The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-12-31
ABOUT FRENCH MARRIAGES.

Miss Anna l.. Bicknell. writing of
French marriages in the Century, says;
The old marriage de CONVEYANCE. which
caused so much sorrow and consequent
evil in former days, when a girl was
taken out of convent to be shown the
man to whom she was about to be mar
rled, Is now thing of the past. 1t
must be acknowledged, however, that
marriages are still made up, often too
hastily and specifically, by nicely bal
anced family arrangements and by the
intervention of friends. Nevertheless,
attraction and repulsion are now taken
into consideration, and a girl is no
longer forced to marry man whom
she positively dislikes. | could quote
instances in the very highest (histori-
cab aristocracy where, at the last mo-
ment after the trousseau had been sent
in (marked, according to custom, with
the united initial letters Of the two
names deliberately embroidered), and
all the social preparations made, the
marriage was broken off because the
bride had declared that she could not
get accustomed to the bridegroom,
nor endure the idea of seeing his face
in her home during her natural life
In one of these instances the family
lamentations over the initials of the
trousseau We're really amusing. Fortu-
nately, a substitute was soon found,
whose name like that of the rejected
sutton began with an X, and the COM
plications were thus happily settled.
The great object of the French girls
life is marriage. From the time of her
birth her parents have prepared for this
event, and in many cases they have
considerably straitened their income
and curtailed their enjoyments to make
up her dot. Every girl in every class
is expected to have something; those
who have nothing are exceptions and
constitute minority of old maids. The
girls who from choice do not marry
generally become nuns. usually much
against the wishes of their parents The
old tales of young women being forced
into converts to improve the position
of their brothers are forgotten in these
days when, while no child can on any
pretense be deprived of a share in the
fathers inheritance, monastic vows are
not recognized by law. Nuns and spin
sters are EXCEPTIONS; marriage is the
rule.
When girl is Of an age to be intro
duced into society her friends and rela-
tives Immediately look out for suita-
BILE husband, whom it is considered
highly desirable to obtain before she
has reached the age of tWenty-one, that
she may not be proclaimed file maieure
when the banns are published, The
principal considerations are equality Of
birth of position, of fortune; and in the
last particular the scale is usually ex-
pected to weigh rather more on the side
of the young lady, especially if the
young man, in addition to sufficient
present advantages. can bring forward
number of relatives not likely to live
long. This is called having hopes (des
perances-beaucoup d'esperances). If
the young lady with q substantial dot
can also show satisfactory back
ground of invalid uncles and aunts then
everything is as it should be, and the
young people are brought together with
every prospect of favorable conclu-
sion. 1t happens however, too often
that they do not know each other suffi-
CleHLIy, anu llldL luSy arg ptInusiuGd W
believe that the mutual liking is great
err than it really is. Sometimes this
sort of underlined attraction ripens into
a deep and devoted love; when this &C.
ours there are no more affectionate
wives or more faithful widows than
French women.
More frequently, especially in the
higher classes, sort of cool friendli-
ness springs up, where they see but lit
tie Of each other, and freedom is enjoy
ed on both sides, The authority of the
husband is less felt than in an English
household. There is a sort of under
standing that in her home the wife is
queen, and settles matters as she
Dleases.
But their best and warmest feelings
are awakened by all that concerns their
children. French parents are perhaps
the most affectionate in the world The
interests and welfare Of their children
are their first consideration, and Won
derful sacrifices of their own pleasure
and enjoyment are made in favor of
their sons and daughters by the most
worldly men and women. These are
taken as matter of course; no one
thinks of doing otherwise, or of seeing
any merit in such acts.
The mothers. especially, are UNEQUAL