The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-02-21
From the Chicago Ledger.
A FRENCH MARRIAGE.
BY s. c. A.

- ~ - a
The church of St. Philippe was crowd
ed one bright Tuesday morning with a
fashionable assembly of the rich OF
Paris, gathered together to witness the
marriage ceremony of the talented young
author, Gustave D, and Madamoi
selle B All Paris had talked OF
nothing else for week. The c0nturiere,
and m0distes, the most recherchees, Were
taxed with orders for the occasion
Lucky, indeed, were those who could
gain a hearing and command robe Oh
bonnet. So this sunny morning all these
beautiful costumes were on exhibition
on forms far less lovely, in the church of
st. Philippe.
1t was very quiet crowd, indeed.
Everybody seemed to be celebrating,
more or less, upon the grave step which
the young bride and bridegroom were
about the take. The sunbeams streamed
through the colored glass, and shed
bright tints on the eager faces turned to-
ward the door; the wax tapers flooded
the altar with subdued light; the
odor of burning incense peryaded the
aisles and mingled in sweet confusion
with the different perfumes.
The beadle tapped with his mace, and
the glorious peals of the Aee Maria
burst forth from the organ. The great
doors opened and the bridal party en-
tered. How pale and fragile the child
bride Of seventeen appears, leaning on
the arm Of her father. She even seems
to tremble, and her great black eyes look
full of pain. Poor girl, they have liter
ally sold her some one whispered-and
she was right. The bridegroom-doe.
he look gay and full of tenderness? Not
at all! His lips are compressed bis
brow is clouded, and his whole appear
ance denotes thai it was not a MARRIAGE
Pomo,r. No, it is not love match; il
is 4 wedding of riches and talent, Ito
which are added youth and beauty.
What are the thoughts of the fair young
bride as she kneels before the altar,
glancing timidly now and then at the
face of her future lord and master? She
thinks bitterly, 1t bores him to be
here; he hates me, but he has need of
money to keep up his name. And
II despise him forsstooping to marry
without lovew He thinks, regarding
her lovely face thoughtfully, at would
not be difficult to learn 10 love woman.
Bah. am growing sentimental; | mar
ry a rich girl for money and-l0, | have
it. She is beautiful, she is educated, she
will grace well my table; | am content"
The ceremony is soon over, the congratu-
lations paid, and Gustaye finds himself
alone with his wife for the first time
IL ,r1ir -, ~, = h
house OF his father-in-law.
Lucille, pale and shivering, leans back
IN the corner out of the sight Of curious
eyes. She studies his countenance as he
gazes out of the window at the moving
masses of people, thinking to herself
How indifferent he is; then suddenly
4 feeling of revolt rises within her, she
feels that she il a woman, not child. "Tl
never Twin his respect if | sit silent and
abashed." She sits erect; he turns and
speaks to her of the many people at the
church, of those he had recognized, com.
mon friends of both. They converse
upon Indifferent subjects, until the car
riage stops at her fathers door. The ice
was not broken, but the glitter had dis,
appeared; it no longer dazzled the eve.
with a million sharp points.
She is trying to make the best of it, .
said he to himself. Poor thing" All,
Gustaye, take heed Pity is akin tc
love. In Your heart lies the germ OF
passionate love, such as you have never
felt before. Let it grow; destroy it not
half grown. You can never replace
il or renew its growth.
The wedding breakfast disposed of,
the bride dons her travelling dress, waves
her ddieLr, and once more finds herself
alone with her husband, en- route for
Normandy, while the loving papa and
mamma rub their hands softly together,
and congratulate themselves upon the
match. We could not have done bet
ter, they say firmly. He has talent
and she has wealth and beauty" They
then set themselves to work to find a
suitable apartment for Madame Gustave
The days, the weeks fly by. Novem
Der has come with her fearful face
Madame Gustave is back in Paris, sur
rounded with every luxury that wealth
can obtain, vet she is not happy. She has
learned many bitter lesson in the
short time she has been wife. She has
learned that there are women of whom
hut glance is pollution, the
society of whom is preferred
by her husband. She has learned
that to live with man YOU must love
not loathe him; that TO be an unioved
wife is worse than death. There was
between herself and husbands mountain
of ice which neither could surmount
Their individuality was perfect. Could
they ever become one? She had seen
her husband one day, when she was rid,
ing alone in her little brougham. He
had passed her in the carriage of a gay
young actress. He was laughing and
talking, and did not see her as she shrank
back out of sight, with feeling of pain
she could not fathom. She had grown
to be mere shadow of her former self
The worm of discomfort was gnawing at
her heart. With feeling of horror she
thought she loved and was not beloved.
She tried to make herself agreeable to
her husband, but there was some great
rock in the path "Oh, why was ]
horn,' she cried
One evening she said to him, " You
are 80 seldom at home. that | see nothing
Of you; you must be very busy" He
was putting on his great-coat to 90 out.
He turned around, and look, of anguish
came over his face He made move
ment with his arms as though he would
embrace her, but they dropped to his
side. He said goodnight, and hurried
away.
Far from his young wife he flies,
through the many winding streets,
A. 1 - l..
troubled, and his handsome young face is
I.