The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-07

vail even into the nineteenth century The pic
turesdue is still kept up in the bosom Of the
ApenGines whether it is of costume or custom.
They do not yet know of the wedding tour, but
as in days of old, the bride, whether rich or poor
accompanied by Joyous friends, goes Immediate
~ to her husbands home. Banquetins. festi-
waiting and Il wish could say "balhng") dane
ing are kept up, and it is general holiday for
all the retainers; and the whole neighborhood
joins in celebrating the happy occasion. The
baronial hall sparkes with its old
gold and silver plate-handed down
from father to son, and garlands
hang fike clouds from the lofty ceiling. There
is no affected aesthetic fo0lishness about 1t,
but all is according to custom handed down for
ages, from generation to generation. Yet all
implies backwardness and not progress in the
people Of country parts of Italy. believe in
the picturesque, but believe more in progress
Now here is an anecdote connected with an
affair of husband and Wife, of French
peasant, which is worth making known, because
it tells Of very different state of things with
us and France, and of very different
estimate held BY us and the French OF the Varl-
Gus members of our home and surrounding. The
fact is marriage in the United States, among
our working population, whether small farmers,
mechanics, or day laborers is generally thing
of the heart; although must admit that too
often it is the case in America that, In all
classes, the wife is looked upon as headdo-
nestle, even where wealth and other circum-
stances make no such demand, of daily unthlnk-
ing drudgefy Too often even husband who
is a well off man does not seem to think that
his wife needs time for intellectual purposes,
whether IN the training Of the minds of her
children, or in cutiyating her own mind. But
to the anecdotes: Good, honest Gros-Jean lost
his WIFE He attended her funeral, said his last
farewell, then returned from the cemetery, ate
his evening soup with appetite, after which he
retired to his humble couch, and slept Sounder
! than ever before. Indeed, everything went on
in his little of life as if nothing extraord-
fatr 1ax. II
his only COW died. Then there was a scene!
| Gros.Jean tore his hair: he poured out all the
tears of his body, and more than three weeks
| had rolled by and the peasant could not speak
/ of his poor beast except in trembling, tender
accents. The parish priest was scandalized by
| this watery way that the good man went on, and
| gave him discourse which was not from the
pulpit Look here, eros JEAN" said Monsieur
lie Cure how you fake things, by con cor,
| at all. Here you have mourned your wife
hardly two hours, and 10 and behold, Ivoilal you
have wept over your cow nearly month"
| mot reasonable Monsieur lie CureF Gros-J can
Immediately replied, ooh, that's very well for
| you to say but can prove to your reverence
| that it is REASONABLE For see here, Monsieur
| le Cure, since lost my wife more than ten OF
my friends have proposed to furnish me with
another wife Immediately, while, ever since
lost my COW, not one of them so much has Of
fered me single heifer." Monsieur 10 Cure
somehow saw that Gros-Jean from the peasant
especially the French peasant-point of view,
was perfectly logical.
In concluding my letter, allow me to sail away
from Italy over the sea to Indianapolis. l want
to tell you what WEAKNESS of the flesh and
mind it is to read American papers previous to
the 4th of November, after we already know the
result of the election. My last Journal is of
that date and it is so full of politics and beating
| of the huge war drums.of the contest, that
/ turned for relief to the railroad "colyume' and
the advertisements knew thatI would find a
breathing spell there, for George, although he
may have his own political views always sticks
to business. He answers to Franciss sketch of
Macaulay when the great essdyist spoke in Par
lament Francis said that Macaulay got up and
spoke to the point, and the way he did it remind
ed him (Franeis) of railways for his whole
speech ''was like express train that went
| right on without stopping at the way stations.
am awfully disappointed in the result of the
election, but | congratulate Governor Hendricks
Tell him and Dan Voorhees, to see that good
Democratic consul from Indiana is sent to
Naples. Judge Rand would be very acceptable,
for want somebody that is socable. At any
rate, send some one from Indianapolis, so l can
talk over home matters.
am happy to say that the cholera has com
pletely disappeared j. G. FLETCHER.