest pleasure, this evening
.'Thc girls will like 10 hour tho story Too,
said I. (rho girls were four charming spoci
nlonB OF American young wu1nnnlluol who wore
undor my cate temporarily
Accordingly, wlcn tho lamps were lighted {fol
thoro is no gus in Trench parlors) we Crow oul
chairs around tho table to hear tile story Of tue
"You rcmonbor." began MADAME, :" tho fa
Coloncl who dtnod with us 1ast sltltlny lii
vito Is m, cousin, an'l a year ago she was not
Madame do Courcelles.ff
"But tho little boy7" said Alice with naire
BurpriBo in hor blue oyc5.
"0h, tic Colonel was widowor.", said Mad
hu1o laughing. My cousin liyod with hoi
fathor in q country town. She WIS tue youngest
child. Ilor mother had been dead many years
her brothcrs and sisters woro married; She had
bcen asked in marriage, but she did not like to
leave lor father, and he would have been 60 dos
olato without her TINT ho bad not the heart tc
nrgolt My uncle died about Two yearB ns,p
his property was divided AMONG llia children,
Pauline had moderate income, Which would
not permit hor TO live iu the atylo to which shc
ssae accustomed. Sho wrote mo very sad lot
ter. lamentlng her fathers death and hor own
loneliness and deaolation. Sho asked me to i1nd
her room and board in Paris, IN q convent OF
in some guios family. wrote thut I would dc
all could for los. '1'ut, my dear COUSIN
added, why do you not think Of n.arriago7 Il
will bo very diaaErceablo to you. who hare &c
long been tho mistress Of a handsome establish.
mcut, TO live in tho way you propoao. Serious
~, marriage is the oniy solution Of NIL youl
pcrploxitica.' I Ind not long to walt for reply
Pauline wrote tlnt sLo would willingly marry
but she was now sc years old, hor dowry WIS mol
excessive, and she feared 1t would 10 impossible
TO make an advantageous marriage. tDllllc1it,
wrote In reply, but not impossible. Come tt
pasis. mako inc q little visit, aud we will seo.
Nov had IN my mind my fricnd Col. do Cour
COLES. whoso vito Ind been dend about a yen,
and half. lle often emo to 500 mo. aud al
ways bowailol his lonolineBs and tho unharp,
condition OF his clillron (l1o lad but two, O Eir