The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-01-27
FRENCH MARRIAGES.
MATRIMoNY THE GREAT OBJECT 70
ALL GIRLS OF FRANCE.

MATRIMoNY THE GREAT OBJECT 70
ALL GIRLS OF FRANCE.
Customs In This Particular Have Chan~ed
Radically-Att the Present Time the Per.
sonal Inclinations Of Young Women Are
Considered. D ~
Miss Anna L. Bicknell is an English
lady who has had most unusual oppor-
tunities for studying French life. For a
number of years she was governess in
the household of Napoleon III and re-
sided in the Tuileries For The Century
Miss Bicknell has written an article on
French Wives and Mothers. - Miss
Bicknell says:
The old marriage de CONVEYANCE, which
caused so much sorrow. and consequent
evil in former days, when a girl was
taken out of a convent to be shown the
man to whom she was about to be mar.
ried, is now thingof the past. It must
be acknowledged, however, that mar
riages are still made up, often too has
tily and specifically, by nicely balanced
oAAoh9OAuOAAOo anu NY Gu6 luGGr-
vention Of friends. Nevertheless, attrac-
ton and repulsion are now taken into
consideration, and girl is no longer
forced to marry man whom she posi-
lively dislikes, I could quote instances
in the very highest (historicaD aristoc-
racy where, at the last moment, after
the trousseau. had been sent in (marked,
according to custom, with the united
initial letters Of the two names elabo-
rately embroicered) and all the social
preparations made, the marriage was
broken off because the bride had de-
clared that she could not "get accus-
toned" 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 were really
amusing. Fortunately a substitute was
soon found whose name, like that of the
rejected snito,, began with an x, and
the complications were thus happily
settled. 80
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 "a any cases they have con-
siderably stra tened their income and
curtailed thel1 enjoyments to make up
her dot. Every girl in every class is ex-
pected to have something. Those who
have nothing IRE exceptions and consti-
tute minority of old maids. The girls
who from choii e do not marry generally
become nuns, isually much against the
wishes of theii parents. The old tales
of young woms p being forced into con-
vents to improi IL the position of their
brothers are tSrgotten in these days,
when, Willie 10 child can on any pre-
tense be depriv3d of share in the IA
Tiers inheritaace, mOnastic vows are
not recognized by law. Nuns and spin
sters are executions; marriage is the
rule.
When a girl is of age to be introduced
into society, bet friends and relatives
Immediately look out for a suitable hus-
band, whom il is considered highly de-
sirable to obtain before she has reached
the age of 81, that she may not be pro-
claimed file najeure when the banns
are published. The principal considera
tions are equality of birth, Of position,
Of fortune, and in the last particular
the scale is usually expected to weigh
rather more Oh the side of the young
lady, especially if the young man, i'll
addition to sufIi cient present advantages,
can bring forward a number of relatives
not likely to I've long. This is called
having hopes (les esperances-beaucoup
d'esperances). If the young lady with
substantial dot can also show satisfac-
tory background of invalid uncles and
aunts, then everything is as it should
be, and the young people are brought
together with every prospect OF favor
able conclusion. 1t happens, however,
too often that they do not know each
other sufficiently, and that they are per-
suaded to believe that the mutual liking
is greater than it really is. Sometimes
this sort of underlined attraction ripen-
into deep and devoted love. When
this occurs, there are no more aTeGsla4~'
ate wives or more faithful widows than
FrenchwOmen.
More frequently, especially in the
higher class" :, sort Of cool friendliness
springs up, where they see but little OF
each other, and freedom is enjoyed on
both Sides The authority Of the hus-
band is less felt than in all English
household. There is a sort of under
standing that in her home the wife is
queen and settles matters as she pleases
But their best and warmest feelings
are awakened by all that concerns their
children. Fl>nch 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 il such acts
The mothers especially are unequal
ed. Nothing will stand i'll the way OF
Frenchwoman where her children S IN
terests are concerned. This love is SO
engrossing that it swallows up every
other. They are more mothers than
wives, and if called upon to choose oe-
tween allowing a husband to go alone