The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-12-23
AT a FRENCH WEDDING.
oueer Features of the Festival Among
the BourgeOisie.

a. eer Features OF the restiNAA AmonB
the BourgeOisie.
When marriages occur among the
bonrpeoisie of Paris the participants,
relatives and guests resort to methods
distinctively French to celebrate the
event. After the usual and necessary
ceremony the wedding party betakes
itself to some restaurant, often in the
suburbs, where dejeuner has been or
dered, and when ample justice has been
done to the repast long drive, varied
with frequent stoppages at rural cafes
is enioyed, the programme terminating
with good dinner and dance al some
other place of refreshment. Not sell
dom, indeed, is dance improvised be-
fore the evening hour, and the space in
front of some cafes in the neighborhood
of Paris is paved with asphalt for the
express purpose Of allowing the Rotaries
of Terpsichore to disport themselves TO
their hearts content while halt has
been made for refreshment and also for
a welcome rest to the weary steeds. 10
is no uncommon thing to behold, while
the thing is at it's height, dozen brides
and bridegrooms, each with their troops
of lively guests, bobbing up and down to
a gev polka tune or sliding along in the
may waltz.
AS q rule the utmost good humor pre-
walls, but now and then the harmony Is
disturbed by some unlucky incident, as,
for instance, sudden and inexplicable
outburst of jealousy on the part OF the
bridegroom, who resents the little at
tentions which the male guests deem it
de rigueur to offer to the heroine OF the
day. Only recently every halt made by
brake conveying wedding party was
signal for the happy man who had just
appeared before "Mr. lie Marie" with
bewitching creature at his side to enter
into single combat with an erstwhile
close friend, whom he accused OF hav-
ing cast too many admiring glances In
the direction of the lady. Thus there
was suggestion of exciting pugilistie
encounters, in spite of the desperate
efforts of the company to restore peace,
and the war only ended when the bride,
having valantly endeavored to inter-
pose herself, came in for storm OF
blows from her irate lord and mas OF
and was conducted back to the security
of the parental roof by her indignant
mother.
The latest peculiar adventure has
been that of lively bridegroom, who,
having treated his relatives and friends
to the wonted banquet on his wedding
day, candidly confessed when the bill
was presented that he had not sou in
the world to pay for it. Here was an
awkward predicament The sum
amounted to 1875 francs. What was to
be done? The guests very politely put
AZ francs into plate which was handed
around, but, naturally enough, the land
lord was not satisfied, and he had the
entire "noce," bride, bridegroom, rela-
tives and friends, marched off amid
gaping and ieering crowd to the Office of
the local police commissary, where an
exciting scene ensued between the fa-
Their Of the young woman and his son-in-
law. At last the matter was settled by
impecunious bridegroom consenting to
pay the remainder of the bill, but he de-
clined to give anything to the walters,
deeming the sacrifice which he was
making heavy enough already.
Many bridegrooms sqnander all the
cash they have saved by years of econ
omy and industry on the nuptial fes-
tivities and start life on the morrow
without a sou.
Thursdays and Saturdays are gen.
orally selected for the tying of the nup-
tial knot and the concomitant diver
sions, and it is particularly on the last
afternoon of the week that crowds Of
char-a-bancs are to be seen threading
their way through leafy avenues to st.
Cloud and other popular suburban re-
sorts, filled with gay parties, which
cause the air to resound With songs and
jests.-Chicago Chronicle.