Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-30
THE FIRST MATRIMONIAL LUNCHEON.

table linen, her own clothing for years to
come, while nearly all of us have modest
dots. from S1.Co0 10 500, not to speak OF
worthy family connections! .-. ... e..
Men. look at these young girls. They
have the gayety of birds, the lightness of
butterflies. Their souls are fresh as
their cheeks. and If. by instinct, they let
loose the phrase when l am married. it is
because they have felt the vocation that
nature puts in the heart of every woman.
Men, we want to marry
/ say it was a Sudden-shot success. The
patronage of bourgmestre and municipal
couneil-proudly set forth in the advertis-
Ing literature-had forbade from the start
the slightest doubt as to the character or
the young ladies. Therefore. If among the
serried train loads of sightseekers the pro-
portion of ''repentant bachelors" hid their
actual numerical Importance, even those
who proclaimed themselves hardened
bachelors listened to the girls courageous
words with unconcealed emotion.
Bachelors Repented.
And there were repentant bachelors
When 1t came to stepping up to sign the
golden books-equivalently going to the anx-
ious bench-some forty signed from Bel
GUM, twenty-four from Paris three from
Bordeaux, five from Lyons and three from
London. A brilliant Mexican and two white
planters from the Congo were in deadliest
earnest. and the Mexican took off bride
that week,
He was an authentic Mexican" says
Marie Gheude still proud: land Julia writes
us she is absolutely happy with nine serv-
ants and two babies!'
Six musical societies from surrounding
towns maintained the liveliness of the occa-
sion. a group of fifteen hardened hache-
lors'' from Marchiennes brought brass
band, and other bachelor SoCieties-"The
Night-Passers' The Cenobites'' and the
Never Agains''-sent delegates.
Under triumphal arches passed great
procession. Ecaussinnes has two sights
= rio hi ch ha art
ly lives and the ancient castle of the counts
of Nandcrburgh. From one to the other
the hurrahing, singing. dancing procession
moved, with immense gayety.
Where the rls?' they cried: but
the girls had their eyes open, sorting sheep
from goats, protected. aided and abetted by
their mothers and good women.
Where is the lunch?"
The cry rose, with cheers and laughter,
as they quilted the chateau.
The lunch is matrimonial" was the
swer. passed from rank to rank as the
procession reached the Grande-place. Then
the crowd understood.
Those who have signed the golden book
will pass in to the banquet" cried a herald
through a megaphOne.
And to the glorious strains of the Walk
Round in Tannhauser by the brass band
and musical societies, thirtyseven honest
men pushed their way to the steps of the
municipal building and disappeared
within its portal!
From that hour on, the Sightseeing null
llluCe mace us own Iete IN the CARES OF
bcaussinnes. But round the matrimonial
board, in presence of the mothers and good
women the repentant bachelors made such
progress that the matrimonial register kept
infinitely by the Able Auseau shows ten
marriages within the year as the direct re-
suit!
Succeeding years have given better or
ganiZation, alike to advertising, general
fete and quasi-private lunch for those who
sign the golden book. Some of these, it
seems, have actually participated in as
many three even four consecutive
lunches-without being able to make up
their minds. No one bustles them no one
intimidates them; in the end, the girls now
know, the fiattering appeal will do its work.
Observe the tangible results, supplied me
by the editor proprietor of La Sennette
They official figures:
WI St year. ~ marriages
ldO'1 ..-............ - marriages
,11I % marriages
lJoo III marriages
I'oo' ~ marriages
iolAl. llS marriages
rs not sixteen marriages for 1905 an
error" / asked.
Marcel Tricot chuckled.
'ECaussnnes." he said, lis not an mex
haustible girl-quarry. The total popula-
ton OF the cantonal jurisdiction is less than
q 500 souls ="
But look" | said "in the next wear the