The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1898-01-29
FRENCH MARRIAGES.
uArRiMONY The GREAT OBJECT TO
ALL GIRLS OF FRANCE.

sopal Inclinations OF Young Women Are
Considered.
Miss Anna L. Bicknell is an English
lady who has had most unusual OppOr-
tunities for studying French life. For
number of years she was a gOyerness in
the household of Napoleon III and re-
sided in the Tuileries For The Century
Miss Bickuell has written an article on
..Freuch 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 Il thing Of the past 1t must
be acknowledged, however, that mar
riages are still made up, often too has
tily and specifically, by nicely balanced
family arrangements and by the inter
yentiou of friends Nevertheless, attrac-
ton and rennlslOn are now taken into
consideration, and q girl Is no longer
forced to marry a man whom she posi-
lively dislikes. [ could quote instances
in the very highest (histOricaD arlstOc-
racy where, at the last moment, after
the trOusseau had been sent IN (nlarked,
according to custom, with the united
initial letters of the two names elabO-
rately embroidered) 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 suitor, began with an X. and
the complications 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 con-
siderably straitened their income and
curtailed their enjoyments to make, up
her dot. Every girl in every class is ex-
pected to have something. Those who
have nothing are exceptions and consti-
tute 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 con-
vents to improve the position of their
brothers are forgotten in these days,
when, while no child can on any pre-
tense be deprived Of a share in the IA
theirs inheritance, monastic vows are
not recognized by law. Nuns and spin
sters are exceptions; marriage is the
rule.
When girl is of age to be introduced
into society, her friends and relatives
Immediately look out for a suitable hus-
band whom it is considered highly de
slrable to obtain before she has reached
the age of 81, that she may not be pro
claimed file majeure when the banns
are published. The principal considera-
tons are equality of birth, of position,
OF fortune, and in the last particular
the scale is usually expected to weigh
rather more on the side of the young
lady, especially if the young man, i'll
addition to sufficient present advantages,
can bring forward number of relatives
not likely to live long. This is called
having hopes (des esperances-beaucou
desperances). If the young lady with I