Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-15
French and English Children
in the Nurseries.
DIFFERENCE IN THEIR TRAINING
English Governesses Sought
After In France.
How tho Babies Born with Golden
Spoons in Their Mouths Contuct Them
selyes-- Welcomed Into thu World
Their Early Care and Training,
New York Morning journal.

contricity are TO he found.
In the Faubourg Saint German, when
young wife has the honor of giving
birth TO an heir to the family title, she
receives from the head of the house, her
father-in-law or her husband, costly
present. 1t is generally ruby, sap
phire or diamond Hover.
But 10 the case Of the birth of
daughter or second son it is the hus-
band only who offers n present, and one
proporti0nate to his income and his sat
isfaction.
At the end of 10 days the young
mother begins to receive the members
of her family and her intimate friends.
But it is not until three weeks after the
birth that billet advises society of the
event. Then every one within the circle
of acquaintance is free to make COM
plimentary visits.
BABY's RECEPTION.
The whole fashionable world defiles
before the easy chair on which sits en-
throned the young mother covered with
satin, ribbons, laces and diamonds, and
wearing II coquettish little cap placed
rakishly on one side of her head. She
receives from to 5 in the afternoon. A
lunch is prepared, sandwiches and Ma
dera are discussed, and there is infinite
gossip about everybody who can be
scandalized. The chief object of interest,
however, is the newborn child. Every
few minutes the nurse, or nounou, as
she is called, clad in a superb silk dress
which it is customary to give her for the
occasion, brings in the baby.
AT these visits, when the baby is a
boy, everything is in blue, the mothers
dress, the muses. ribbins, &c. For
girl, all is in pink. The baby itself is
always dressed in white. 1t is not until
after its baptism that a blue pelisse or
girdle is permissible for the new arrival.
THE BAPTISM.
The baptismal ceremony is always
purely religious. Sometimes in the
country there is solemn baptism, fol-
lowed by a grand dinner, but in Paris
the grandparents ond the godfather
and god mother alone alone are invited,
For the first child the maternal grand
mother and paternal grandfather are
chosen; it is vice versa for the second.
Failing these, the nearest uncles and
aunts are chosen. Godfather and god
mother offer each other presents on the
occasion, and the god.mother invariably
| makes one to the mother and to the in
| FAINT.
This latter present is invariably bell
or spoon. The godfather sends to the
| god-mother and the mother 100 boxes
| of bon-bons to distribute to relatives
and friends.
Every day the baby is taken for n
| promenade in the Bots dc Boulogne
| with the nurse and man servant.
As soon as the nurse goes away baby
| is given a governcss. A child is never
contided to the care OF nurse alone.
1t can never leave the house unless &C
companied by two persons.
AT TABLE.
In France children cat with their
parents at table at very early age. A
valet de pied cuts their meat, serves
them specially, and the mother has only
to designate in advance the dishes from
which she wishes them to be served.
But the French baby in high life is con.
siderably below the English one in
training. 1t does not no how to bow or
courtesy at the proper moment, or to
leave parlor or dining room without q
wall of remonstrance, as English chill
dren do. The nursery in England is
not only the room for the children, it is
the school of good manners. There
children are never left to their own de-
vices. From morning to night they are
drilled, trained, indoctrinated.
These methods are gradually initiated
in France, but it is found necessary to
have English governesses to apply them
with success. A French woman would
never consent to the minute details in
which the English governess delights.
In French mansions where English
habits are taught the children, this is
the order of the day in the nursery,
which is composed of two huge rooms
and small one devoted to the gov
erness.
THE NURSERY.
One of the two large rooms contains
the beds OF the govcrness and the chill
dren, and the other is called the "day
nursery" At in the morning in sum.
mer, and as soon rs it is daylight in
winter, the governess lights the fire
She finds at the door the cans of hot
water for the children's baths She
bathes and dresses the little ones, while
a valet dc pied lights fires and prepares
breakfast in an adjoining room.
After prayers said together, the chill.
dreu breakfast. In the morning they
are dressed very simply in pink flannel
or in red or blue stuifs, covered Will
embroidered aprons.
An electric bell communicates witt
mammals apartments, and rs soon as
she rings all the children 60 down L
her. The gOverness never remains with
them during this visit to their mother
Neither does the governess eat at til,
servants table, She is served at thu
same time that dinner is brought up Il
the great dining-room, hut she dimes il
small room by herself; or, il the chill
dren do not dine with their parents shu
eats in the nursery with them.
About 10 o'clock the children go out
always on foot, and they stay out, rail-
or shine, until breakfast or lunch
which, in France is served between /
and 1.
In the afternoon the family carriage
takes them to the Bots, OF they go t
drink milk at the Pre-Catalon, ant
come back at dusk. Then the nurscr,
is lighted with.little wax candles shade,
by pink shades, and the most enjoy
able hour of the day for the children
arrives.
THE TEA HOUR.
/ 1t is the tea hour.
1t is the only evening rcpast allowed
! very young children. Up to thre
years old they take glass Of milk ant
i u little hot water decorated with tn
name of tea, and have some toast and
soft boiled egg One day mamma is in
{ vitcd, another it is grandpapa, or
j friend OF the family, and the little one