The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-03-28

unheara of, though promenading is
permissible. When the dance is finished
the girl is led back to her place, and
with Thank you, mademoiselle, 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 l thank him?" she
asks HAS not the dance given me as
much pleasure as it has given him, and
is it not a compliment to be chosen
from SO many girls? Then why not be
polite?"
After a season or two in society
madame decides that it is time her
daughter should BE married. At pres
emit it is the fashion for wealthy people
to spend the summer in their own cot.
tages by the seaside, and there young
people meet and are allowed certain
degree of freedom, though always under
the eye of chaperon. After the
French girl is fairly well acquainted
with her future fiance Though this is
not always the easel, some relative of
the young man is charged with the
delicate commission of presenting his
case to the mother Of the young lady.
The education, social position, DISPOSE
ton, health, wealth and prospects of
each are discussed with the greatest
frankness. Then, if the two are not
already acquainted, the girl is taken to
the theater and the men call on her in
the box, or the two are invited to dine
at the house of common friend. If
either does not like the other the mat
ter is ended, for it is very unusual
thing for parent to force a child into
marriage. If, however, the liking is
reciprocal, other meetings take place.
the two are allowed few moments of
privacy, walk in the garden, or a con-
versation at one end of the room. If
the result is satisfactory the marriage
ia decided on and takes place three
months afterward. The question of
dot" money is serious one.
1t is absurd to say that French wo-
men are married only for their money.
1t is almost an impossibility for a man
in ordinary circumstances to marry
poor girl The education of the aver
age man is far more complete in France
than in America Every family tries
to send the boys to school until they
are at least eighteen years old. Then
comes the military service, and man
begins business when he is about twen-
ty-one. If his family are in moderate
son accepts a government position,
with salary of thirty dollars a month.
At thirty years of age, if he is steady
and industrious, he may make forty
dollars month How is it possible to
support family on so small a sum?
The only solution is to marry a girl
with about the same income. 1t is not
necessary for her to have large capt.
tai If she has any means Of supporting
herself. This also applies to cultivated
people.
A marriage in France is not the easy
thing it is in America The consent of
the parents of both parties must be fur
nished, or if that is not possible and
they are Of age, then the refusal must
be obtained, together with their birth
certificates and the marriage certif-
Gates of the parents. If the latter are
dead their death certificates must be
procured before the bans are published.
A religious marriage is not recognized
by law, and it is usual for the civil
marriage to take place at the mayors
office in the early morning and
the religious marriage in the church at
noon, though often the civil ceremony
is read the day before the religious
ceremony takes place. AS France is
Catholic country the double marriage
is customary. The groom wears dress
suit, the bride high-neck white gown.
The bridesmaids and bridal party are
all in high-necked dresses, as it is con-
sidered the height of improperly to en-
ter a church decollete. After the serv-
ice-during part of which the bridal
couple sits on chairs with their backs
to the congregation-the bridesmaids
take up a collection, passing purses made
of the same material as their dresses.
The proceeds are given to the poor.
The question is often asked, "Are
French marriages usually happy?" As
a rule they are more so than American
marriages The man is carefully Sc
lected by the brides parents, who are
better able to judge what will prove
suitable match than girl of twenty,
who knows so little of the world and
has seen so few men that she is COM
monty ready to love the chosen one. 1t
is the fashion for French writer's to deal
with immortality of all sorts, and this
gives foreigners false idea of things.
- e., - e@n 10. II
morality of the middle classes is quite
as high in France as in America, while
the so-called upper-circles are about the
same in all countries sciences Miller
Monthly.