Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-10
THE SPRING BRIDEGROOM
A Necessary Part Of the Ceremony, but
Neverthele a Neneutity.
IMPRESSIONS or ONE WHO WAS THERE
Overwhelming Importance of n
Bride Casts n Deep shadOw on the
Man who IL Tolerated Some
what G~raciOusIy.


what G~rRciOusIy.
The idea OF a bridegroom in being scared
at the altar, says the New York Sun, sug-
gcsts a wasteful excess Of unusual feeling.
for no one notices and no one cares about
him. The attendants at the church or
house function are interested only in the
bride, her appearance, the cost Of her
frock's trimmings, and, incidentally, her
emotions.
Who, for instance, is troubling himself
as to the manner Of the bridegroom's dress
ing for the occasion? And yet there arc
few who, even II they have not been pres
ent at such a sentimental time, have not
pictured the scene Of the dressing OF the
bride over and over; the weeping mother.
the deft maid; the presents arriving at the
last moment; the bridesmaids crowding
into the apartment. in their frilly frocks
the bride timorOus and doubtful, or care
less and happy?
But what OF the bridegroom? Who
dresses the bridegroom? Does he tie his
own tie, put his own studs in his linen:
Does he have to pack his own bag and for
get his own toothbrush, as is the proper
way with bridegrooms There is a certain
Iargeness Of view about a man who forgets
the trivial at such a time.
Does his ~favorite bull pup chew the shoe
that he has forgotten to put on In his
nervous haste? Does he solace himself
with a hlghball while he keeps the open
book before him and recites loudly, with
all my Roodly words l thee low
Or is he fortunate epough to possess a
valet, one Of those mysterious French
products who come from some unknown
chaos of like experience and have about
them on the morning Of the a
rather sardonic grin, as II they knew Wen
where It was all going to md?
Who will throw light on the convention
alities OF this time, from the bridegrooms
standpoint?
What does he think about the obey
Of the marriage service, which some OF the
more radical fathers are willing, II properly
approached. to omit from the service?
Does he have a few inward qualms as
10 the first time when, a difference OF optn-
ion arising. he may quote with emphasis
the fact that she promised. and wonder
what he will do or say II she laughs-as
she surely will?
The one unfailing statement that is made
about the bridegroom is that relating 10
his farewell bachelor dinner. This Is where
he scores. Such an important Item as TINS
could not be omitted. and is, consequently
rescued from the oblivion which movers
about the rest Of his actions and thoughts
There was a time when the oacheIor
dinner was given the night before. For
oh,ious reasons this custom has bowed to
! HAMMER one, and 1t is easy to tell just
what kind OF dinner took place by the
tsn0tb Of time which elapses between II
and the ceremony proper.
sometimes a week or ten days intervene
and the bride, II she be a sensible young
woman. will not demand too much OF her
aoncee's time and attention In that inter-
vol As he will probably tell her, II sne
asks the last few days should De spent W
,bouehtful meditation-a general sooerins
up, SO to speak.
" The Proposal.
rho Dronosals Of Alphonse are rarely
uodo IN the manner stated in the modern
novel Alphonse is very apt to forget MS
lines or his cue, and with whatever iore-
,hought he may have approached the psy-
geological moment, he is liable TO get as
ratified as Maeterlincks adjectiVes Wnen
the opportunity comes.
II is a pity that that particular part Oh
marital preliminaries could not be lett IN
the care Of the loquacious sex. mis- OF
course, does not imply that some do not
take 1t, by force of arms. so to speak
A woman WOulu ~ II rO BAeSSANAs 49,
would never forget to say that he was the
only one she ever loved, as Alphonse is so
apt to do.
In the bright lexicon Of mutual admira-
ton. forever means perhaps a year, and
eternity a decade, and she would never
falter over these words, having learned
them in that volume. Alphonse is liable to
stammer at these times, carelessly using
the unabridged edition.
One bridegroom interviewed will do for
many.
What did / say to her when l asked
herr" he repeated. walking up and down
with his hands In his pockets and looking a
little as a child looks when caught with
his fingers in the marmalade.
well, do you know" he went on, with a
look Of engaged fright which he had worn
ever since the engagement was announced,
do you know. l suppose 1t might be said
that / never-er-really asked her, right
out, / never thought Of 1t until-well-
something come up about her father, and
then II occurred to me that I had never ex-
actly treated her right in the matter. So,
then I said:
80, by the way. Fanny. I believe I never
asked you. VIII you have me?'
You see we had decided on the color OF
NAN LINING TWIN paptA nv just uOH muCU
we might leave toward wedding presents,
and II did seem a little late.
But Fan isn't a girl TO stand on cere-
mony She laughed and said Certainly,
just exactly as II l had asked her to have
a lemon ice.
That's what l like about Fan, she isn't
at all conventional; in fact. l believe we
never were really introduced in the Mr.. Sc
and So let me present you to Miss So and
So style. We Just met at a picnic or g
house party and took the matter into oul
own hands.
Speaking to the Governor.
what did you say to her father?" h,
was asked.
The bridegroom lost his air of pleasing
Renaissance.
That" he admitted, was the mos
awful experience l ever had.
For days / felt pretty savage towar'
Fan. 1t seemed to ne that as she had beef
elastic about other conventionalities sh,
might stretch a point here. but I belleyt
she enjoyed my discontinue.
"As It was her father. not mine. l felt a
II she might run the affair and just say I
me kindly. Now, dear Tom. don't yov
worry about pa. I'll tend to him-you Jus