Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-09

That young girls ana young men II France
are sedulously kept apart. that wooing and
winning are unnecessary prelminar1es to a
French marriage. are facts that have been
In France and the etiquette OF that very for
NAL and ousiness-lfke ceremonial, and the
preliminaries considered necessary thereto are
we believe, but little understood on our side OF
the water.
The first thing to be done is to 60 through
that time hoDored formanty called popping
the question. But French aspirant for mat
rimonial honors Is not allowed to make his
proposals In person to the young lady. That
would be sad breach OF les nanceS, and
would probably horrify the jeune .peysoane out
OF her seven senses. A friend is charged
with the delicate office OF asking her parents
not If they win accept n. SO and-so
agreeable to them to consider him IN In
that possible light. Should the answer prove
favorable, the gentleman may desire an inter
which interview the young LADY must not be
present. In this first Interview all business
questions including the important one of the
oewfS, ana tne "a, almost equally important one
are settled. Should all these prellminaries be
favorably arranged, second Interview is de-
clae esd upon: ana me Gay and hour Vigorously
time the future bridegroom must present HIM
self, carefully but not too carefully dressed
that point is essential His hetrothed, in ele-
CANT but simple attire, awaits his coming sur
rounded by her parents and relatives. After
this first visit he is entitled to be received
as a prete,adu, but must request admission to
this privilege either by writing or through
one OF bis near relatives. Permission
once accorded. he Is then for the first time ore
sented to his lady-loVe as her future husband,
and may afterward visit the house on an init
mate but not q familiar footing. He must al
ways come IN full dress. nor can his Jtdncee le-
ceive him In other than very careful toilet. A
morning. dress, no matter how fresh or tasteful,
Is completely fDadmisSible. The gentleman
must Invariably send his dancee a bouquet on
the days that he intends to call. The engaged
pair must never be permitted to indulge In a
tetea.tete, nor can they call each other by their
first names without using the preflxes OF mon-
sfeur and mademoiSelle. An engagement ought
nounced only few days before the signing OF
the contract. OF course, French engagements
are usually very brief, such a life OF constralnt
and iormality being agreeable TO neither party.
These preliminary formalities having been
scrupulously gone through with, next comes
the question OF the wedding, or rather wed
olngs. Ior our french couple must be married
twice over, once at the ayoralty, In accord
ance With the law. and once at church, to sat
lsfy 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 ana republican
Ism OF the most ultra type. Now comes an
amoeAt OF bother which, to our extremely
simple Ideas as regards marriages, appears
TO be at once stupid and unnecessary. AS
q necessary preliminary to the civil marriage
the bride and groom must arm themselves with
the Gcte de adissance, OF 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 guardians In their stsad. II you are Go years
of age, and have parents still living. this writ
ten consent Is Still Indispensable, unless indeed
nations respectueatses. which consists in ssre-
spectfully Summonfng' your recalctrant pa
reIts three times to show cause why You
sneuid not spouse the beloved OF your heart,
tS,-cr.
q pr oceedlng Is looked upon with so much dis
1aVor by French society that 1t Is only resortei
TO 10 extreme cases. II you are an officer
In the army. you must get the permission
OF the minister of war to your nuprials, and
he will not grant 1t unless the bride pos
sesses either dowry- OF $4,000 francs, or q
settled income Of l, 200 francs year. All these
consents obtained, next comes the publication
or the bans, which takes place not only In the
church, but also at the mayoralty. The sign
Ing OF the contract is the next formally to be
iuihlied Usually, In Paris, this ceremonial
Is made the occasion Of family festival, and
a special dress is prepared for the bride.
only in some delicate evening dress tint
Instead Of white. The notary reads aloud
me contract after which the bridegroom
afterward passing the pen to her. she signs
In her turn, and must then hand the pen TO The
mother OF the groom, who must give it in
turn to the mother OF the bride. These little
points OF etiquette are strictly observed. All
the other relations then sign In turn, according
to age or station. 1t is considered a great
honor TO obtain some high parsonage as q
witness to the contract. II there Is a feIe given
on the occasion, the corb9iUe or wedding pres
ents Oh the bridegroom, and the trousSe1u as
well, are exhibited to the guests. The corteiNe
compris's shawis. jewels, gloves, iaees, fnrs
etc, together With purse containing q sum
OF money IL gold, the whole enclo- ed n q large
arc elegant boX, Or IN handsome work ia BILE
The value Of this present is usually supnosnG
70 represent one per cent. Gi the young iadyis
coWTy.