New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-03

A ROMAN CATHO1Ic-TITLED ARTISTS
AMBROSE THoMAss RED RIBBON.
Paris, May "a.
There ia such A large number OF grand mar
rlages on the eve Of taking place here lncIudihs
those Of the Com,e Armand de Ia Rochefoucauiu
with Princess Loulse Radziwiil; Of the Comte de
Rohan-Chabot with Mile de Juigne; OF the
corn,e d. Beaumont with Mile. de Tredern and
Of the Vcomte du Ludre with Mile de Maize
that a brief description Of the peculiar etiquette
that prevails here with regard to betrotnais ana
weddings In the great world may be Of interest
to the readers Of The Tribune.
The fret step after the sutton has privately as
rurel himself Of the disposition Of the fair one
toward him Is 10 dispatch either his father or
some old and very near relative to present ON
clally - the parents Of the young lady his demand
for her hand. In former times II was customary
,,r tho envoy 70 don full evening dress on such
occasions ~ matter what the hour OF 'he uay'
hut thls has gore ont OF fashion and wha; may
be- described as afternoon dress Is sufficient In
asking for the hand Of the girl. he Is careful to
explain with as much decacy as possible the
financial situation Of his principal. the prospects
o. the latter expatatng at the same time upon
all his good qualities. either real or imaginary,
and being careful 20 dispel any preju1ices that
may have been formed with regard 10 him rs
soon as the parents have intimated their con-
cent 10 the match the sut0r hastens - thank
his future :her and mother in law, who place
their daughters hand in MS. authorize him 70
yislt their house daily and Ak the day u the be-
tr,thai This Is considered in the light o: far
more Important ceremony than In either England
or America and Is sgnallzed by great dinner
and reception given by the girls parents %
which all the relatives and intimate friends OK
both families are invited II Is on that day that
the sutton presents 10 his nancte his first bou-
quet. consisting exclusively ~ white flowers. ana
also the engagement ring The official announce
ment 81 the bctrothal Is made By the father OF
the nanc6e at the dinner. at which the bride IS
bound 70 appear I'm pink dress. According to
oid-tinc etiquette. the bride forced to with
draw altogether from the public gaze from the
time IL her betroihal up 10 the date OF her mar
rlage but that Is all changed now, and she Is
permitted 70 pay visits and 70 go for walks with
her hance: also 70 attend dinner parties with her
parents Bat she is strictly procluded by Ell
quettc from attending any balls or dances. Ten
DAYS prior 10 the welding the presentation OF the
so-callel "corbe!lle De marriage" or maria g
basket. and the signature OF the marriage con-
tract take place The "corbee" consists Of
/
to the bride. and contain jewels, laces furs,
silks. ETC. but no silver or bric-abrac. The
"cor5eille' is sent 70 the brides hcus. in the
morning and In the evening her parents give
banquet Immediately prior to which the signing
OF the contract takes place in the presence Of
notary II Is the last occasion on which the
bride appears in any OF her maiden toIlettes. and
she Is debarred by the rules Of good form from
| alorning herself with any OF the jewels con-
tanned in the "corbeille." 1t Is AZ the reception
which follows that banquet that the only exhibit
ton OF the wedding gifts takes place. With re-
gard to the latter. TIE English custom OF pre-
senting checks and orders upon the manu-
facturers for carriages. suites of furniture. or
even entire houses. has come into use Next
comes the civil marriage at the Marie. or town
hall. which precedes the religious ceremony
by two or three days. The bride. as well as the
ladies' OF the party are in street dress. while the
men wear frock coats The fance calls for his
bride at her house. but drives from thence in a
carriage with his nearest relatives. the bride
going with her parents. while the witnesses OF
the bride and bridegroom follow IN other
rIages After the completion Of this ceremony
the bride takes the arm Of her husband and re-
turns 10 her parents house in carriage with
the groom and hcr parents-ln-law. In the
evening her parents again give banquet. With
regard to the religious marriage itself, 1t IS only
necessary 10 say that the men all in evening
dress which IS a great trial TO the wearers, as II
| never looks well by daylight All this may seem
trivial. but the people here are. 50 10 speak. on
horseback on the score OF etiquette In such mat
ters and would. am certain. be more inclined
to show indulgence toward any infractlon OF the
civil or criminal code than Of the iron-clad laws
OF conventionaty. which are 10 be found, in
more or less modified form. observed with ident-
cal Importance by every class of French society.
Talking OF marriages. the engagement has
| lust been announced of NJ Ernest Carnot to the
daughter of Senateur Chris. NJ Carnot is the
second son of the President. is twentyseven years
old and has worked his way up to the rank Of
inspector Of the branch offices of the great
! navigation company known as the Messageries
Marltimes. lie only returned six weeks ago
from an official trip TO the various ports OF
South America. Both he and his two brothers.
one Of whom is an infantry lieutenant stationed
at Dion and the other a very studious pupil
OF the Ecole Centrale. quiet. unassuming
youths entirely free from affectation and who
| have but rarely been seen at the Elysee, their
parents having Intentionally kept them at a
distance with the object Of preventing their
character being spoiled by the adulation TO which
| they would have been subjected by persons de-
sIrous of currying favor with the Chief Magis-
trate OF France.
The conversion TO Catholicism OF Princess
Frederick Charles OF Prussia the widow OF the
famous cavalry general who received the capitu-
ation OF Metz In 1870 has served to recall the
fact that her uncle and aunt. the Duke and
| Duchess OF Anhalt were converted In Paris to
the same Church that she has now Joined.
Their conversion caused tremendous sensa-
ton at the time. as the Duchess was the favorite
sister OF King Ere derrick William III OF Prussia.
1t was Cardinal Quelen Archbishop OF Paris,
who received them into the Church. and the
ceremony Of ab1urlng the Lutheran faith TO