New-York tribune., 1908-11-08
FRENCH FAMILY'S PRIDE
Partisan Daughter Chief Preoccupo-
tion Of Her Parents.
paria October

l,,t+erness as 10Y, since no woman can CohI@Ai
Mate with equanimity the long two years OF
hated military service which await 'iio 49,
In his twenty-arst year. The shado" Vi '"0
barracks looms always on the nome
Rut no shadows hover around the cradle OF
sL. Ii++Is Girl From first TO last she Is the de-
light the pride, the hope and the one preoccu-
nation of her parents. To insure her happiness
anv sacrifice would be made by ner aooIlHs
Fon,i1vr: and as for her brothers they would lead
q dogs life IL they did not consent at very
early age to worship at the same shrine.
Her mothers first care Is to select lor ths III
fant suitable wet nurse Dozens Of buxom
ao,,n.r, women will be interviewed before the
choice 1 made. Then there Is an active cor
-asnondence between the would-be employer
and the voman's parish priest. her doctor ana
Mayor as tc antecedents. health etc. oe1ore the
contract is finally signed. Once these preIlln-
in.rIes are satisfactorily ended, the woman IS
Installed In the house and provided with gor-
geous outfit. including a magnificent ruche OF
wide rich ribbon with streameTs a yard ana d
half in length, to be worn around her little net
cap. and a wide. flowing mantle OF fine dark
cloth. reaching to her feet, and trimmed with
bands o' velvet Thus equipped. she Is an i'm
pressive figure in the Champs Elysees bearing
the pre- GUS babe in her arms, carefully laid out
on a pillow. It's delicate lace wells and Indian
shawls proudly displayed Indoors. the nurse Is
waited on hand and foot, and her diet is care
fully regulated by her mistress, and IS Of the
most abundant and sUcculent description she
generally eats like a cormorants and Is much
dislfkeL by the other servants. Her wages are
generally SO month. with handsome present
when 81 leaves
On any fine afternoon you may see scores OF
these handsome women under the trees Of the
Champs Elysees. sitting strolling about At
about = o'clock the baby's mother usually ap-
pears upon the scene to glance at her child and
offer the nurse some light refreshments IN the
sLal of brioche or madeleine, to be obtained
from one of the neighboring stalls. with glass
Of fresh milk Mother and nurse will often par
take Of this smack together, and then the lady
re-enters her automobile and drives off to the
Bois or to pay a round Of calls.
When at last the rule Of the 'nounou'' is
ended. the little Parisienne passes into the hands
OF the "gouvernante," but is always under the
eye OF her mother. There is no nursery IN a
French home and the place OF the daughter Of
the house Is invariably at her mothers side
Both at lunch and dinner she sits by her mother
and takes her soup or fish and her tiny glass
Of wine and water with the grown-ups- BY the
time she has reached her fifth year she is the
apple of her fathers eye and the hub OF the
household. There Is no pantomime in Paris for
children. but the little Parisienne Will have her
seat at the Punch and Judy show through the
summer season in her usual playground. the
gravelle6 walks Of the Champs ElyseeS. and will
sit with the utmost decorum through the per-
formance at least twice a week, her feathered
hat and abbreviated petticoats by no means
preventing her from entering heartily into all
the doings OF the foolish Judy and the stern
'huissier." This Is the only stage she will
know until she is married, when she will have
her seat at the opera and half dozen other
theatres.
Not until the little Parisienne Is ten eleven
does her education seriously begin. At this age
girls were formerly sent to the convent schools,
where they stayed until they were sixteen, get
ting very good knowledge OF the history and
literature OF their own country and learning to
use the needle with great dexterity. Few
vent schools are now left, and the lycee takes
their place. For both, the little girl must put
off her smart frocks and ribbons and don q
plain black serge frock, over which. In the class
rooms. she will wear a large black pinafore
with sleeves. On her head she will wear large
shiny black hat, the shape OF the man-o-war's
mans straw hat. and IN this sombre garb she
will be escorted to and from the school by the
"gouvernante." or maid. One Of the most popular
OF the lycees for girls is close TO the St Lazare
railway station. and many Of the scholars come
in by train from the outlying parts OF the capi-
tai to attend the classes In these cases the
little girl takes her lunch at the school canteen
where very excellent meal is served at noon
For the young Parisienne who Is not intended
for any special career, but Is to be fitted to
take place IN society befttins the rank or
standing OF her family. the end OF the school
curriculum will see the beginning OF special
courses of study IN any subjects for which she
may show aptitude, languages music and
especially literature with other accomplish
ments, filling up her days until she Is eighteen.
BY this time she will be entirely at home in her
mothers salon. and will play her part at dances
or tea parties with much grace and dignity For
young girls who not quite out" that is
who still wear their hair in plait tied I'D on
| the nape OF the neck. and not dressed on the
top OF the head, there are always In Paris a
| large number of winter dances which begin in
| the afternoon and end early in the evening For
| these parties the young girls light muslin
| or net frocks made high in the throat and carry
| a small posy OF flowers and a fan and pro-
| gramme. They have each their chaperon To
| whose side they duly returned by their part
| ners after each dance. This does not prevent
| however. the young couples visiting the buffet
| together after a waltz. strolling about for a
| few minutes when the music has ceased
! Even in thi chrysalis stage the expense OF a
| young daughter is. in Paris considerable.
! Apart from her professors. her toilet Is a con-
| siderable item. for 1t Is in its way as connpIe+a
as her mothers. and. simple though her hats and
= frocks always are. the simplicity Is Of a costly
kind You Will never see this young person IN
| the busy thoroughfares. shops or theatres OF
the city; the only plays she is allowed to see are
' occasional performances OF Racine or Cor
| nellie at the Francais on a Thursday after
! noon Sut this Is a rare treat. and there are
many FAMILIES In which even this mild dissipa-