Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-01-03
FRENCH MARRIAGES.
SENTIMENT CONCERNING PERSONS
WHO MARRY A SECOND TIME.

A Memorable Series OF sermo"S-i'u'''
of Good Taste and Etiquette-simpie
.,.tr of ths Bride-Siiver and Golden
Weddings.
Franch marriage customs are now well
,,,,o,,-, "a far as they relate To first mar
riaqes. but as regards second marriages very
Iitt1a has vet been written. Perhaps these
,,orriages lack the romantic element which
in oil hnmon affairs is the sauce piquante that
lifts the flayorn This may explain why SO
,;,tl, notice il taken of them. There is a de-
I'LL disnosition in France to regard those
,,,,o marry en- secondes noces as hardened
sinners or as imbeciles undeservlng OF SYM
pathy The popular sentiment on the suoJec'
is to the effect that person has only 'he
right to be born once, to marry once anu 10
dia ouca Those who show wish TO undergo
any of these operations twice are suspecoeu oi
oourmandize. 1t must be admitted, however,
that public opinion re pecting second mar
riages is much more generous with regard 10
the man than with regard to the woman.
There is a social and religious prejudice
arajnst the second marriage OF women,
esneciully when these have reached middle
age and have children.
The religious prejudice was remarkably
illustrated few years ago by fere Dlueh,
who. in the course of the memorable series OF
sermons that he preached in Paris, and which
obtained for him the severe censure OF the
general of the Dominicans and temporary
RELOCATION to little island in the Mediterra-
mean as his penance, attacked the practice OF
the second marriage OF women with vehe-
mence that profoundly astonished the congre-
cation, among whom were some people VINO
considered the sermon a grossly personal at
tack The eloquent Dominican had not done
what the Latin proverb advises the discreet
cobbler to do--he had gone beyond his last.
He had no authority to use pulpit for abus-
| mo women who entered for the second time
the matrimonial state. The sermon was
printed in extenso in some of the papers, and
made a prodigious connection. People asked
why the Dominican father was SO hard upon
women and so lenient toward men. The dis
cussion took turn that was not exactly
theological. Now, although Pere Didon was
very imprudent in expressing his opinions SO
strongly, he nevertheless caught up and put
INTO words floating religious idea, and one
that is by no means Of recent date.
GOOD TASTE AND ETIQUETTE.
There are certain rules Of good taste and
etiquette with regard to second marriages in
France which are usually observed by the
educated classes. The whole ceremonial must
be quiet and transformations. The festive pre-
parations must be on modest scale. 1t Is
not considered becoming for the bridegroom
and bride to appear very happy. They must
be sedate and calm, with an expression Of re-
cueillement in their faces Something is due
to The memory OF the dear departed. This is
especially the case if lady is a widow She
does not take from her finger the ring placed
there by her first husband. Her second spouse
would be considered man of bad feeling and
bad taste if he objected to this mark Of re
spect paid to his predecessor. Moreover, ii
the lady has children the first ring must be re
tanned out of regard for the memory OF theil
father, and she would be passing slight upor
them by taking it off. II these children
are grown up they must not keep aloof from
the wedding party but must be present a
the ceremony. They are not expected t.
look joyful, but their absence would Civ.
rise to scandal. The religious services mus
be very simple-without floral decorations o.
singing. The widow at her second marriag,
must not wear gray or mauve, for such color
} would be suggestive of half mourning, which
her second husband might not take to be
lelicate alusion to himself Rose color
llso forbidden, on the ground that it is to-
5av. The headdress should be black o
gase mautilla, with few flowers scattere,
over it-ccrtanly not orange flowers, whicl
can only be worn once on such occasions, 10
III sysanthemums and scabiouses, which ar
termed "widows' flowers" A breakfast o
dinner follows the religious ceremony, bu
no ball is given in the case of a second mar
.iage.
t Silver marriages are very pleasing fest
t valS in France. When u couple have CON
< pleted twenty-five years of married life tn
b event is celebrated with all the show of jo
d aud festivity possible. In the first place
: there is u religious ceremony in church
t which has good deal Of the outward forl
h II a genuine wedding. The lady is agai
S called the bride, and her toilet is superb, SUI
e posing her position i'll the world justifies il
G The flowers which she is expected to wear ar
d large white OK eyes-kuown in France q
reines marguerites. The bridegroom wears
iress coat. The pair are surrounded by thei
children and grandchildren-if there are an,
k All relations are invited, for grand famil
K muster is considered essential. dinner
:, given, followed by basl, which is opened b
d ahe newly remarked couple, the lady dancin
l. with her eldest son and her husband with b
8, eldest daughter. Golden weddings are muc
y rarer than silver weddings Death only a
y lows very small proportion of married pc,
II pie to live fifty years together. The Ger
r. mony IS the same as in the case of silyt
weddings. There are row great-grandchi!,
ZEN as well as grandchi dren present. and Il
I'D people open the ball with the eldest of I'll
% asst generation of their decendants.-Par
< Cor. Boston Transcript.