Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-08

1t for him. But no, the uncle did not pro-
pose to the girl. He proposed-as We have
all cause to remember-to her moneyed
aunt. Madame, l have the honor to ask.
on behalf of my nephew. the hand of your
niece And so on. And here, by the way
Is where the facts left the beaten track Of
routine. The girl, highly displeased at such
roundabout declaration, spurned that
French youth. Not so the moneyed aunt.
She saw the delicacy of the thought, the
respect and honor of it. She talked 1t over
so much with that willy old uncle, that the
result was their own marriage. The young
heirs presumptive now kick themselves at
the thought of the possible consequences.
The right-thinking way here is for the
father or the brother or the uncle of the
youth to go and propose for him. The
father or guardian of the girl should give
response at the first moment possible. In
this interval questions about fortune and
the like are discussed with more detail
than they had been during the viewing
prelimlnaries. Notes are made for the
marriage contract.
Immediately he has been accepted the
young man must put on his dress suit
though 1t be 10 a-m.-and make a formal
visit to-the parents of the girl. He ought
to thank them warmly. but without eXag-
geration. Sometimes the girl will be pres
ent at this meeting. The best taste, how
ever, leaves the youth to gush over his
future mother-in-law
The next step being the betrothal a pri-
vate family party, the young girl has still
opportunity to hide her bushes You don't
invite mere acquaintance You don't ex-
pose the artless happiness of young crea-
ture to the cold indifference of the merely
curious, do you?
The young man brings the betrothal ring
lhey could not well pretend to slip it on
her finger for him, and they do not. 1t is
the first time that he has touched her fin
gers. AT the betrothal dinner they sit
side by side at the middle of the table
The girl must wear gay gown, tender
rose. celestial blue or. white. with colored
ribbons all about In the soiree that fol-
lows they must be allowed to talk together
without being overheard
Still jealousy Guarded.
And now, although betrothed, it is still
thought best that the girl should never go
out in public with her fiance; but if they
do go out together there is no doubt as to
whom the youth must give his arm Good
taste demands that he should invariably
escort her mother. But in a garden the en-
gagged ones may walk arm in arm.
Each morning now he brings or sends a
white bouquet. 1t is essential. He may not
give her any other presents, however, until
the signing of the marriage contract But
you may say, we have had that already
Not at ALL That was the betrothal The
signing of the marriage contract is more
public and binding.
The marriage contract is to be signed in
a few days and every is busy Mother
and girl are altogether given up to the
trousseau. The girl and young man are
talking over the corbeille in whispers at
their daily meetings. The young man him
self is putting his bachelor affairs in order
scheduling his debts for payment out of
her dot. AS for the trousseau, the mornings
are reserved for it; the afternoon is for the
groom. and it is decent that he should not
near the trousSeau mentioned The cor
BELLE is the collection of gifts presented
to the bride by the groom. essentially of
jewels, which often represent a fortune that
balances the girls dot
Funny StipuIatiOns.
These jewels are presented and displayed
for the first time on the all-important
morning of the signing of the maria ge
contract Sometimes, besides the explicit
financial stipulations, this contains strange
clauses, such the bride shall never be
asked to live away from France; that the
groom promises ever to cherish the bride
mother, or that the bride shall never be
forced to eat cheese. The Willful brea king
of this last cause in a marriage contract
was the successful motive for divorce in a
French cause celebre
Only ten more days elapse now and the
marriage ceremonies are performed. / say
ceremonies, for there are two in every self
respecting French family. The scant yes
before the marie makes the union legal by
the French state law. The more decorative
church ceremony makes it legal in the eyes
of religion and conservative responsibility
STERLING HELLO.