St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-24

Middlemarch when she says: differences
may seem large, but really life could never
nave gone on at any period but for the lib
eral allowance of conclusions which have
facilitated marriage under the difficulties CT
civilization. Has any one pinched into Us
pilulous smallness the cobweb of prematri-
monial mountaineering"
AS rule during courtship the young lady
does not call nor visit at the house of her
betrothed; no dinners or festivities take
place there until after the marriage. All
the members of his family, however, are
frequently invited by the parents of the
young lady to meet all of her relations and
form circle of alliance. They are all ex-
pected to formally call OH each other at
least once or twice year. If closer ties Of
sociability are not maintained. It is not
considered bon ton for the engaged couple
to call each other by their Christian name
without the prefix of miss or Mr.. The
French thee and thou are reserved for after
marriage, and are now frequently used in
an eDdearing way for husband and wife TO
speak to each other only in the privacy of
tete-a-tete. Presents are exchanged only
the day before the marriage ceremony. 1t
is the future husbands duty to furnish his
house. He of course consults the taste of
his bride, and especially that of her mother
who has more experience, and who thor
oughly knows the wishes of her daughter.
The trosseau and all the house
linen are provided by the bride.
The sum expended on TIE trosseau
is often mentioned in the contract
with the amount of the dover A
girl who will bring $4,000 into the new
household generally has a troussean worth
~, 600. 1t is customary for the bridegroom
to offer presents in proportion to his wealth
Jewels, laceS and carriages are expected
OF the man who can afford them. Ii his
mother has no girls she presents her future
daughter with portion of the diamonds
and laces which she would have reserved
for her own daughters. Laces and Jewels
are thus handed down and kept from gen.
Grafton to generation. Relatives on both
sides are expected to offer something more
precious than long array of nickel plated
cake baskets, cruet-Stands, and napkin
rings. AS you see, to maintain these
expensive traditions it is impossible for
the French to have large families, for it is
national and family pride for parents to
give as large dover as their fortunes will
allow. with the prOviso, however. of keep
the larger portion for themselves, for it
does not enter into the customs to lessen
the Importance of their own establishments
for the marriage settlement of their children.
This custom of dover exists in all classes of
people who have anything to give. Small
tadespeOple will set up a shop for their
children peasants and farmers will give so
many head of cattle or a portion Of their
land. Others, whose income cannut be
divided. draw up papers to pay certain
amount OF it yearly to their Children and
lawsuits, which force parents to live up to
the terms stipulated in marriage contracts,
are often subject OF court discussions
The ceremony of signing the contract
opens the wedding festivities 1t usr-
ally takes place the day before the civil
and religious marriages, at the house CT
the bride. The contract is signed in
the presence of the family lawyers. by the
bride, bridegroom, parents and witnesses,
just before guests arrive. who have been
invited to a reception, musical soiree or a
ball. The bride for this entertainment
wears her last girlish party dress. d light
pink or blue gauze, simply made la
VERGE, adorned with no jewels but those
she has been allowed to wear in her girl
hood-coraI, small pearls and turquoise
Co. Brooklyn Eagle.