, 1877-07-29
PARIS.
Our Correspondent Assists at an
Questionable Wedding.
Tho .Nuptials OF Mons. RatlchoI
and Mile. .B0ulinot.
Pere Boreis Breakfast, and the Petit
Vim d'Argenteul.
The Dinner-.-Kisstng the Bride-..Aiile'
Enlalie---An Enthusiastic
D0ltCe,

PAa;s July ss-The other day ! bad the good
fortune III he invited to wetdng,-an ol'-
tashiouxb!e welding in the FaubourI ST. tAntoine'
the mast questionable quarter III F:ttis 1t was
the first time sucl, Il chance Of studying n very
interesting phase IF French social }ifc 'ae he'n
ptfrrc.I me- Il had seen weddings ut thu hlatlt'
Irine,--aitled bridcgrooms, brides in silks anti
satlus with hundred carriages waiting ou's'ne
tie church, = pruf1lsiou NJ lights aud flowers on
The aIt:lr and the majestic music of thu grand
organ to play the "hapuY coupls' ont into ulc
street when the mutual sacrifice WAS scco11'-
pItsllel. ! have also seen something o1 poor
u,srrlages; humble affairs quickly settled NV
visit To II. 1e Marie, and few words rraunh1ed
in 4 dark corner Of some church by tue priest.
Ny knowledge Of
BOURGEOIS MARRIAGES.,
however. had been SO lar altogether second
hand, conveyed to me chiefly through the fa11ci"
fuI narratives of Paul de kock, OF joyous but
improper memory. With the best will i'll the
world could not bring myself to accept the
u,,,.int pictures Of the author Of Ia Pucel1c de
Bellcyille,n aud many another tale OF the saIne
orier, as serious illustrations OF Its oo'srgeots
customs; or interesting hcroincs like Virginic
.s tyn:al representatives Of even Bellerille
brides. Here WAS q capital opportunity OF iudg-
inr aud observing for myself. and ! seized it.
AaIonscur and Madame R:.tici.on have tue hon.
or to ointorm YOU OF the marriage OF ". Hippolyte-
Au.lste is1ticllon, their soE. with Aaslcmoiselle
Eudox,e- -Ho1tcnsc Roulinot, anu beg you to be
present at the Nuptual Bencdiction, which will
pe given Oil -, the -th -, at the Egiise des
Quiuze- Vingts, at noon."
So rau the invitation. At noon, accordingly,
1 started in quest OF the Eglise des Quil'ze-
Viuyts,-a temple hitherto unknown to sne. and
not by any means ensily found. It is, in point
Of tact, church only by courtesy,-a tiny chapel
attached to the Asylum for the Blind, which
f:rsrs the name of Quinze- Vingts, given to it By
Louis the Fourteenth its founder, By
whom It MAS destined for the re-
ception of 800 INDECENT blind. Hence
Quinze-Vinets.'' It is slowed away out OF
sight IN courtyard Of the Charcnton, close to
the Faubourg st. Antoine and the bastile. Ex-
tcrually, its appearance is anything but cheer
full. The entrance, indeed, looks very much
like the mouth Of i sepulchre, and is suggestive
of thoughts the reverse OF joyful. Within, you
tiud All odd, primitive little place, irreyularly
divided into two chapels, separated by series
OF simple arches. The wtitewashed walls are
e,nbe1itshed by rare examples Of wood-carving;
aud ut the end Of each chupel is an altar, with 4
Daintci image of tie Mother and Child, sur
rounded by bronze candlestfcks in which tapcrs
are burning for the greater glory of God"
Hidden behind the hcagy folds OF two red velvet
curtains adornng the approach to the larger
chapel, Is al organ.
Ef tile time reached the church my wedding
party aad happily got through the preliminary
civil ceremony ut the ueighboring Marie, and
we're now gathered together in the lesser chapel.
LII front sat the bride and bridegroom, on TWO
comfortable chairs, watching the proceedings Of
the priest. who was muttering 4 mass to him.
self, upon tho altar steps. All could catch OF
it was an occasional ''Mum-mum -1num,'' aud
now aud then the tinkling Of bell. In the
fullness Of time, the bell-rinSing ceased, and
MONSIEUR AND MADAME KATlCHoS''
went into the ycstry to receive the eongratula-
tons of their friends. There was deal of kiss
ing indu1ged In. Everybody embraced every
bouy elsc-uproDos de bottles: those who were
lucky enough to bc near ller emDraccu the bride
several times. assure you the process had its
charms. Nine. Ratict,on, nee Boulinot, was
tempting object. Eighteen, pretty, healthy,
ingenious, and yet no way embarrassed; as un-
like the precocious heroine of Paul de kock as
could be, Ut her pleasant face and modest eyes
bcliei her. Hippolyte-Augustc is an cnviablc
fellow.
We sailed forth presently, two and two, the
bride and bridegroom first. then the mothers
andfathers in law: tile relations and friends.
aspect. were waiting to convey us to rcstal1-
rant. What will you! We hat not all OF u6
just been married, and the vulgar calls oil
hunger were beginning to make themselves
heard. Pcre BUrel, hard by, near the Barrere
du Trone. soon served up . acat but simple cold
collation., to which such u us as were partial
to s1uc;sson a luH, tam, and Earllc-laE0red
mutton, did full justice. | confess
that All absurd prejudice linslered me from fol-
lowing the general example Onions | can
briuc myself to stand: but garlic even long
residence in this country has not been able to
reconcile Inc to- So, Willie the others refreshed
the inner man, + took the opportunity Of OBJ
serving the company more closely than had
vet dcne. We mustered about thirty. On my
left sat middlc-agcd laty,-wife Of petty
manufacturer Of the Faubourg du Temple IA
diaut in gray popn trimmed with yellow:
"L'et iout rata la .a<le cete aimee, ma chere,"
says tho good lady, in an audible undertone, to
female friend, and to be sure "a
Ia mode' It is this year-in the Fan--
bourg St. Antoine. At the Opera, and
III most places where the real H10.lde assemblies,
the staring color is conspicuous by its ab5encc.l
Opposite me was one OF the aezaoi*tlcs d'hon-
nt,r, or bridesmaids as We should say,-a
sprightly girl of 90, with mfschieyous eyes,
sa,lcy mouth, and light-blue silk dress, not at
| all badly cut, MA fol. In the middle sat
THE BLusH1NG BRIDE,
tn the traditional White muslin. 'She wore
| SONS; and, throughout the repast, de-
vUteu what IT, u. other Jealous ou1OOkers