Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-26

teations at the dinner which follows the
signing OF the contract, to which he should
rvariaoiy be invited. The groom, es-
peciaily, can single him out and laugh Mt.
tentiNeiy at all his jokes"
IL Is understood that this signing OF the
contract Is not all the marriage, but only
he lorna! settlement" Sometimes other
stipulstions are inserted I'm the Contract he.
SIDES those which have to DO with mere
money matters, such as that the groom
VIII never oblige the bride to cross the sea.
or, as there is one recorded case that the
bride will never be forced 10 eat cheese
IN civil marriage, before the MAYOR Of
the reimbursement (ward). next follows
and Is essential according TO French law
otherwise there Is no marriage no matter
IL there were ten ceremonies in ten
churches. whether in France or In a for
eign country. This civil marriage is suf,i-
cent, but few families OF any pretentions
stop with H. The real marriage is the mar
rage in church.
The Wedding Processioa.
In closed carriages or open landaus. in
ournibuses or four-horse breaks, according
as the wedding is more or less distin-
guished. the Who'll. party rides out to the
Bots. They make the tour OF the lakes in
the carriages; halt at the Cascade. while
the coachmen drink; alight, and visit the
artificial Switzerland afoot. The stay at
the great cafe, the Cascade. will vary ac-
cerding to the distinction OF the parties
u.
n AXE the drive, into the Bots out OF the
Bots. and then to the wedding dinner.
Poorer parties, WHO find the Cascade. in
stead OF being too common for them too
expensive, ride on gaily to st. Cloud where
half a dozen large restaurants almost live
Upon this style OF patronage. There after
the dinner all walk through the great
pork
Certain high-class Paris restaurants also
make a special feature Of these wedding
dihners. All fs arranged beforehand: the
table has Joyous aspect; Il Is lald with
art and the wedding guests. even II they
ahect the English stiffness and seIf-re-
preston that il more or less the mode.
cannot bat be Partisan, that IS TO saw CAV
and iight-hearted The edding guests are
toun. the conversation sparkles like tho
brides diamonds long before the cham
payne is reached, and explodes like fire.
works after the genial cup has passed
1t Is not only dinner, but an occasion
Tor eioquence. The poet of the family has
Drought his verses; and while he declaims
them the groom looks tenderiy through tbs
howers at the bride. and all the company
attend decorously. But when he once is
through there comes the time for songs
No one Is spared, but each must siny len
the bride herself, who, Ike a girl of spirit,
hfts her glass and trills out braveIy.
The BRIDES Sentiments.
Champagne corks pop like gums in bat
tie. pandemonium Of happiness unchains
self. until-hurrah, the bride gives a little
scream and an excited jump. which means
her garter has been captured. by a child.
Ter garter OF ribbons tied for the occa-
sion The last act is to cut this up in
pieces, to be worn in the mems button-
holes, like the decoration of some high
order.
1t is only few of the relatives and init
mate friends who meet the bride and
groom that night at the Lyons railway
station to see them off on their way To
Nice, which is the consecra ted tour
The bell sounds and the guard cries. In
Noiture. The mother embraces her daugh-
ter: "Adieu! ma cherie. Write TO us-to-
morrow" The father kisses her and whis-
pers slyly: "Adieu. nlette!' The mother
calls out: Don't get out while the trains
IN motion! Write - telegraph - tomorrow
morning. Oh, my poor child Weeps as
the train moves out.
The miserable parents. desoiated. as they
say in French, spend n sac evening and a
sad Eext morning in the deserted bird cage
that has been a prison to the child from
all her youth. new life now commences
for her. the girl. Her husband tells her all
his past adventures, over which they laugh
together; she reads what books she plea ses;
she has her social fling: she has her lib
erty.
1t is she. the successfully married girl
who can best eNclaim with NJ. Brisson: at
is sweet. warm, consoling. Perish the posi-
tive philosophy, perish colonial politics.
but long live the sentiment OF family and
the religion Of the hearth
STERLING HELLO.