Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1881-11-03

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HOW THEY GET IARRIED IN
D. .,.. FRANCE. ., 4.s. f'-
The Etf4uctte Of WOofng and the
t:s Signing Of the Contract. s
oa v4l tAppietons Jeurapi,l -.. 10 -..t
That young girls and young men in
France are sedulously kept apart, that
wooing and winning are unnecessary pre-
liminaries to French marriage, are
facts that have been much commented
upon;' but how they marry in France,
and the etiquette of that very formal
and busiuesslike ceremonial, and the
preliminaries considered necessary thereto
are, we believe, but little understood on
our side of thetwater. * ,-r'h -
The first thing to be done is TO go
through the time-honored formality of
popping the question. But French
aspifant for matrimonial honors is not
allowed to make his proposals in person
to the young lady. That would be sad
breach of1es convenanees, and would
probably horrify the jeune personne out
of her seven senses. A friend is charged
with the delicate office of asking her
parents, not if they will accept M. So
and-so for a son-in-law, but if it would
be agreeable to them to consider him in
That possible light. . >'.f e'' i-:'''
Should the answer prove favorable,
the gentlemen 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 al
most equally Important one of the young
mans fortune, expectations, ETC., are set
tied. Should all these preliminaries be
favorably arranged second interview
is decided upon, and the day and hour
vigorously settled beforehand. Exactly
at the specified time the future bride
groom must presen. himself carefully,
but not too carefully dressed; that point
is essential! His .betrothed,i in elegant
but simple attire, awaits his coming, sur
rounded by her parents and relatives
After this first visit be is entitled to be
received as pretendu, but. must request
admission to this privilege either by writ
ing or through one of his near relatives
Permission once accorded, he is then for
the first time presented to his ladyrlove
as her future husband, and may after
ward visit the house Oh an intimate but
not familiar footing. t.f.r .....-
He must always come in full dress, nor
can his fancee receive him in other than
a yery careful toilet. A morning dress
no matter how fresh or tasteful is eom-
pleteiy inadmissible. The gentleman
must invariably send his fiancee a
bouquet on the days that he intends to
call. The engaged pair must never be
permitted to ind dulge in teteja-tete, nor
can they call each other. by their first
names without using the prefixes of non-
sieur and mademoiselie. An engagement
ought to be kept secret, and should be
officially announced only few days be-
fore the signing of the contract. OF
course, French engagements are usually
very brief, such life of constraint and
formality being agreeable to neither
party. ~ ~ ''- 81.
These preliminary formalities having
been. serupulously 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
scrupIes. This latter ceremony is by no
means essential to the legality of the mar
riape; but not to be married in church 10
considered a proof of irreligion and re-
publicanism of the most ultra type.
Now comes an amount of bother
which, to our extremely simple ideas as
regards marriages, appears to be at once
stupid and unnecessary. As necessary
preliminary to the civil marriage, the
bride and groom must arm themselves
with half a dozen documents each. First
comes the acte de naissance, or birth
certificate; 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 guar
dians in their stead. .f,-5 e.. ....
| If you are 60 years of age, and have
parents still living, this written consent
is still indispensable, unless, indeed you
go Through the formality of the trois
sommations respectueuses, which consists
in respectfully summoning' your recall.
citrant parents three times to show cause
why you should not espouse the beloved
of your heart, after which you can do al
you please. But such q proceeding is
looked upon with 30 much disfavor by
French society that it is only resorted to
| in extreme cases. If you are an Officer
in the army, you must get the permission
| of the minister of war to your nuptials
and he will not grant it unless the bride
possesses either a, dowry. of Sc, 900 francs
or settled income of 1900 francs year
All these consents obtained, next comes
the publication Of the bans, which takes
place not only in the church, but also al
the mayoralty.g - 5."Z a. - .has.
The signing of the contract is the next
formality. to be fulfilled. Usually, in
Paris, this ceremonial is made the occa
sion of a family festival, and a specia
dress Is prepared for the bride, very otter
a fac smile of the wedding dress, only
in some delicate evening dress tint in
stead of white. ia .aaIE r s-... r5=.
The notary reads aloud the contract
after which the bridegroom rises, bow
to the bride, and signs his name, after
ward passing the pen to her. She sign
in her turn, and must then hand thu
pen to the mother of the bride. Thes
little points of etiquette are strictly OBJ
served. All the other relations then sigI
in turn, according to age or station.
! 1t is considered a great honor to Obtain
some high parsonage as a witness to tn
contract. al If there is a fete given on tn
occasion, the corssille or wee ding pres
ents of the bridegroom, and the trou:
seau as well, are exhibited to the guests
The corbeille comprises shawls, jewelry
gloves, laces, furs, etc, together with
purse containing a sum of money in gold
the whole enclosed in large elegan
box, or in handsome work table. tn
value of this present is usually suppose
to represent one per cent. of the youn
lady's dowry. .-.......'
The Responsibility for Mary
sst and Her Lamb.
Springfield. Mas Republican,
4 When shall we ever see the last i
"Retes and queries" columns of thos