The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-11
MARRIAGE IN FRANCE.
COURTsHIP, If AT ALL, COMES AT
TER THE WEDDING.

All Arrangements by the Relatives.
Even the Proposal Is Made by
Third Party-TwO Ceremonies.
steling Helig, in the Evening Star.
In France a marriage is a much more
formidable thing than in America. French
girls are like those princesses in fairy
tales. held fast in enchanted towers and
gardens from their birth. When the right
youth comes riding by, they may not even
signal to him with their handkerchiers.
All this is for the girls own good. The
marriageable girls of France are "cor-
nered'' in a universal combination of their
parents.
When a young Frenchman sees girl
well suited to him he does not go to her
and say, st love YOU" In the first place,
it would be dishonorable; secondly, 1t
would make her faint, and, thirdly Hc
never gets the chance. He goes instead
and tells his mother.
His mother tells his father. Then his
father takes a bath and goes to see his
brother. that is to say, if there be one, or
any other relation, business partner or
mutual friend Dressed in their best, they
make a call on some relative or intimate
friend Of the girls family with view or
arranging a decisive meeting of the par
ents. IL the marriage seems convenient,
proper and appropriate. But before this
meeting can be brought about there must
be notes exchanged between the mutual
friends concerning fortune family and po-
sition. 1t is only after making sure that
a complete appropriateness exists that
formal meeting of the young people them
selves Is risked.
1t is at a BAH or thealter OF dinner given
by some mutual friend that the young
people are confronted with each other.
The Opera Comique has long been favor
ed in this way by Paris families of the
middle class. Like most European play
houses, all its parQuet circle and its gal
| leries are given up to little boxes. Each
one of them has been the scene OF many
a decisive meeting.
The mother has her daughter sitting
by her in the box which she has taken.
Between the first and second acts the
young man is brought to them by the
mutual friend, ostensibly to pay an I'M
| ceremonlous little visit and inquire about
their health. They stay five minutes,
speaking of the play, the weather and
the Paris season, then retire. When they
have gone the mother ought to make
some tentative remarks TO her daughter
on the young mans looks, age, position
and manners, endeavoring to ma out
gently what impression has been made.
1t is admitted that mothers ought not
to instruct their daughters previously
for this encounter. For If the girl has
been catechised beforehand, she VIII be
so filled with apprehension and emotion
as to lose her grace and naturalness,
And she may not have sufhcient cool
ness to observe If the young man be
pleasing to her or the contrary. She
ought not to know the object of the
meeting For II she fail to please, 1t is
ANNOYING to be told So She would be
Inundated and lose confidence for the
next time If It be true that a young
girl ought not to have too high ideas of
her own merits, II Is also proper that
she should not think too meanly OF her.
self
The mutual friends now meet and let
each other know what the effect has been.
II the girl has failed to please on close
inspection. nothing further will be said.
This is seldom the case, however when
the young man has fallen I'm love Of his
own accord. It is probable that he has
already had opportunities of observing
her sufficiently at formal social gather
ings. and It is for her decision that they
are now waiting. Therefore, IL Is only
when the marriage has been arranged
entirely by the families that the girl waits
trembling.
If she has failed to please. the mutual
friends. when they meet again, will sim
ply talk about the weather, which Is a
sign that the thing is off. But II Il IS
the girl who shows aversion for the young
man, he will be told the truth politely.
Sometmes-and there are those who think
II always should be practlced-a young
girl favorably enough impressed neverthe-
less demands to see more Of the aspirant