San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1885-06-18

gilded, inflated, and, IN the frencn
sense, exploited. They want to have
a grand time, a social crush, and a
deal of form and pomp, an excess of
fuss and fribbling. Men, generally,
do not incline to such ostentatious
frivolity, but yield to the woman's
bias in the matter, and her love of
nuptial display. The fact concerns
them far moro than its surrounding.
They would usually like to have the
thing over as quickly and quietly as
possible; they would be glad to dis
pense with all the tinseled superilui-
ties and momentous mummery. This
does not arise from delcacy or sensi-
billty ON their part, although delicacy
or sensibility might suggest it. So
much preparation and ado bores
them, and they wish to be bored as
little as may be at the outset, possi-
bly, with o prophetic dread of all they
may be called upon, subsequently, to
endure. They must be acquitted OF
responsibility for the noisy, spectacu-
lar weddings which are so commonin in
every American city in these days, es-
pecially in the metropolis.
Women are to blame for these, and
it is strange how many sensible, re-
fined, well-bred women = SO consid-
ered-are willing to lend themselves
to custom that good sense, refine
ment and breeding should never
sanction. The reason is, that they
see but one side of the thing - the
side of demonstrativeness and display.
They so love and honor marriage,
that they believe it cannot be too
richly and grandly celebrated. Each
wedding, to them, is ideal, and they
imbue It with the light and color OF
their Imagination. They lose sight
of the bride and groom in the rites
that are observed, fancying, perhaps,
thatif the rites are splendid the con-
nubial future will be fair-that what
begins well, as they regard it, must
end well. AS women incline to SUI
perstition, they are probably super.
stitious about weddings. They may
hope to conciliate the deities that pre-.
side over wedlock, by the pomp OF its
commemoration. The other side
the fitness OF unfitness of the couple
for the new condition; their temper
amental harmony or disharmony; the
seriousness, even solemnity of the oc-
casion; it's proper privacy; the nat
ural unwillingness of sensitive pair
to proclaim their happiness before
they have had any opportunity to test
lit; none of this occurs to them. ALI
the finer considerations OF o blending
of lives, of the grave accountability
assumed, of the hazard undertaken,
of the numberless chances against any
single couple setting out on SO peril
ous journey, are wholly ignored. II
they were not, who would have the
temerity to chant peans of victory be-
fore the battle had commenced?
Apart from all questions of the pro
priety Of spectacular weddings, how
imprudent and unsafe they are When
they are quiet and informal, virtually
private, as they all should be, their
outcome, if unfortunate, is seldom no
ticed, and never excites general com
ment. The discord, separation or di.
vorce is regretted by the friends OF
the lll-adjusted couple, who are spok-
en- of with tender pity. There are no
sharp and painful contrasts between
the union and disunion. The mistake
was one that could not have been
foreseen the disharmony was prob
ably inevitable; the sad result is
mentioned with sympathy, and in a
semi-confdential way. Caution was
at least observed. There was no
tempting of Fate by ostentatious
bravado; there was no arrogant as
sumption of securing Fortunes
smiles. What happened to that
couple might have happened to any
couple.
How different, when a bride and
groom advertise their marriage far
and wide; invite all their acquaint-
ances; fill the house with flowers
turn the occasions into an elaborate
festivity, wherein jewels, velvets, sat
ins and laces are displayed in barbar-
GUS profusion, and ingenuity is tor
tured to increase expenditures. 1t is
well enough, some one may say, If
they like it and can afford it. But 1t
is not well enough under any circum-
stances. Such liking springs from per
yerted tastes. Nobody, whatever his
or her wealth, can afford to be prodi-
gal at such time. Spectacular wed
dings are inherently aud inedeemably
vulgar. and would be If all tho so
called ladies' in the land should adyo-
cate and take part in them. The I'm
est women do not approve them, and
are not so married. Their delicacy
revolts at such pomp, and shrinks
from such violation of the plainest
proprieties. At every wedding OF
this kind, the presents are displayed
and labeled, and their quality and
cost published in the newspapers,
along with thefull toilet Of the bride ;
not her gowns alone, but even her
underwear, her stockings, every shred
Of her esoteric wardrobe Is this
nice: is this womanlyi is this decent
Every properly organized person
knows Tint il is not Such things
would be incredible il they were not