The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-01-09
THREE FRENCH MARRIAGES.

~s~@>~~~~~-~
was present yesterday at a wedding
mass in the church of st. Thomas d'A-
quin in the Faubourg st. Germain. In
the square before the church ladies in
elegant costume were descending from
their carriages and mounting the steps,
where a rich carpet was laid for them,
as one would see in New York on sim
liar occasion. At the door stood two
vergers in white hose and scarlet breech-
es, with blue coat, gold-embroidered
baldric, and the picturesque three-cor-
nered hat trimmed with ight-gTay os-
trich feathers.
At length the bridal party entered,
preceded by the vergers with their gilt
tering halberds. The bride was lean
ing on the arm of her father, while the
bridegroom conducted the mother.
They were attended by several brides
maids and groomsmep, and followed by
a long train of relatives and friends.
Passing up the main aisle, they took
their seats on lhe inclosed space before
the high altar, the bride and bridegroom
in the center, apart from the rest, in
chairs of crimson velvet and gold, rich
enough for thrones. There was pro-
fusion of white flowers around the al
tar, but they were all artificial, as seems
to be always the case in France on such
occasions. Though they are exquisite
limitations, one would prefer to have real
flowers at ones wedding. More show
than sweetness is bad omen.
The officiating priest and his assistant
wore white robes, with lace which
woDld have made the despair of dutch
ess. The bride looked very graceful in
white gown perfectly plain, with the
tulle veil floating to her feet and or
ange-blossoms cleaning out from her
dark ringlets. The ceremony was long
and impressive. In one part of it the
priest presented to the bride and bride
groom the ''pieces de marriage"
is, silver medals about the size of dol
lar bearing the name of the young
couple, with the date of their marriage
and appropriate emblems. A little Ia
ter they advanced toward the altar.
when the priest presented to them two
golden pater@, which they reverently
kissed, and, returning to their seats,
two of the groomsmen held above their
heads long white mantle of cloth of
silver with fringes of gold, while the
priest went on with the service.
During the ofertory the vergers
passed through the assembly with their
monotonous chant, 60 Pour les 0auVTeS,
sill VOuS plat" {" For the poor, if you
please y, each followed by a grooms-
man and bridesmaid, who held out the
small crimson velvet bag to receive the
offerings. I would rather have taken
part in the charge at Balaklava than do
this myself, but the perfect ease and
grace of these young French girls made
it charming.
At the close of the mass the bridal
party passed around the altar into the
sacristy, when they received the congrat-
ulations of their friends, afterward re-
turning through the grand aisle of the
church in the same order as they had
entered, except that the bride now
leaned on the arm of her husband,
while the organ pealed forth exultingly
the Wedding March" of Mendels-
sohn.
AS we came out of 1.-The church, my
friend, Madame Lefort, said to me,
"You have seen what is very rare in
France, marriage of love and inclina-
tion, PAmericain. 1t is the only one
I have ever known"
'tAnd your own, Madame ?" said L
"Mine has been a happy marriage,
but was not acquainted with M. Lefort
when | was married to him. The first
time I ever saw him was on the day of
rejoicing at the birth of the Prince I'M
perial. He was presented to me in the
Champs Elysees, but I was engrossed
with the scene around me, and did not
much observe him. How did you like
NJ. Lefort p asked my mother on the
way home. L do not know scarcely
looked at him. But, my daughter,
your father has selected him for your
husband. He will dine with us to-mor-
row, and unless he is very disagreeable
to you M. Lefort was a handsome
man he is SO still, you know, and he
was much handsomer then. He pleased
me, but i never spoke ten words to him
till after we were married, which was
Just a month from the day 1 first saw
him and all the time we were so busy,
my mother and I, with preparations for
the wedding that I had not a moment
to think. He sent me the most beauti-
full flowers every day, and for my cor
BELLE de marriage he gave me diamonds
and an India shawl which cost 5000
francs. He was in a state to commit
follies then" said Madame with little
sigh. "I was bewildered with all this
new splendor, for French girls are al
ways dressed in the simplest way-not
at all as in your country, where Miss
has everything as handy as Mamma
and they never go into the street with
out chaperone. I was full of life and
longed for excitement my mother was
an invalid and went ont very seldom, so
that marriage was like an open door to
freedom"
"But 1 do not see how you dared"
"Oh, as to that, I was thoughtless
enought, and besides I never expected
anything different. Eugene was very
good to me by the by we had our little
Clarice, we fell in love with each other
by degrees, and we have been very hap
py. I think marriages are happy in
France as anywhere else. l helped to
make three last winter, and they have
all been happy"
"Do tell about them" said !.
"With the greatest pleasure, this
evening after dinner"
"The girls will like to hear the story,
too" said I. CThe girls were -four
charming specimens of American young
womanhood who were under my care
temporarily
Accordingly, when the lamps were
lighted (for there is no gas in French
parlors) we drew our chairs around the
table to hear the story of the three mar.
riages.
"You remember" began Madame,
"the fat Colonel who dined with us
last Sunday? His wife is my cousin.
and year ago she was not Madame de
! Courcelles."
"But the little boy ?" said Alice will
a native surprise in her blue eyes.
ooh. the Colonel was widower,
said Madame laughing. "My cousir
lived with her father in country town
She was the youngest child. Hel
mother had been dead many years hel
brothers and sisters were married sh'
had been asked in marriage, but sh'
did not like to leave her father, and ht
would have been so desOlate wlthou
her that he had not the heart to urge 1t
My uncle died about two years ago IN
property was divided among his chill
dren. Pauline had a moderate income
! which would not permit her t. live L