Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-10
MARRIAGE IN FRANCE.

MARRIAGE IN FRANCE.
n Lady In Pnrisia,s Society Defines Happi-
ness Why Wonae,s Wed--HOsc Husbands
IRE Secured For A,ari0,1s Girls.
PARIS, Feb. 10, 1878.-An aged Parisienne
living in the Faubourg ST. German, lately
made remark which deserves to be recorded
She is one of those veteran fair who. have
seen great deal Of society and fought out
many campaigns therein. She possesses
moreover, fund of that wisdom peculiar to
women of the world, which, when united
with happy turn Of expression, adds pith
and humor to their philosophy. Having
been led to talk about happiness, in circle
of her Sztianes, a gentleman told her that in
his opinion, the definition of happiness was
ssto owe no man anything" He happens to
be over head and ears in debt, but the fash
ionable old lady took different view of this
excellent principle, and said: "You are
wrong; no one on earth can maintain that it
is possible to be free from obligations.
There are, for instance, two formalities in
daily life which compel man to place him
self in position of Indebtedness to his
fellow creatures. What would he do if he
had no one to marry, and no one to bury
him?'' The word ''marier,'' in French,
means s:to mate,'' to find wife; it does not
refer, merely, to the clergyman who per-
forms the marriage ceremony. Now,
this inability to bury ones self
is undeniable I believe it has not
yet been controverted, and probably never
will be. But this Partisan notion of man
giving himself up to be married is one emf
nently practical. There is no use in trying
to ridicule Frenchman out of it. It would
only serve to convince him that Anglo Saxon
views are not the same as French views, and
that they are not half as rational, therefore
I will take things as they are and descrihp
the various ways in which people get married
here.
HOW PEOPLE MARRY.
There is, first, the m0rlage deconye7aa1ace;
second, marriage d'aoczSnation;; third, the
,nnq'S.ge de 1uison. These belong to the
regular course of events. The three irregu-
lar courses will not require to be analysed.
They are the mUrSage de lG MAIN gauche,
the marriage IN e.ctrenass, and the marriage
a1SItes-tAe latter between persons of differs
emit religious professions It is excessively diff
cult to ascertain which is the best to recon-
mend. Men who have only had one wife,
have naturally tried only one way, and as a
rule generally complain of it. When have
come across widows OF widowers who have
had occasion to try two or three different
ways have noticed that the one they once
fancied was the worst proved the best after
all. Women who have married young often
throw no light on the subject, but the de-
ceased husband is always spoken of as
b Ofr +Io
of men, whereas widowers never go off in
raptures about their defunct wives.
HAPPY FUTURE sTATE-CoMPARATIvELY
If the dead could speak we should know
whether matrimony really is blessed state,
or even a state in which man may be
blessed. The following is somewhat de-
trimental to this theory. A lady had lost
her husband, but she had left off her mourn
ing and went to parties. Being asked by
one of those gentlemen who attend soirees
as mediums who she would like to see in
spirit, and having replied, ''My poor James,
the departed suddenly rose out of the centre
of the carpet as it were, and stood before
the whole company
ooh! James, tell me are you happy
tsVery.''
care you happier now than when on
earth?''
"Much happier"
''Then, James, you must be in heaven?"
''No; Pm in hell''
This is, I am aware, depression, but it
illustrates fguratively the difference between
married mems state of mind after they have
given up their mortal flesh and that which
prevails before marriage.
MARRYING FOR FORTUNE, FOR LOVE AND FOR
NOTHING.
r o1o:~ 4 IL
different sorts of matrimony above men
toned. The marriage de co,ave,ete,oce is one
where the chief points considered are posi-
ton, fortune and family. The age of the
contracting parties is no object at all; seven
ty may we'd seventeen. The Marriage
NinclSnntlom is one where love has Joined
the hands and hearts of hopeful couple
without any consideration of means. The
7,enrS0ge de rGis01 unites persons of ripe
age, ripe experience and comfortable income;
persons who cannot get on without some one
to sew on their buttons, thread their needles
and make their coffee; persons who, feeling
no inclination for each other. nevertheless
expect that when the ring has been put on
that particular finger they will be propped
up as they go down hill by the partner who
bears up longest.
A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY.
Whichever of the foregoing ways be
adopted 10 mirage can take place withouta
a maarSeuse. A naar5euse is a friend of the
family who has no interest in making up
matches beyond that of enjoying it. He in
PRODUCES single men to single girls in spirit
of amiable solicitude for their good the men
are usually 'charming fellows who she
may have met at the seaside and who have
confided in her; the young ladies have been
out of school or convent for half the last
season. These affairs are generally COM
menced with conversation in the following
style between l0 nearseuse and the young
lady's mother
care you anxious, my dear Helene, that
Berthe should make grand match? You
know she has only an income of 10000
francs.'
::No, providing Berthe marry man who
knows how to presenter himself in society
and he have good temper
''Ihen have husband for her: he is
thirty-two this means forty-seven); he en-
joys excellent health (he weighs $50 pounds);
he has good name, never SHORES, &C.
'He will do,' replies the mother.
The day this gentleman is introduced
Berthe is told not to bite her nails when her