Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-04
THE BRIDESMAIDS DOOM.

Reasons for the Abolition Of the Represent
alive Of Maidenhood ut Weddings.
From the Phi,adelphia Press
One hears every now and again that the
bridesmaid is doomed-that in tho near future
the social chronicler will be reading up" her
function and duties with a view to suggesting
the revival Of pretty but obsolete custom
And. indeed, there are not wanting signs Of the
gradual disappearance of this traditional repre-
sentative Of youth. beauty and innocence So
says an English writer.
There seems to be . tendency to 20 in for
little girls Is bridesmaids, Just a. there IL q
tendency to 60 in for little boys as pages, and
1t Is not unlikely that. as some cynical bachelor
has said, We shall presently be having bridal
professions in which the BRIDE "will look like q
Sunday school teacher or the matron Of an in.
FAINT school. as she walks up the aisle"
Now we all recognize in theory-as very often
We do also in reality-that there can be nothing
prettier than little group Of fair satellites At
tending the heroine Of the bridal drama to the
altar. The rigid antiquarians tell us that a
bride has no right 20 more than two maids-that
every follower after this is merely a super.
numerary. But modern brides, who aspire to
be considered fashionable, are not content with
shoe plnches. for, unfortunately, Just as the
number increases, so OF course does the expense
increase to the bridegroom.
This is the real trouble about the bridesmaid
She Is sweet, she is pretty, she is everything
that the heart of man not going forward to the
altar can desire; but she has come to be merely
costly luxury. II would not be SO bad il she
served any really useful purpose. But her
ONCE, unlike that of the old-time bridesmaid is
practically sinecure. The duties are nomi-
nal as the responsibilities are imaginary and
1t Is probably within the mark to say that on
the wedding day she enjoys herself better
than any other woman there Yet she expects.
as matter OF right, her dainty costly little
bit OF jewelry or other gift. and Of course the
bouquet has to be provided by the bridegroom
as well
The tax has become so ourdensome that the
prospective and exasperated benedicts are be-
ginning to ask whether the bridesmaid cannot
be dispensed with altogether, and as a slight
means Of escape from the tax the tiny brides
maids are gradually being put in the place
OF their older sisters, the former being natur-
ally less exacting IN the matter of presents.
The so-called pages are even better still, since
they expect neither jewelry nor bouquets, and
the only objection to them seems to be that, as
one lady has put 1t. they alternately tread
on the brides train and trot after it," A ''re-
hearsar' might, however. remove that cause Of
objection without much trouble.
In France it is said that a new profession has
sprung up in connection with weddings, where
by certain needy individuals are enabled to hire
themselves out as ''givers away" Of brides who
are married without parental consent In re-
gard to bridesmaids there might be something
Of the same kind. In any case, the "considera-
ton would certainly weigh less heavily on the
bridegroom than the present tax. Every BRIDE
groom must be affable and accommodating in
the matter of bridesmaids, but experience has
taught good many bridegrooms that they can
be some what too agreeable for their own pock-
cts.
Select something nice for yourself,'' is a
dangerous thing to say to . pretty bridesmaid
when you are arranging about this usual gift
We read recently of a case in which a BRIDE
groom threw his responsibility upon ten girls
Just fancy choosing presents fo- ten giris-by
asking them to make q selection for themselves
Two only out of the ten could agree, and on the
aI-important day the bride found herself de-
prived Of four Of her friends, who had quar-
relied irretrievably.
Evidently the exssperated bridegrooms mean
to have their revenge and the brilliant bevy of
bridesmaids, looking each like Flora with her
superb bouquet, will soon be numbered with
the things that were. Sentiment SAYS that on
the whole, it is pity; but sense and the pockets
OF the bridegrooms declare in favor Of the
change.