Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-07-17
ANNAPOLIS. MD. SATURDAY EVENING. July H. 1885,
FRENCH MARRIAGES.

London workman often lives in hap
hazard way, taking his meals here and
sleeping there. A Frenchman always
has some place he can call his own.
His wife makes it truly home She is
never sullen to him or to the children,
no matter how hard she may have to
work. The children are at home every
evening after or 6 o'clock. They read
the inevitable newspaper, which one
can never get rid of, aloud to their faith
er, and the home life is perfect. Free
schools came from America twenty
years ago. When man is in business
he does all the buying and selling and
outside work. His wife keeps his books
Sometimes a very rich man In commerce
will know nothing whatever of his busi-
ness accounts. But they are safe with his
wife, and could not be in better hands.
Bnt she cannot even sign her name
without his leave, under the law. Often
the wife supports the man entirely, while
he lounges and drinks at the cabaret.
Then if she dies, he is like a baby, and
knows nothing of his affairs. Girls must
be married. 1t is nothing dreadful il
there is but one daughter. But when
there are half dozen it is truly terrible.
When girl is IL or 18 her mother be-
gins to look about for a husband, and
everybody begins to dread her. They
forget to send her invitations, and in.
vent excuses about cards having been
lost. Some one has been careless; she
will be invited next time. When the
son-in-law is secured he is invited to
dinner. He looks about to see if the
linen, the silver, and the furniture are
all right. He criticises the cooking. He
calls two or three times week, and
brings magnificent flowers. No matter
how poor he is, the flowers are always
splendid. He expects the brides por.
ton to make up for it. This is mar.
riage de convenance, though what con.
venience do not know very well. Per-
haps the brides portion may be the con.
venience in the young mans eyes. do
not approve of such marriages, though
admit that they generally turn out
well. If girl refuses the man her par.
ents have provided in accordance with
her own views she can do nothing. She
generally yields when she gets to be 21
and finds the chances are against her
getting any husband unless she takes
the one provided. 1t is not the way
married, and / should not approve of ii
for any one cared for. I married my
SELF After the legal ceremonies and the
marriage at the marie comes the we'd
ding in church. When that is over the
young pair do not go home; that would
be highly improper. They 90 to some
hotel, where magnificent breakfast is
provided. If you are ever so fortunate
as to be favored with an invitation to
such feast advise you to eat good
breakfast before you go and good din
ner after it. For there is nothing to eat.
all is show. But the bride has the con.
ISOLATION of knowing that her dress is
very much handsomer than the dress OF
her best friend, who was married a few
weeks ago; and what greater happiness
can any woman desire? In fact, it is far
too handsome to be worn again. After
the wedding they settle down. The hus-
band goes to his business; the wife has
her reception day. Her ''collation"
consists Of cake and Malaga wine from
the grocer's shop over the way. The
guests know too much to touch the stale
cakes or the sour wine. So one bottle
of wine and few cakes serve all win.
ter. She has had her ssday,'' and il
matters not how she looks on all the
other days. No one sees her, but she
has made great show. When this
period is past, the couple generally settle
down much better than could have been
expected, and are reasonably happy to
gether. They have no idea that there
can be better way of marrying. Still
it is dreadful to have daughter to
tcaser-.put in the case" think the
system OF marrying for portion is aw.
ful. Ihave known cases, however, where
there was none. A girl feels that she is
married for her money. Education Is
better now than formerly. There has
been great change within the last
thirty years, and now it is almost as
good as it is in America. But no girl is
ever allowed to 90 alone in the streets.
1t would be dreadful; something would
surely happen; it would hurt her future.
II girls are to be escorted to school an
army OF servants must be kept. This
system is absolutely bad Fifty or sixty
Of us have decided that our daughters
shall 60 to school alone. and hope ou1
example may be followed and that there
may be n great change in this respect
within the next ten years. must say
one word about woman's suffrage. II
has been much ridiculed among MS. II
certainly viii not do now. We are not
fit for it Il would upset all the hopes
Of its advocates If it were given to Us
now. Things would be worse. Women
must be educated to Judge of such things
first, especially in France. / am sure
that our granddaughter viii be fit for
suffrage, but not our daughters LEGAL
rights are not 20 necessary now that we