Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-12-22
Gales aud sketthes.
MatrimoHy in Paris.
How MATCHES ARE MADE IN THE FRENCH
METROPOLIS.


Every one knows that marriages are
arranged" in France. Every one does
not know, however, how strongly in love
with their fiancees Erenchman are prone
to become between the first interview and
the signature of the marriage contract
convenience" does NOT, in their eyes.
exclude the idea of love. Perhaps they
are peculiarly infammable perhaps they
have their feelings well in hand. Above
all. they do not possess the stubborn per-
sonality of the Britain. who chooses to
choose for himself, and scorns anything
that seems like compulsion. When the
Englishman marries, and becomes the
father of numerous family, it is rather
because his feelings get the better OF him.
To Frenchman marriage seems like a
duty he owes to society. and 1t IS duty
which all his friends and acquaintance
take pretty good care he shall not shirk.
The man who has reaped the necessary
harvest of wild oats, and the girl who
energies from the seclusion of the school,
room into the light of the world, are so
many raw materials for the others to
work upon.
French match-makers are of two kinds
those who make matches tor the love OF
the art, and those who do so from inter-
ested motives. Again, there are the
agences matrimonials proper, and the
secret agents who work under the rose. !"
Now, these are much more numerous
than people generally imagine. If the
list of persons who add small sums, from
time TO time, to their incomes by this
means was made out. great would be the
surprise in 1.-THE upper ten." That charm
ing widowed countess, who is so fond
of gathering young people about her,
and gives such delightful dances,
althoug h she has no daughters of her own.
makes 81 900. year, out of divers mat
rimonial transactions, be it understood.
and which give entire satisfaction to the
principal parties concerned. Madame
Mode, the fashionable dress maker, has
brought more couples together within the
last twelve months than could count on
my ten fingers. Her perquisite may be
the making of the wedding trousseau. or
something more. Notaries sometimes act
as go-betweens. the drawing up of mar
riage contracts being lucrative item in
their profession, and likely to lead to more
profitable work still-judicial separations,
and. in the future, divorce cases. Some
times the business is confided to priests.
and then the church or the poor are the
gamers, through thank offerings, or big
subscriptions to charitable Institutions
unles the priest be of questionable repute,
like the Able Salaed, who was condemned
the other day for getting post-matrimoni-
al bills backed by unsuspecting penitents.
The fact is. the agencies matrimonales
would hardly work without aiders and
abettors of one kind and and another. On
ly the vulgarest transactions, purely of
convenience, are managed by them alone.
All delicate missions are contided to Sc
cret agents, who, in their tnrn, sometimes
makes use of others-as the monkey does
of the cats paw. Unsophisticated mat
rons. who plot out of pure good nature
and natural affinity of the female heart
for lovers and weddings, sometimes play
these subordinate parts unknowingly.
They may number less scruoulous plot
tiers among their acquaintance, and those
who throw out suggestions, which the
matchmaking mind takes in rapidly and un-
suspiciously: "What earning girl that
was at your house the other night!' "Yes,
is it not SOP Unfortunately her fortune is
small. Military men do not make money,
as a rule, and her father is general
most honorable man." "Ah. you say
SOP But position goes for something. l
am much interest in the career of fine
young lieutenant He has money, but
few friends to push him on. | am sure
you will be delighted with him. viii
you permit me to introduce him to youp"
II shall be ravished." And they are
brought together by this means.
The young soldier finds it no very diff
cult matter to kindle an interest in the
veterans daughter and he considers the
honor of being admitted into general
family cheap at the price of a big checque
to his obliging sponsor. If the latter
part of the transactions were suppressed,
the rest would be straight enough. A
large number of marriages in Paris are
made up in this way. while the most scru.
pulous persons lend themselves to AMIGA
BILE arrangements. Last winter some OF
my friends gave no less than four dinner
parties for the sake of widower DESTROYS
of taking a second wife to his bosom. He
matters and outweighed the $4,000 of
of his income. Often both parties are in
the dark concerning the intentions of their
hosts. and, as for the young lady herself,
she is almost slways kept in ignorance +,
though many of them. quick at putting
two and together, make pretty shrewd
gueses. Heiresses, especially, get very
Knowing on the subject they don't blush
or look awkard. but manage to take stock
of their possible lover through the veil of
their dropping lashes-so that when their
parents ask them casually, if they have
noticed such and such young man, and
what they thought of him. they are quite
ready with an opinion.
Halt the heiresses in Paris have their
names down on the private ledgers of the
agencies. The girls themselves and their
families know nothing of it. Some busy
body or other provides the requisite de-
tails as to age, position and the amount
of the dot. II these prove satisfactory to
the applicant, some way will be found to
put them in presence. In case OF his
being accepted, the bridegroom has to pay
q high percentage on the fortune when
once the connubial knot is tied Men have,
before now, been married by the means OF
an agent, unknown to themselves; and
when about to start on their wedding
journey the bill is presented 1t is paid
grudgingly. Anything is better than that
they should be suspected of having had
recourse to such means to obtain a we'll
lowered bride.