The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-25


oped than it is in the Frenchman. The
poor fellow must love; he cannot help it.
At - years of age he is deeply in love
with little girl he has met with her
mamma in one of the public gardens of
the town, and to whom he prettily lifts
his hat before beginning game of ball
or hide and seek. He does not declare
his love- In the distance he throws
rapturous kisses at cher" when near he
casts down his eyes and looks silly. He
dreams that his little lady love is being
carried off by some miscreant, that he
comes to her rescue, saves her, throws
himself at her feet, and declares himself
her slave forever.
AT fifteen he loves portly matron of
some forty summers, to whom he sends
ANONYMOUS verses He loves in silence
once more.
From eighteen to twenty he loves pub
lie characters. Actresses have drawers
full of poetical illusions addressed to
them by the upper forms of our public
schools
At twenty-well, at twenty-five less
we speak of what he loves the better
The best excuse that can be advanced in
his favor is that his education, as have
attempted to explain in another chap
ter, does not prepare him for manhood.
Indeed, the French boys change from
youth to manhood is like shooting of
rapids. He has never known what it is
to be free; how can he be expected, as
rule, to make good use of liberty the
first time he is thrown into the world?
The break is sudden, plunge that often
threatens a capsize.
From twenty to twenty-five he seldom
marries. When he does he often makes
bad match. He has noticed a pretty
little milliner passing every day at the
same place. He has admired her; by
and by he follows her, proposes matri-
mony and marries her. The parents at
first grumble, will have nothing to do
with the young couple for some time.
and generally relent on the arrival of
the first baby.
As rule, the Frenchman does not
marry before he has reached the age
of thirty. From thirty to thirty-five is
the age at which he takes the great step.
Old bachelors are not impervious to
Cupid's darts. You often see Frenchmen
entering the holy estate for the first time
at fifty or sixty. Their decided love for
good cookery and white linen frequently
beguiles them into marrying their cook
or laundress. These are the brides often
led to the altar by retired officers, and
installed in apartments in some suburb
of Paris.
The Frenchman has his characteristic
feature in common with men of all coun-
tries; each time that he loves, it is for
ever. When crossed in love, he seldom
goes the length of committing suicide.
He does not go in for such extreme meas
ures; he generally prefers resorting to
homeopathy; he loves another" Like
cure like: similia similibus curantur.
Filtration is not French pastime. A
few married women may indulge in it;
but girls. whatever may be said to the
contrary, very seldom do. A woman
who flirted would pass in France for
giddy, not to say fast; she knows her
countrymen too well for that. She is
aware, when she coquettes with them,
what she is exposing herself to.
If French girls felt inclined for little
Irritation, how could they indulge in it?
Good heavens! What would her mother
and father say if they saw her taking a
walk by herself during the day-if it
came to their knowledge that a young
man had actually dared to whisper words
of love into her ear before he had laid
bare his heart and made a clear state
ment of his finances to them in the first
place? Even when he has obtained con-
sent of the parent, and his visits to the
house where his fiancee resides are per-
mitted, the young couple are not allowed
to see each other even for a moment
without the presence of third party.
The pleasant operation familiar to Eng
fish lovers by the term of "spooning" is
absolutely unknown to courtship as
practiced in France.
As soon as two young French people
are in love they want to die, unless their
parents Immediately consent to their
marriage, which is very seldom the
case. Well, to wish to die under these
circumstances is a trifie irrational, but
love and reason seldom go together. OF
course they never do die. They live all
the while, and are almost inclined to
think that in love matters plain sailing
is not SO sweet or so romantic as obsta-
cles to overcome. What lovely letters
crossed love suggests to them! Letters
invariably written at midnight-French
lovers never write by day-midnight,
"when all is in repose around them"
Letters full of "All is known; we are
lost! What will become of us? All! for
get me as soon as you can; we shall
never be each others AS for me, /
shall die of it; l know l shall. Then
you will marry another woman. / will
pray in heaven for your happiness. Per-
haps now and then you will come to the
cemetery and lay a bunch of violets on
my tomb. You know, beloved one, that
violets are my favorite flowers. You
won't forget that, will you? weep,
weep and weep. FAREWELL And this
shiver giving letter, how to post it the
following day? The poor child cannot
go out alone. The housemaid is coaxed
and bribed. She becomes the conf
dante. She posts the letter, receives the
answer, and plays the part of loves
messenger.
Cupid may delight in mystery, but
this is not business. However, things
come right in time, as we shall see pres
emily.
When the Ererchman in love bag an