The Osceola times., 1881-05-21
Marrying In France,
Appleton's Journal

tONhS XII 40 anu Young Lnpn ~
France are sedulously kept apart, thai
woolng and winning are unnecessary
preliminarles to a French marriage are
facts that have been much Commented
upon; but how they marry in France
and the etiquette Of that very formal
and business-llke ceremonial, and the
preliminaries considered necessary
thereto, are, we believe, but little under.
stood ON our side of the water.
The first thing 10 be done is TO On
through that time honored iormaliiv
called popping the question. But
French aspirant for matrimonial honors
is not allowed to make his proposal, in
person to the Young lady. That would
be a sad breach of les c0Eycaances. and
would probably horriiy the jeuaepelSg,pe
out OF her seven senses. A friend is
charged with the delicate ohice of ask,
ing her parents, not if they viii accent
NJ. SO-and-so for a son-in law. lift would
be agreeable TO them TO consider him In
that possible light. Should The
answer prove favorable, the gent.
leman may desire an inter.
view with the lady's parents or guards
ans, at which interview the young lady
must not be present. In this first inter,
view all business question, including
the important one of the dowry, and the
almost equally important one of the
young mans fortune, expectations, etc,
! are settled. Should all these preimnar-
les be favorably arranged, a second in-
| terview is decided upon, and the day and
| hour vigorously settled beforehand. ES.
actiy at the specified time the future
bridegroom must present himself. care
| fully but not too cart fully dressed-th4t
/ point is essential. His betrothed, in ele.
/ CANT but simple attire, awaits his coming,
/ surrounded by her parents and relative.
/ After this visit be Is entitled 10 be re-
| ceiyed as a pretNdu, but must request
/ admission to this privilege either by
| writing or through one of his near reIa-
| tives. Permission being once accorded.
| he Is then for the first time presented to
/ his lady-love as her future husband, and
| NAV afterwards visit the house on an
/ intimate but not familiar footing. lie
| must be in iu,l dress, norcan hi .flacctrt-
ceive him in other than very careful
toilet, \ morning dress, no matter how
| lr, sh or tasteful, Is completely inadmiss-
/ able. The gentleman must invariably
send his GdHces bouquet on the DAYS
that he expects to call. The engaged
| pair must never be permitted to indulge
| in "A tete-d tcte, nor can they call each
other by their first names without using
| the prctiXes OF monsieur and mldomOl,
sell. An engagement ought 10 be kept
secret and should be otli.ialy an.
nounced only few days before the
signing 1f the contract. OF course,
French engagements are usually very
brief such a life of constraint and for
mality being agreeable TO neither party.
These preliminary formalities having
been scrupulOUsly gone through with,
next comes the question Cf the wedding.
or rather weddings, for our French cou-
plc must be married twice over, once az
the mayoralty, in accordance with the
law, and once at church. To satisfy rclig-
/ lOus scruples, ms latter ceremony Is
by no means essential to the legality of
the marriage; but not TO be married
IN church is considered proof
| of irrellgion and republican
ism OF the most ultra type. Now comes
an amount Of bother which. to our ex-
tremcly simple ideas as regards mar
riages appears tO De at once stupid and
unnecessary. As a necessary prclimi-
nary 10 the civil marriage, the bride ani
groom must arm themselves with half "a
] AAaiH AlbAAlllillAH AdAll. IlFHA fpiut@ lUt
Ocie de hdissdHce or brth.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
stead. If you are go years Of age, and
have parents still living, this written
consent is still Indispensable, unless, in
deed, you 60 through the formality Of
the irOjs SOinrnii0Hs resDeciuetses, which
consists in respectfully summoning
your recalcitrant parents three times to
show cause why you should not espouse
the beloved Of your heart, after
. which You can do as you
. lease. But such proceeding
! is looked upon with so much dis
! favor by French society that II Is oaly
| res r ed tu in extreme cases. II You are
an OIL Of the army, you mu-l get the
/ ppru i,siUn Of the Minister # war tJ your
| mpDlis, and he will not gralt II unless
| the bride possesses either doWry of
/ 10000 france, or settled income ot ,2lO
iraucs a year. All these cons5 njs 90.
| uinCd, next comes the publication ofjhc
/ bans, which takes place not only in the
/ church, but also ut the mlyOrality. The
/ signing Of the u'rICt is the next for
mality to be fulfilled. U,ulllt, in Paris.
| this ceremonial Is the oC aston or flm-
! IL, festival, ard a speci Il dres, rs prrp1r-
ed fur The bride, very often fac slm lc
of the wedding dress, only in som deli.
cate evening dress tint instead OF Write.
The notary reads aloud the contract.
after which the bridegroom rises. bows
to the bride. and signs his name, alicr-
ward passing the pen TO her. She signs
in her turn, and Inu,t then hand tine
pen TO the mother uf the groom, who
must give it in turn TO the mother of thc
bride. These little points Of etiquette
| are strictly observed. All the other rC-
lations then sign IN turn, according, 10
age or station. 1t is considered gc, at
honor 10 obtain some high parsonage as
u witness TO the contract, IT there - q
| ieic given on the occasion, the corJ,H1 cor
| wedding presents of The BRIDEGROOM. and
the trOUssedu a. we'll are exhibited TO
the guests. The corbcHd comprises
shawls, jewels, gloves, ldces, furs, etc, to-
/ gether with purse con aiming sum II
money in gold, the whole enclosed ia a
large aud elegant box. or in a handsome
work table. The value Of this present Is
usually supposed to represent one per
| cent OF the young lady's doWry.
]