The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-05
MatrimOny the Object of
French Girls.
MARRIAGE DE CONVEYANCE
that Old and Cruel System Is Now
aThing OF the Past.
PRESENT WEDDING CUSTOMS.

Miss Anna L. Bicknell Is an English
LADY who has had most unusual opDortu-
mites for studying French life. For a
number Of years she was q governess in
the household of Napoleon Ill. and re-
sized In the Tuileries., For the January
Century Miss Bicknell has written an
article on French Wives and Mothers Z"
which IL accompanied by number OF
characteristic illustrations by the eminent
French artist, the preat delineator Of
childhood, Boutet do Monvei. Miss
Bicknell SAYS
''The old marriage do convenaDce,
which caused so much sorrow and CON
sequent evil In former days, when girl
was taken out of convent to be shown
the man to v hom she was sbout to be
married, Is now a thing Of the past 1t
must be acknowledged, however that
marriages are stlll mado up, often too
hastily and specifically, by nicely bal.
nnced family arrangements and by the IN :
terventioo Of friends. Nevertheless, at
traction and repulsion are now taken
into consideration and n girl is no
positively dislikes could quote instan oes
in the very hi CHEST historioal) aristocracy
where at the last moment, after the trus
seau had been sent III (markcd, accord ing
to custom. with the united initial letters
of the two names elaborately em broidered)
and all the social preparations made. the
marriage was broken of because the
l,i.I hat Sha a
accustomed" to the bridegroom nor en-
dure the idea of seeing his face In her
homo during ber natural life. In one of
these instances the family lamentations
over the initials of the trousseau were
really amusing, Fortunately, substi-
tute was sooE found. whose pamo like
that OF the rejected suitor began with an
Y, and the complications were hus hap
PLY settled.
lhe great object OF the French girls
life Is marriage. From the time OF her
birth the parents have prepared for this
event, and in many cases they have con-
siderably Stationed their income ana cur
tailed their enjoyments to make up her
dot. Every girl in every class is expected
10 have something; those who have moth
ing are exceptions, and constitute a
minority of old maids Tie girls who
from choice do not marry generally be-
come nuns. usually much against the
wishes of their parents. The Old tales OF
young women being forced into converts
to improve the position CT their brothers
are forgotten In these days when while
no child can on any prstense bs deprived
Of share In the fathers inheritance,
monastic vows are not recognized by law.
Nuns and spinsters are exceptions, mar
risge is the rule
When girl is Of an a0o to be intro
duced into society her friends ana rela-
tives Immediately Iook out for a suitable
husband, whom II is considered highly
desirable to obtain before she has reached
the age Of II, that she may not be pro-
claimed lille msjeure when the banns
are published. The principal conslGera-
tions are equality Of birth. of position, of
fortune; and in the last particular the
scale is usually expected to weigh rather
more onithe side of the young lady, es-
pecinlly II the young man. In addition TO
sufficient present ADVANTAGES, can bring