The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-02-02
MARRIAGE OF FRENCH GIRLS.
Their Life From the Time OF Leaving
School to Their Wedding Day.

young RlTl Is educated unuer Vne cdrc
full eye of her mother or governess, who
accompanies her to all her classes, and
considers it as only a matter of course,
to sit patiently with needlework or
book during the music or singing les
son. The girl is taught from her earli.
est childhood that it is the destiny OF
woman to become a wife and mother.
When she is about eighteen years old
she makes her appearance in society.
The walls of French ballroom are al.
ways 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 a
girl to dance he writes his name on her
card and does not appear again until
the dance begins. Then he puts his
''claque" (opera hiatt on the girls chair,
with her fan. and with bow to the
mother, leads her off. Sometimes dur.
ing the whole dance not word is eX-
changed between the two. Such u
thing as dividing" waltz or sitting
it through" while the music plays il
unheard of, though promenading ia
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, bat her French sister In
more philosophical
"Why shouldn't / thank him?" she
asks. Has not the dance given me an
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 a certain
degree of freedom, though always under
the eye of a chaperon. After the
French girl is fairly we'll acquainted
with her future tiance 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 i'm
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 a very unusual
thing for parent to force child into
marriage. If, however, the liking is
reciprocal, other meetings take place,
the two are allowed u few moments of
privacy, a walk in the garden, or con-
versation at one end of the room. IL
the result is satisfactory the marriage
is decided on and takes place three
months afterward. The question of
dot" (money) is a serious one.
1t is absurd to say that French wo-
men are married only for their money.
1t is almost an impossibility for man
in ordinary circumstances to marry q
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 TWEEN
ty-one. If his family are in moderate
circumstances it is proba BILE that the
son accepts government position,
with a 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 il possible to-
support family on so small sum?
The only solution is to marry a girl
with about the same income. 1t is NOT
necessary for her to have a large capi-
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 il that is not possible aud
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
procdred before the bans are published
A religious marriage is not recognised
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 relig GUS
ceremony takes place. AS France " a
Catholic country the double marriage
is customary. The groom wears dve+s>
suit, the bride a high-neck white gown
The bridesmaids and bridal party arp
all in high-necked dresses, as it is con
sidered the height Of improperly to- en-
ter a church decnllete. After the serv-
ice-durinG part vi which the bridaI
couple sits on chairs with their backs
to the congregation-the bridenaaids
take up a collection, passing purses made
of the same material as their dsesses-
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 So
lectcd by the brides parents, who are
better able TO judge what will prove q
anita bile match than a GIRL Of twenty