The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-02
BEFORE MARRIAGE IN France.
Rormniities That Must re Gone Through ne
fore the Mayor Ties the Knot.
From the raii Mall Gazette.

From the Pail Mall Gutettc.
In tho eyes of the French law marriage Is
entirely n civil contract. II does not recog-
nize a marriage celebrated In n church or other
place OF worship, nor will any priest or clergy.
man o~ficiate until a certificate of the civil
union has beon presented to MIN.
myself have recently undergone the painful
operation Of being married in France by this
civil process, and II has second to me that, In
stead of benevolently assisting to crown the
happiness of loving couples. the law places
every possible barrier to keep them apart.
The plain narrative OF my own experiences
may be found OF interest.
My wife Is II Frenchwoman. an orphan, and
25 years OF age. tho only near relation that
she has living being her maternal grandmother.
/ myself AMI n British subject of full age. rcsi-
dent in France; md had we both been British
without trouble before tho British Consul,
The first step | took was to go TO the Mario,
or Town He'll. of the district in which l lived.
and interview the functionary who was In
S charge wo OF q the s. ,BnTeaS des ia mar GsSti,m inns with 0It,
eious in rerard:to. my suggestion that | wanted
glasses rs though l were n criminal upon whom
he was about TO pass Judgment. or ut tie very
descended to inform me. that, although I was
go years of age. he should require the consent
40 w weIt as t sSn the Of p sss SS1e OF sos on my my p }aSeds.
But" / objected. II am a British. subject,
Then you will be- dispensed from Obtaining
tho consent of your parents II YOU can get
that. as British ii h' subject SS it viii not BE- neass.
sary for you. according to the laws of your
st co Tary to obtain the consent 9Or mns Of ySur par snn,
tie certificate OF decease of both her par
snts and The consent in writing of her grand
began to feel astonisbed, and told the old
ternai rrandmother. ali in her sra ndparents were
dead. I'm that case,'' said the old gentleman.
i shall also REQUIRE copies of their certificates
maternal grandmother, unless she intends to
be present at the wedding" He further in.
duce copies OF my own and my ianc@e'r birth
certificates, not only. as supposed to prove that
t N" ha we oe Ssra ap bs,p norm ma Gpt SlsG IN 10 o sarisi nro n,m
names though | fail. to see what there would
be to prevent any one from using other %reople's
that certificates attested by q police magis-
trate would have to be forthcoming, from the
tlfyinR that we had resided there for at least
six months previously. and, In addition, a doc
tors certificate, to the effect that we had been
duly vaccinated.
AS soon as l had been able TO procure the nee
essary. documents. which took a week or ten
days, / paid u vlsi: to the British Consulate. and
there ascertained that tie officials deigned TO
transact business only between the lessurely
utes past 3. / was Obliged TO return on the fol-
lowing day; was then informed hat must
iSssye my f G,ran ee aft tHce esof ana shs sn sa n os Fl t Sans
in n couple Of days. AT the time specified 1
called. and was handed a very formidable docu-
and setting forth in French that as a British
subject of full age l was free to contract mar
was accompanied by a translation of my birth
certificate, which was appended TO the original
ments bore consular stamps, and were signed
by the Consul. l now had to take my docu-
ments to the Revenue ONCE, and there pay two
l had to proceed to the French Foreign Office
to get the visa to the Consul's signature, which
cost me another two francs.
For the second time l returned to the Marie.
thinking that my troubles were ut an end: but
slGs; The ,S Hr5hIai ,Ss m 0id gentleman &c nnnsIs wb Tsbed
had industriously accumulated, and found that
he could not accept them because the consent
up by a publi, notary, who In France is q min.
isterial officer, demonstrated with the old
young woman Of Is could not get married
without winsihHult the consent - Of 3. her hsr,I mat tsr1I1I Grand !sI.b
l began TO feel that l had undertaken a task
almost beyond my strenhth, but resolved to
me years to accomplish. communicated with
my fancee. who went of to see her maternal
OF nervous excitement at the idea of having to
execute a~notariai deed. and endeavored to per.
suade her granddanGhter to give up her fool
she said. no good could come. After a great
deal Of trouble she was persuaded I, consent.
nearest town where a notary resided. All
this had taken several days to accomplish. for
uious as it may appear. If the old lady bad re.
fused her consent the French law would have
required IiGna IL us so to give e, three in,s rs 81 ng m os9np pa
fore we could get married. 1t was. therefore,.
with a feeling Of relief tnat ! at last found my:
self in the. train In possession OF the notarial
act %by..which she gave her consent which cost
twelve francs thirty-oEe ,entimes exactly-fo for
n French notary would consider he was dis
odd number OF confines.
On my return | once more FASTENED to the
asthmatical old gentleman at the Bureau des
Marriages." armed with these documents:
l. My birth certificate.
.. A translation thereof.
3. The aon sular documents setting forth my
liberty to marry.
IS. the permits dc s63our." or permission to
reside In France, which every foreigner is
bound to take out at the police office;
8. A doctors certificate that l had been vac
cinated.
I. One likewise OF my fancGe.
g. My finnceeis birth certificate.
o. The certificate of decease OF her father.
10. The certificate OF dece1sa of her mother.
IL. The certificate OF dscease of her paternal
u. The certificate of decease of her patOrnal
grandmother.
10. The certificate OF decease of her maternal
grandfather.
IA. Her maternal g%randmothe,'s consent to
the marriage.
Is. The certificate Of her residence and mine.
liz. Notarial documents setting forth that
there was u marriage contract.
II. A declaration that my fancGe was noE
my sister. aunt. mother. nor Hrandmoth .r.
l tremblingly. sLbm.tteu the, whole OF the
above. mentioned documents to tho asthmatical
old gentleman, who. having carefully ad-
iusted his spectacles. proceeded to wade
through once more the whole n.ass OF papers
from beginning To end. When he had finished,
he scratched his head and said that, seeing
that my iancGe was an orphan. he was not
quito sure as to whether he ought not also to
have the birth certificate of The maternal grand
mother" but. on reference to tne"Code Civil"
le found. to my intense relief. that this was
not necessary. lie seemed somewhat disap-
pointed that there was not some document
.~nissilg: ana, in Il warning voice. he said.
We'll. monsieur. YOU can publish tie banns
nov II yon like. but at Your own risk and
peril for IL there is any hitch nj the time OF
your marriage YOU must not blame me-
accepted the tremendous responsibility. paid
one franc twenty-five centimes Tor the ncces-
sary forms, filed them up, and handed them
back 10 tho Old gentleman.
At last the e%yentful. morning came. and,