The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-15

Beyond this, 1t appeared that CCrtih-
Gates attested by a police magistrate
would have to be forthcoming from the
owners of our respective places of
abode, certifying that we had resided
there for at least six months previous
ly, and, In addition. a doctors certih-
cate to the effect that we had been
duly vaccinated.
AS soon as had been able to procure
the necessary documents, which took
a week or ten days, / paid a visit to
the British consulate, and there ascer-
tained that the officials deigned to
transact business only between the
leisurely hours of IL and 3; and, as 1t
was then five minutes past 3. I was
obliged to return on the following day.
l was then informed that ] must leave
my birth certificate and the sum of q
francs so centimes, and call back in a
couple of days. At the time specified 1
called, and was handed a very formid-
able document stamped with the Brit
ish royal arms, and setting forth in
Franch that as a British subject of full
age l was free to contract marriage
without the consent of my parents.
This was accompanied by a transla-
tion of my birth certificate which was
appended to the original document I
had left The whole of these docu-
ments bore consular stamps, and were
signed by the consul. l now had to
take my documents to the revenue Of
flee, and there pay two francs to have
them stamped; and from there 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
at an end; but alas! the asthmatical
old gentleman waded carefully through
the mass of papers which l had in
dustriOusly accumulated, and found
that he could not accept them because
the consent of the maternal grand
mother was not drawn up by a public
notary, who in France is ministerial
officer. l demonstrated with the old
gentleman, and said it was monstrous
that a young woman of % could not
get married without the consent of her
maternal grandmother Monsieur"
he replied testify such is the law. /
did not make the law"
INDEED A TASK.
l began to feel that had undertaken
a task almost beyond my strength, but
1 resolved to go through with the bust
ness even if it took me years to accom-
pilsh.I communicated with my fiancee,
who went off to see her maternal
grandmother; but the old lady fell into
a state of nervous excitement at the
idea of having to execute a notarial
deed. and endeavored to persuade her
granddaughter to give up her foolish
notion of marrying an "Anglais," of
which, she said, no good could come
After a great deal of trouble she was
persuaded to consent and we have
finally managed to convey her to the
nearest town where a notary resided.
All this had taken several days to ac-
complish, for the old lady was over so
and very deaf. Ridiculous as it may
appear, if the old lady refused her con-
sent the French law would have re-
quired as to give three respectful
"sommations," or notices, at intervals
of month, before we could get mar
ried. 1t was, therefore, with feeling
of relief that 1 at last found myself
in the train in possession of the notar-
ial act by which she gave her consent
which cost twelve francs thirty-one
| centimes eXactly-for French notary
would consider he was dishonoring his
profession if he did not charge an odd
number of centimes.
on my return / once more FASTENED
to the asthmatical old gentleman at the
Bureau des Marriages." armed with
these documents:
/. My birth certificate.
2. A translation thereof.
3. The consular documents setting
forth my liberty to marry.
4. A certificate of residence.
3. The 'pelmis dc sejour," or permis-
| sion to reside in France, which every
| foreigner is bound to take out at the
| police Office.
G. A Doctors certificate that 1 had
| been vaccinated.
7. One likewise of my hancee.
8. My fiancee's birth certificate.
9. The certificate of decease of her
father.
10. The certificate of decease of her
mother
II. The certificate of decease of her
| paternal grandfather
II. The certificate Of decease of her
| paternal grandmother.
13. The certificate of decease of her
| maternal grandfather.
IA. Her maternal grandmother's con-
| sent TO the marriage.
10. The certificate of her residence
| and mine.
16. Notarial documents setting forth
| that there was a marriage contract.
II. A declaration that my fiancee was
not my sister, aunt, mother, nor grand
| mother.
| l tremblingly submitted the whole of
the aforementioned documents to the
asthmatical old gentleman, who haV-
| i,,p f,,I1 aH taH
| proceeded to wade through once more
the whole mass of papers from begin
ming to end. When he had finished, he
scratched his head and said that, "see-
| ing that my fiancee was an orphan,
he was not quite sure as to whether he
ought rot also to have the birth certifi-
cate of the maternal grandmother"
but, on reference to the Code Civil"
he found, TO my intense relief, that this
was not necessary He seemed some
what disappointed that there was not
| same document missing; and in a
warning voice, he said: "Well, mon
sieur, you can publish the banns now,
| if you like, but at your own risk and
peril for is there is any hitch at the
time of your marriage you must not
blame me-" / accepted the tremendous
responsibility, paid one franc twenty
five centimes for the necessary forms,
filled them up, and handed them back
to the old gentleman.
MARRIED AT LAST.
At last the eventful morning came,
and, contrary to the forebodings of the
asthmatical old gentleman, there was
no hitch. The room where the mar
| riage took place was beautifully paint