Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-01-09
THE WOMEN OF EUROPE.

NiStc tuc pcdsaub expects MS Wlkc 10
piUw. 10 harvest, 10 work like a beast of
burden. This would be comparatively
nothing il they were well treated and
loved. Their husbands do love them.
but in a peculiar fashion. For the first
two or three days after the wedding
things go on very well-that is, while
the families are exchanging their visits.
After that the husband beats his wife.
And If he does not beat her she thinks
It is because he does not love her. Beat
ing is the mark of a proper jealousy.
Among the wealthier Russians, the
mothers on Trinity day dress their mar
riageable daughters very handsomely,
and take them TO city garden some
thing like Boston Common. The silk
dresses of the girls arc unlike anything
you ever saw here. They are pink. yell
low, or sky blue, with huge flowers of
contrasting colors. The girls are as
stiff a. sugar-loaves in them. The
mothers and daughters seat themselves
on benches in the garden, and all the
young men who want wives parade be-
fore them, The girls never look at the
men. They sit until 8 o'clock without
saying a word. Then they go home
and wait. In two or three days, or
perhaps week, an old woman appears.
She asks for the mother, and begins to
talk to her about everything in the
world except the marriageable daugh-
ter She is the matchmaker. 1t would
be highly improper for the young man
or his family to appear in the matter.
AT length she says: You have turtle
dove and have also turtle dove"
After a little parrying she comes to the
point. "Why should not my pigeon
marry your pigeon?" The mother de-
murs, and says her daughter is too
young. "Why did you take her to mar
ket then?' 1t is soon arranged after
this. The matchmaker sets forth the
present and prospective advantages of
the match. The girl is summoned and
informed that in two or three weeks she
viii marry the young man. She must
not look very much pleased if she likes
the match, and she must look somewhat
SO if she does not like it. She can not
refuse. The young man comes to a
family tea party, perhaps to two. Then
his friends return the civility. They
see nothing of each other beyond this.
The higher classes, the lecturer con-
tinued, spoil their wives and sisters with
kindness. They treat them not as
equals. In Germany it is different.
There the wives aim at but one thing.
Their husbands must be well fed To
this all their powers are devoted. And
the husbands look well fed, as the wives
reward. In Italy they don't think about
eating at all. Macaroni can be had
everywhere. | have often wondered
how it would do to live on the border
between Germany, where they cook too
much, and Italy, where they don't cook
at all. / don't know much about En-
glish women, therefore shall say moth
ing about them. make it rule never
to talk of things of which / know moth
ing. In France women are clever and
help their husbands. French parents
love their children too much. / have
been told that it is not good to love
children too much, and / sometimes
think that may be true. At least, it is
not well to show it too much. They
do show it too much in France, gener-
ally, and the children tyrannize. The
wives are more the equals of their hus-
bands in the country than in other
classes of society; and in the country
husband and wife are more to each
other than among workmen. Often a
workman can not support the family ii
there are many children. The wife
must help. She also goes out to work.
She leaves her children to be taken care
of at institutions called creches, where
they are nnsed, fed, and taken care of
for nothing from Z o'clock in the morn
ing until at night. French women
are very dependent, and the law Is very
hard on them Until recently French
woman earnings belonged TO her hus-
band. A recent law gives them their
own carnings. The French woman is
never free. Ii she marries she il not
free then. Widows only are free. When
q girl is IL or Is, her mother begins to
look about for husband, and every
body begins To dread her. They forget
to send her invitations. and invent ex-
cuses about cards having been lost.
When the son-in-law is secured he is I'M
gited TO dinner. He looks about to see
If the linen, the silver. and the furniture
are all right He calls two or three
times week, and brings magnificent
flowers. No matter how poor he is,
the flowers arc always splendid. He
expects the brides portion to make up
for it. This is marriage de conven-
hnce do not know very we'll do
hot approve Of such marriages, though
! admit that they generally turn out
well. It is not the way married, and
/ should not approve Of ii for anyone /
kared for. When the legal and the so
kial ceremonies are over. the couple gem
orally settle down. much better than
k0uld have been expected, and are rea-
t0nably happy together. They have no
idea that there can be a better way Of
marrying Still il Is dreadful to have =
laughter to caeer put in the case /
think the system a marrying for p0r-
hon i awful. Education Is better now
than formerly. But no girl Is ever al