Morning journal and courier., 1893-03-13

er-Regard for tho Aged-Children-
The Strict Guardianship OF Young
Women Hospitality-The French
Wife.
PARIS, Feb. 90.
othe Editor of the JOURNAL AND CoURIER:
We have been repeatedly reminded that
tho French Language has no word, or even
phrase, which expresses exactly what peo-
pie of the English tongue mean by the
word home. The nearest equivalent to 1t
is when the Freedman speaks of chez
moi, which means my house" This Is
suggestive, for besides lacking q suitable
term to designate it, the French home,
whether you judge it by American or by
English standards, Is deficient in several
more substantial requisites. From the
material point of view 1t is lacking some
what in comfort. In the upper circles
there is an appearance of elegance about
French interiors, and strsining after eff
fects In the matter of sdornment. But
there Is noticeable lack of roominess, If
one may 30 speak, and not the attention
one could desire to household convenien-
ces. The guest chamber is Q rare appurte-
nance, ss also are those sumptuous easy
chairs in which one can almost bury him
self for good rest. Carpets are conspic-
uous for thei- absencs. Where taste and
wealth are you will find the polished floors
strswn lu1lriously with rugs, but in other
circles you have only the bare boards to
step upon. Heating is very imperfect,
and q sojourn In France during chilly
weather leaves you amazed at the degree
of damp and GOLD these psople can endure
without appearing to be disturbed by It,.
Altogether the impression You get is that
the French are a fine weather and decided
ly out -of-door set of people, who have yet
to learn the art of q cozy indoor life, and
who, paradoxical as the remark may ap-
pear, seem to be most at home when they
are not at home.
Nevertheless, the formslities of family
life are more vigorously observed by the
French than by any people we have known.
There ia no country where families hold
together as they do here. The principle
governing them In this matter is patriarch
al. The home of father and mother is the
center of interest for all the olive branch
es, and none of these ever become. SO old
or so fruitful as no. to make II frequent
place of sujourn. Whenever 1t can be
l done the new offshoots are prevented from
shootiug off laterally by being still re-
| tanned under the parental roof tree, and
+! when this is not practicable the plan most
| favored is to get them esttled at marriage
/ in contiguous houses. We were go happy
as to sit at one family table at which there
| were present, both then and at other times,
three families. The two younger branches
had domiciles within the same grounds.
They lived apart, but ate regularly at the
| parental table, and 1t was beautiful sight
| to see. This Is often done in France; 1t Ia
in harmony with the French ideal of faith
er's home being, as long as he lives, the
home of all the children.
This reminds us of another pleasing
| feature of French home life, the regard
shown in its arrangements for the aged.
| At the table above mentioned there was
another elderly mstron besides the venera-
BILE hostess. Who was shei Well, she
was the widowed mother of . son-in-law
/ of this family, and she was there because
| that home happened at this period In her
| checkered life to he the one most natural
| ly opening % her. She was not there,
however, under sufferauce. but was evi-
/ IDENTIFY an honored guest. They attend to
such things as these admirably in France.
Ministers of the gospel have assured Us
that to find some aged dependant sharing
| the tender attentions of French families IL
q common thing even amongst the poorest.
Usually 1t is an aged mothsr-often the
mothers on both sides are there. sfThs
French are remarkable for their devotion
| to mother" We have heard this again
| and again, and We believe It.
| But the family feeling in France reaches
out its tendrils of sentiment far beyond
either mother or father. It embraces
practically the entire circle of kindred,
| and Ia almc 1t as regardful of matrimonial
connections rs of blood relationship. The
French have numerous fete days, and
upon one of the uses to which they put
these they are certainly to be congratula-
ted. Suoh occasions are utilized for
bringing together as fully ss possible the
family relations. II q meeting In not
practicable the occasion Is improved by
the exchange of letters. The French are
great on writing to each other. This is q
formalfty which is never omitted between
either relatives or aoquaintances on the
1st OF January, and there are other times
when 1t is almost as general az on New
Years day. Besides which special emphs-
sis Is given to relationship at funerals. In
proper circles the occasion is always an.
nouncsd to those interested by cards, and
these cards are In one respect wonder tc
both Americans and English. You are in.
only by the family, but by dozen or two
of the kinefolk of the deceased, including
even cousins and aunts, and the names Of
these are all formally printed on thu
mourning cards. What Ii still mort