The Lamar register., 1898-01-29
10 THE ONE GREAT OBJECT OF
EVERY GIRLS LIFE.
when Mademoi.cIie Rebeis--Sot Forced
go Mary Man whom she Positivsiv
Dislike. French Parents Ars tho
Most Devoted In the World.

shown the man TO whom she was about
to be married. is now a thing Of the
Fsst, says the Century 1t must be
acknowledged. however. that mar
riages are still made up. often too
hastily and superfieiaily. by nicely
balanced family arrangements and by
the intervention OF friends. Neyerthe-
iess, attraction and repulsion are now
take into consideration. and a girl Is
ne longer forced TO marry a man
whom she positively dislikes. could
qlsote Instances IN the yery highest
ffistcricall aristoeraey where. AZ tho
lsSt moment. after the tronsseau had
bSDn sent in tmarket. according 10 Gus
tssm. with the united initial letter Of
tes two names cIab0rately cmbroid-
ered), and all the social preparations
made. the marriage Was broken on be
cause the bride had declared that she
could not get accustomed" TO the
bridegroom nor endure the idea Of see
ing his face In her home during her
natural life In one OF these instances
the family lamentations over the
initials OF the trousssau we're really
amusing. Fortunately, a substitute
was soon found. whose name like that
OF the rejected suitor began with an
y. 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 shey have considerably
straitened their income and curtaiied
their entoymentK TO make up her dot
Every girl In every class Is expected 10
have something. those who have moth
ing are exceptions and constitute n
minority OF old maids. The girls who
from choice do not marry generally BE-
come nuns. usually much agaius; the
wishes OF their parents The old tales
OF young women being forced Into eoh-
vents TO improve the position OF their
brothers are forgotten In these days
when. while no child can on any pre-
teuse be deprived Of share In the
f>thers inheritance. monastic VOWS are
nnt recognized by law. Nuns and
sginsters are EXCEPTIONS marriage Is
tile rule. when a girl Is Of an age 20
BE- introduced into society her frieuds
and relatives Immediately look out for
a suitable husband. whom II Is con-
sidsred highly desirable to obtain be-
fore she has reached the age OF 81.
that she may not be proclaimed nlie
majeure when the banns are published.
The principal considerations are equal
ity of birth. Of position. og fortune. and
in the last particular the scale Is
usually expected to weigh rather more
on the side of the young lady. especial
ly II the young man. In addition 10
suficient present advantages. can brins
forward number OF relatives not like
ly to live long. This Is called having
hopes (des esperanees- beaneoup d'es-
paranees). II the young lady with a
substantial dot can also show a salts
factory background of invalid uncles
and aunts then everything is as .t
should be and the young peole are
brought together with every prospect
of a favorable conclusion. II happens.
however. too often that they do not
know each other sufficiently and that
they are persuaded to believe that the
mutual liking Is greater than It really
Is. Sometimes this sort OF underlined
attraction ripens into a deep and de-
voted love; when this occurs there are
70 more affectionate wives or more
faithful widows than French women
More frequently. especially in the high
er classes, a 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
husband Is less felt than in an Eng
| fish household There Is a sort OF
understanding that i'm her home the