Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-31
FASHIONABLE BRITISH MARRIAGE.

Tom is in love. He thinks it will /
easy to economize his expenditure when
settles down with that dear little girl
in home of his own. "a fellow spend
such deuce of lot on rushing about, gis
ing fellows breakfasts, and on suppers afte
the play" he thinks. "Gertrude's fathe
is giving us the house and furniture, an
we shall live quietly for bit. We've in
vitations three deep for autumn and winte
already, SO that will save us no end of ex
pense. By the end of the year shall hav
paid off those bothering Jews"
Gertrude is not quite SO much in love Al
Tom is. She has accepted him more fol
the sake of having home of her own, and
for release from the thraldom and narrow
ness of domestic arrangements consequent
upon the existence of six sisters and three
brothers, the latter, as usual, being extrav.
agant in proportion to the restricted means
of their parents. 1T is perfectly awful to
be the youngest sister, " Gertrude has often
said. " hardly ever get chance to go
out, and as to really new dress, l seldom
even expect it now. Now Tom has heaps
OF money. shall have as many new dresses
as like, and new bonnet for every new
dress. We shall give at least two dances
every season, and few nice little dinners"
and so on.
While reading the Morning Post, Tom
chanced upon an account of the wedding
presents given to his bride by Sir Some.
body mething-diamonds enough TO
stock small shop, with goodly catalogue
of sapphires, emeralds and rubies He
feels a little uneasy. 81 must give her
some little thing" he thinks, "but it can't
be much" A pair Of diamond earrings
and lace pin to match accompany him on
his usual visit in the afternoon. Gertrude
is delighted with them but, alas for poor
Tom he little knows that now he has be-
gun to give her jewelry she will expect
fresh installment every few days up to and
inclusive of the wedding morning.
" The girls think they would like brace
lets" she tells him one afternoon. "Oh,
do they p he asks, little mystifed.
" Yes. Gold would do, with our united
monogram in brilliants. It will have to be
seen about at once, for they must, of
course, be made to your ORDER" Gertrude's
six sisters are to be supplemented by two
of his cousins and two bosom friends of his
bride, in the bridal train. Tom orders the
bracelets the next morning, and on leaving
the jewelers. shop Jumps into hanson
and after quarter of an hours ride out of
it again at the door of shabby house not
hundred miles from Leicester Square.
Here lives the chosen gentleman who nego-
tiates loans for him at ruinous percentage
from his friend in the city"
The wedding.day comes and goes. Tom
has looked pale and nervous throughout
the ceremony. His male friends seem to
think that by calling him "old fellow an
enormous number of times they are doing
him much service. The best man knows
what is wrong. Last night his friend had
said to him "If | had known then what
I do now, I'd never have done it. Or at
least I'd have waited year or two. I'm in
no end of mess. That fellow refused to
advance any more money. The last three
hundred was at 20 per cent. It'll barely
see us over the wedding trip. Gertrude
wants to go on to Rome and stay few
weeks there. Money runs out like water
when one is travelling. l can't see my way,
old boy. l was an awful ass to think of
marrying" This may be an extreme case,
and it may be hoped that few end go dis
astrously as did this but a few months
since. 1t was as a smoke in the nostrils of
society for some small part of nine days.
We live too fast now for wonders to be re.
membered SO long as they used to be.
Some sensible persons have inaugurated
reforms in more than one expensive psrtic.
ular of the wedding ceremony. A high
bred girl, courageous as lovely, walked to
the altar one sunny morning unattended by
a single bridesmaid. On another occasion
there was no wedding breakfast and
consequently delightful immunity mo
speeches. Wedding trips that last three
days, or at most a week, are immensely in
favor. All these are improvements upon
the stereotyped OLE customs. There still
remains much to be done. Not many days
ago an ambitious little lady determined
that her twelve bridesmaids should evidence
in their appearance the possession Of both
riches and generosity by the bridegroom.
They did Huge bouquets of orchids and
other rarest hothouse flowers were carried
by the twelve, the blossoms outshining in
their southern brilliancy the exquisite pend.
ants of diamonds of the first water that
formed the bridegrooms more permanent
gifts. That lady proved her own selfish
ness in the same moment that she man
aged that her husband should display his
wealth, which is by no means excessive.
I Whitehall Review.