The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-26
Hy Sterling HeIlIe.

sterling
Special Correspondence. Of Tho Journal.
~ ARTS, Aug. 4-suppose it is your wedding morn,
and you discover that you do not want to
- marryl Would you have the courage to say No
and break up the weddingi
This is the hypothetical question just now agitat-
ing Paris. In the Juy-August wedding season thai
conversations and the daily papers publish columns
Of opinions 1t from their readers.
The mass of responses seem to run,
''I should not dare to do it but should approve
che hero Cor the heroine) who didl'
The type of this hero is the vicomte do Houdan
who in the comedy of 'Triplepatte," by Tristan
Bernard, is over-persuaded by matchmaking friends
up to the point Of the civil ceremony; but when the
mayor asks him: "Robert Roland de Houdan, do you
consent to take for wife, Yvonne Marie Herbelier,
here PRESENT." he answers: -
"Plesss excuse mel + cannot say yes at PRESENT."
and runs
Doubtless the French tendency to "arrange" mar
riages gives point to the controversy. 81 know man
suitable for your daughter,' says mutual friens
q girl who is just right for YOU" says the friend;
and if the man. in turn says see her," there
Is good chance of marriage coming out OF IT, =.
sighted meet later by chance alone-and fall in love
after Ave minutes free conversation.
"Papa," says Yvonns in the last scene, "1f I
you would from others9'
It Is looked on as very charming and very Ameri-
cam and there is doubt thatthanks to the leaven
Of tho American girl abroada strong tendency is set
ting in toward giving girls chance TO GO 'ne'r
choosing.
This granted, all the rest is detail Even the old
style French marriage which said:
'|Marry frst and court her afterwards!' did not
say "Marry first and love her afterwards''j but
rather, ''Get engaged and learn to Lowell"
+ > +
From this point of view the absence Of love as
STARTER need preclude deal Of sentiment the less
tho couple know each other the moro exciting becomes
tho engagement period; and the rejection ina. eaen
breasts much the DEVOTION sympathy, gratitude
and admiration that might be looked for in young
and healthy couple finding themselves alone On
The desert island situation always ends in love
and marriage In the stories; and so IN France, inc
20 parents the esteem Of the world and property De-
gins as a romantic adventure-what could be moro sol
and very often continues as romantic venture
should.
You see, the young folks have the wisdom Of old
custom to constrain them toward love. During the
whole engagement period the young man has been
obliged by custom to send tho girl, every morning.
Then, tho Institution Of the eorbeille goes far IN
tho winning Of girls heart-Goethe put 1t into the
3swel scene Of "Faust."
The engagement ring begins it. The young man
should chance it, For some girls fear pearls be-
sause they foretel tears. The girl tells what she
wants He gets it; and the jewel.soene commences.
The oorbeile is the set Of gifts presented by tho
h. Tho
second is Of pearls or eolors Thus even IN middle.
class families, the "eorbeille' represents a little
fortune which the young man puts at tho feet OF hia
AAneee
I can give you . case for comparison The girl
had 900 cash capital Of and the
young man had the Same sum given him by his father
Wei beside, his father bought $4,000 worth OF dia-
rnonds for him to give to the girl month before the
marriage
GIFTS, gifts. gfftsi Tho family gives enormously
shsnds give enormously. The institution Of the par
raan and the ,narrainethe godfather and godmothe,