The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-05-26


That young girls and young men in
France are sedulously kept apart, that
wOoing and winning are unnecessary
preliminaries to a French marriage, are
facts that have been much commented
upon; but how they marry in France, and
the etiquette of that very formal and
businesslike ceremonial, and the pre-
liminaries considered necessary thereto,
are, we believe, but little understood on
our side Of the water.
The first thing to be done is to 90
through that time -honored formality
called popping the question. But a
French aspirant for matrimonial honors
is not allowed to make his proposals in
person to the young lady. That would
be a sad breach of les c0hUeHdRcsS, and
would probably horrify the jeune per-
some out of her seven senses. A friend
is charged with the delicate Office Of ask
ing her parents, not if they will accept
NJ. So-andso for sOn-in-law, but if it
would be agreeable to them to consider
him in that possible light. Should the
answer prove favorable, the gentleman
may desire an interview with the lady's
parents or guardians, at which interview
the young lady must not be present. In
this first interview all business questions,
including the important one of the
dowry, and the almost equally important
one of the young mans fortune, eXpec-
tations, etc, are settled. Should all
these preiminaries be favorably ar
ranged, second interview is decided
upon, and the day and hour vigorously
settled beforehand. Exactly at the speci-
fed time the future bridegroom must
present himself, carefally but not too
carefully dressed-that point is essential.
His betrothed, in elegant but simple at
tire, awaits his coming, surrounded by
her parents and relatives. After this
first visit he is entitled to be received as
a pretendU, but must request permission
to this privilege either by writing or
through one of his near relatives. Per-
mission once accorded, he is then for the
first time presented to his lady-love as
her future husband, and may afterward
visit the house on an intimate but not a
familiar footing. He must always come
in full dress, nor can his fdncee receive
him in any other than very careful
toilet. A morning dress, no matter how
fresh or tasteful, is completely inadmis
sible. The gentleman must invariably
send his .fancee a bouquet on the days he
intends to call. The engaged pair must
never be permitted to indulge in tete-a-
tete, nor can they call each other by their
first names without using the pretixes of
monsieur and mademoiselle. An engage
ment ought to be kept secret, and should
be officially announced only few days
before the signing of the contract. OF
course, French engagements are usually
very brief, such life of constraint and
formality being agreeable to neither
party,
These preliminary formalties having
been scrupulously gone through with,
next comes the question of the wedding,
or rather weddings, for our French couple
must be married twice over, once at the
mayoralty, in accordance with the law,
and once at church, to satisfy religious
scruples. This latter ceremony is by no
means essential to the legality of the
marriage; but not to be married in church
is considered proof of irreligion and
republicanism of the most ultra type.
Now comes an amount of bother which,
to our extremely simple ideas as regards
marriage, appears to be at once stupid
and unnecessary. AS a necessary pre-
liminary to the civil marriage, the bride
and groom must arm themselves with
half a dozen documents each. First
comes acte de laiSsdRce, or birth-certifi-
cate; then the consent in writing of both
parents, or, if either or both of them be
dead, the proofs of their decease, and
the consent of grandparents or guardians
in their stead. If you are sixty years
of age, and nave parents still living, this
consent is still Indispensable, unless, in.