The National tribune., 1881-06-01
EDITOR TRIBUNE +:
German Marriage Engagements.

CHANGING over my morning mail few days since
noticed letter bearing foreign postmark, and it
the first among the lot whose seal broken 1t
tanned handsomely printed elegant paper which,
being translated into English, read as follows:
engagement to Miss Hedwg schvenng
ARTHUR WEScKLE Barrister the Court OF appeals.
Quedinburg June, 1891
These formal notices of engagements variance
with the American that chapter that subject
will doubtless interest a large circle of readers In
Germany other continental countries the engagement
is surrounded by circumstances ceremonious
rage The beginning of the attachment, except among
OF the royal families lies with the parties them
selves The choice made by those clearly inter
ested But before engagement the couple not be
together in the presence of chaperon They
do stroll together to theatres and other p
of public amusement without the company of the
ver-present third party To ounspeople walk
ing is sign of their engagement. Pre-
suming they are SO fortunate as to have parents living
the gentleman approaches his father upon the matter
and if he not wholly opposed to the match he allows him.
self to be persuaded to arrange conference with the i'm
mediate ancestor of the desired bride This conference
is usually mysterious to the two anxious Ones and is
generely very pleasantly interrupted by the pulling
corks and the blinking of glasses The future external
welfare of the couple is here Otmes discussed
termined uponther their linens their gold meted
out and the formal refusal arrived at. Then
notices are sent such received from my friend
Arthur by both the bride and groom and the case of
relatives and very intimate friends invitation given
to festival at the ladys parents to celebrate the joyous
engagement Most commonly, too, the notice of said
engagement is published in the papers After the
engagement the couple is quite intimate if So
TO the world, they with theory they
and wife, and the step to real married life is gentle
and easy If there is rupture in the engage
ment this is formally announced the engagement
itself. statement that its dissolution reflects no dis
credit either party signed by the ladys father
guardian and the genteman-the intended groom The
result OF this is that persons engaged to more
than one at a time and of half-dozen engage
ments before lady reaches twenty utterly unheard
of-they would be considered monstrous. Now here is
a custom which, with notifications il would be
well to engraft upon social life. There freedom
of intercourse between the youth of the here
before engagement often attended with results leading
speedily to misery if not death and then that ladies
should SO far forget the purity of their play
the game of fastandloose with dozen gentlemen in one
season is disgrace to their fair fame This matter of
pledgng the heart and hand should the subject
jest. The woman who lts true man in spirit of
coquetry does at loss of her purest and holiest
impulses. She is the same parsonage afterward
appears TO rest upon the coquees of both
by indulgng in the habit the true charm of womanhood
is lost forever Let her friendships be the result of
deliberate judgments, and not momentary caprices /;
let these friendships rpen into love under the influence of
noble and genemany attentions and there will be fewer
divorce SUITS fewer inmates of insane asylus and fewer
coroners inquests.-ED NAT. TRIBUNE
PAT-"Och, Bridget did We niver hear NV my great
spache afore the Hibernian Society 2 Bridget-"No,
Pat, how could /? for l not on the ground !"
Pat"Well, Bridget, you j called upon by the
Hibernian Society for spache and abors rose with
the Enthusiastic cheers of thousands with heart
flowing with gratitude and eyes filed with tears and