The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-03-25
FRENCH couR1sHlp.
The Eye of the Vigilant Chaperon
Watches Over It.


the French idea of marriage with
horror without exactly knowing
why. A young girl is educated un-
der the careful eye of her mother or
governess, who accompanies her to
all her classes, and considers it as
only a matter of course to sit pa
tiently with needle work or book
during the music or singing lesson.
The girl is taught from her earliest
childhood that it is the destiny of
woman to become a wife and
mother.
When she is about Is years old
she makes her appearance in socie-
ty. The walls Of a French ballroom
are always lined with chairs. The
mother and daughter take their
places side by side, and the two
chairs are theirs for the evening.
When a man requests girl to
dance, he writes his name on her
card and does not appear again un-
til the dance begins. Then he puts
his "claque" (opera hat) on the
girls chair, with her fan, and with
bow to the mother leads. her off.
Sometimes during the whole dance
not a word is exchanged between
the two. Such a thing as ''dividing''
waltz or sitting it Through
while the music plays is unheard
of, though promenading is permits
sible. When the dance is finished
the girl is led back to her place,
and with "Thank you, mademoi-
selle," and "Thank you, monsieur,
the couple part.
To the American girl the idea Of
thanking a man for dancing with
her is preposterous, but her French
sister is more philosophical.
"Why shouldn't thank him?'
she asks. HAS not the dance Civ.
en- me as much pleasure as it has
given him, and is it not compli
ment to be chosen from among sc
many girls? Then why not be po
| lite?"
After season or two in society
madame decides that it is time be-
daughter should be married. A
present it is the fashion for wealthy
people to spend the summer il
their own cottages by the seaside
and there young people meet ane
are allowed a certain degree Of free
dom, though always under the ey'
of a chaperon.
After the French girl is fairl,
we'll acquainted with her future
fiance, though this is not Away
the case, some relative of the young
man is charged with the delicat
commission of presenting his cas-
to the mother of the young lady
The education, social position, dis
position, health, wealth and pros
pects of each are discussed will
great frankness. Then, if the tw'
are not already acquainted, the gir
is taken to the theatre and the mel
call on her in the box or the tw'
are invited to dine at the house 0
a common friend. If either doe
not like the other, the matter i
ended, for it is very unusua
thing for a parent to force a chile
into marriage. If, however, tn
liking is reciprocal, other meeting'
take place, the two are allowed
few moments of privacy, a walk il
the garden or conversation at on
end of the room. If the result i
satisfactory the marriage is decided
on and takes place three month
afterwards. The question OF dot
(money) is serious one.
It is absurd to say that Frencl
women are married only for thei
money. It is almost an impossi
bility for man in ordinary cir
cumstances to marry poor girl
The education of the average mai
is far more complete in Franc
than in America. Every famil,
tries to send his boys to school un
til they are at least Is years old
Then comes the military service
and man begins business wher
he is 81. If his family are in mod
crate circumstances, it is probabl
that the son accepts government
position at salary of $50 month
At 3Qkyears of age, if he is indus
trious, he may make $40 a month
How is it possible to support
family on so small sum? In
only solution is to marry gil
with about the same income. 1t j
not necessary for her to have
large capital if she has any mean
of supporting herself. This ais
applies to cultivated people.
A marriage in France is not tn
easy thing it is in America. III
consent Of the parents Of both par
ties must be furnished, or if that !
not possible and they are Of age
. then the refusal must be obtained
together with their birth certificate
and the marriage certificates OF tn
parents. If the latter are deac
their death certificates must be pre-
cured before the bans are published
A religious marriage is not recoe
nized by law, and it is usual for tn