The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-18
NAMING A FRENCH BABY.
T4E ELABoRATE PoMP OF A CHRIS
GENING IN FRANCE.

,tvaI-EoW the Baby Looks and
What It Has to Go Through With.
The Operation of Tipping the Popu-
lace.
From the Brooklyn Times.
The pomp and ceremony attending
&ristening in France, and Southern France
in particular, prove most fascinating to
new world eyes.
Il was at Saint Martin du Var, several
hours by carriage from Nice. The older
norton Of the little town nestles close TO
the rugged, but friendly sides of the noun
tains, whose wild olive and fig tree covered
slopes seem to shut out all anxiety as well
as adverse winds. There falls the shadow
OF the<rpwning old fortress of La Roquette,
which, from its lofty perch, 1900 feet
above, looks down with menace
ing air from its isolated secur-
ity. It's gray white towers and strong
walls stand out bold and clean cut against
this exquisitely blue sky, q sky that for ak
weeks was always smiling. The newer part
of the town is built upon land, literally
wrested from the River Var, which divides
the two great ranges OF mountains. and
which flows on to the sea in it's wide river
bed that lies exposed in many places at this
season of the year. Very striking is the
formation Of this river bed. 1t is a mass of
granite stones its entire length; they are
broken and so regular as to give the impress
sion Of having been broken by some giant
machine. They are building a railway here
and nature herself has provided the mate
rial for the rock bed.
This region formerly belonged to Italy.
but was ceded 20 France under the treaty of
Turin in 1850, after the popular vote had
decided upon annexation. There is still
disaffec5ion among the Piedmontese and the
French who have settled here. The little
sneering phrase which the French paysan
uses, 20, yes, we had our fetes, but there
was quarrel, the Piedmontese were there,
what would your is not suggestive Of broth
erly love. The French government has spent
much money on this comparatively recent
acquisition and it is thriving under it's new
government.
We were visiting at the home of M.
Marius M. chef de section, the most
genial of hosts, and his charming wife,
How can give you an idea Of the house,
full Of guests, pervaded by that spontaneous
gayety, that Intoxicating atmosphere of
sdrofr rtUre so characteristic of French
life in general and the demonstrative nature
Of the Latin races resident Under southern
skies
The house itself is situated in an immense
garden. AS we alight we pass into the
house under great vineclad arbor from
whose completely hidden arches hang NAM
moth punches Of white grapes. At the left
Of the house the garden is devoted to grape-
vines, and their dwarfed regularity though
not picturesque, is restful. Back of the
house are great fig. plum and peach trees
To my North American eyes that have only
looked upon the fig as 1t fiourishes upon the
Italian fruit vendors stand, this is indeed a
novelty, and to eat of the fruit thereof a
JOY, though the fruit is but insipid. That
garden, with its great wide-spreading fruit
trees, its vine-covered arbors, under whose
refreshing shade we gathered at all hours,
for its foliage is so thick that one is always
comfortable in its green shades with its
lovely flowers, proved veritable Eden to
US
The interest In physical culture, and in
physical culture for girls is growing even
nconservative France, as the well~arranged
horizontal bar trapezes, ladders and the
graceful performance of the little daughter
Of our host attested. The climate is such
that one has the advantage of an open -air
gymnasium ali the year round The high
walls which surround the garden shut out
any curious eyes.
The day of the christening came, a
Jocund day. The order of the entertain
ment was breakfast, an elaborate repast,
lasting many hours; the procession to the
church; collation. TO the peasants aud rail-
way employees in the garden and a recep-
ton at she house to invited guests after the
church ceremonial. There was tiutter, a
great running to and fro of maids, the
cook and her assistant wore expressions of
concern befitting Vatel; flowers filed all the
vases and made sweet the air. The guests
began to arrive and the visits of ceremony
were paid the baby. Now, let me say in
passing, babies in France are not dressed as
they are here.
Long gowns are reserved for special cere-
monlous occasions. The little dimpled body
is invested with high necked, long sleeved
sip, opened its whole length. This is then
Folded up in compact way, allowing the
little form to be stretched to its full length.
Then an embroidered or knitted band. per-
haps ~ yards long and four inches wide, is
wound about the body in true mummy
fashion and well secured, passing well up
under the little arms. One is rather re-
minded Of Indian papooses, except for the
dalntlness and beauty of these bands. At
intervals during the day this band is
removed aud the little one allowed to kick
Its legs about in the aimless way babies
DO. Then the doing up" process recon-
mences Tiny caps, the prettiest, cutest
little things, are worn upon the head for a
long while, indeed until long after the baby
begins to walk. Most American babies have
collection of little worsted socks, that en-
braces all sorts of dainty pinks, blues and
creamy white woods. The French baby has
collection Of caps, Of real Valenciennes, of
hnest hand embroidery and applique on
eeoowebby net. This little one had a great
pox OF them. A little pillow, with hand en-
broldery machine work for underwear or
iDaoles' clothes is voted vulgar by refined
Frenchwomen, and, par consequence, the
oaintiest of handwork is shown) supports
Ine little head whenever it is lifted from its
uoWny lace-hung berceau. On this festive
occasion robe of Valenciennes lace and
unest insertion was thrown over the swaJhed
OaDy over this douiLtette or long cloak,
with rich embroideries of white silk and a
ualnty little cap of lace and embroidery and
white veil was placed on the little head
" course the women rhapsodized. but this
tlnle 1t was merited, and there were cooings
ano EXPLANATIONS that nothing ever evokes
puV small Bit Of humanity, and express
H $40 Oh why, she is superb" echoed from
after the breakfast, where we made
merry and where the bnty was brought at
usssert and placed In the arms Of its
notner, with her Madonnalike face and
great dark eyes, and where toasts were
drank to the baby and mother at first, and
EMnere all were remembered later, we ad-
Journeo TO have coffee in the garden. And
s snen we prepared for our little trip to the
vlllage church. AS we were leaving the
n nSIe embroidered silk and plush bags
tilisu with and Q sous pieces equal to l