Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-04-01
FRENCH MARRIAGES.
mATRIMoNY THE GREAT OBJECT TO
ALL GIRLS OF FRANCE.
Customs In This Particular Have Changed
Radically-At the Present Time the Per-
Considered.

S~csOAAAo q
Radicaliy-At the Present Time the Per
.sonal Inclinutions of Young Women Are
Considered.
Miss Anna L. Bieknell 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 girl was
taken ont of a convent to be shown the
man to whom she was about to be mar
ried, is now a 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
vention of friends. Nevertheless, attrac-
tion and repulsion are now taken into
consideration, and a girl is no longer
forced to marry man whom she posi-
lively dislikes. could quote instances
in the very highest (historical) 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 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 homo
during her natural life. In one of these
instances the family lamentations over
the initials Of the trousseau were really
amusing. Fortunately substitute was
soon found whose name, like that of tho
rejected sutton, 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 i'll 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
NJ &c II xo1a
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 share in the ia
Tiers inheritance, monastio 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 nus
band, whom it is considered highly de-
sirable 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 i'll the last particular
the scale is usually expected to weigh
rather more OH the side of the young
lady, especially if the young man, in
addition to sufficient present advantages,
can bring forward a number of relatives
not likely to live long. This is called
having hopes (des espernces-beaucoup
d'esperances). If the young lady with a
substantial dot can also show a 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 ripens
into deep and devoted love. When
this occurs, there are no more affection
ate wives or more faithful widows than
Frenchwomen.
More frequently, especially in the
higher 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 hus-
band is less felt than in an English
household. There is sort of under
standing that in her home the wife is
queen and settles matters as she pleases.
But their best and warmcst feelings
are awakened by all that concerns their
children. French 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 q matter of course; no one
thinks Of doing otherwise or Of seeing
any merit in such acts.
The mothers especially are unequal
ed. Nothing will stand in the way Of q
frenchwoman where her chiIdren's in
terests are concerned. This love is SO
that it swallows I'D every
other. They are more mothers than
wives, and if called upon to choose be- |
tween allowing husband to 90 alone
ON foreign mission or leaving their
children they would not hesitate. "Mes
enfants avant tout"