The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-08-04

L \ 80 ~
defying parental objection and marry
ing at a little church around the
corner in France. All formalities
oppose such a step and a candidate
to the holy state has only to make an
attempt at secrecy to find what a
stone wall he is up against. A secret
marriage is as impossible as a secret
qualification of the banns, for as every
one knows, after all the preliminary
steps have been taken the "procla-
nation" must be put up on the wall
at the marie, or city hall, of the
ward at least fifteen days preceding
the desired ceremony.
%Supposing an applicant for the
marriage certificate, man or woman,
be Paris born and bred, no matter
what the age he or she must have the
consent of parent or guardian. II
the consent be not given then a proof
of the disapproval written out in for
NAL and legal terms must be fur
nished. Up to two years ago a young
woman could not take the step with
out consent until she was twenty
three years old, and the law required
the young man to be tw~enty-siX be-
fore his independence was acknowl-
edged.
A famous French artist, who died
recently, waited until he was more
than seventy years old before taking
the rite that turned him from a bach
elor into a benedict. The woman OF
his choice happened to be an Ameri-
can, and for her own reasons, the
mother of the artist opposed the
match, withholding her consent.
Death sealed the permit at last, how
ever, and as soon as steps could be
arranged, the venerable couple stood
before the altar. Only a few years
of welded bliss were left the bride
groom, unfortunately, though he was
over eighty at his death.
The consent or disapproval of par
ents being written down n black and
white, but signed in the presence OF
the commissaire de police, these i'm
portant papers are put in the same
envelope as the letter from the pro-
prietor and concierge of the house
in which the young man or woman
lives; the two swearing that the per-
sor has been living in the arrondlsse-
ment at least six months.
No mistake must be made in writ
ing the m of monsieur or made
moiselle. If a name reads on the
birth certificate James Henry Jones
and on another paper Henry James
Jones there will be trouble. Accord
ing to law, these may be two distinct
and separate persons. Years ago a
heritage was left to a child in a GER
tain family, and because the first
names were mixed, thereby disagree
ing with the birth certificate, the
young man was never able to obtain
his just legacy.
All formalities being observed and
the papers collected, application is
sent to the mayor of the ward, ask
ing that the ceremony be performed
On a chosen day. The answer comes
back that Mr.. Mayor has the honor
to inform Monsieur X that his
request has been arranged and that
be may stand in readiness to be mar
ried on the day by the mayor or one
of his aids between 10 O'Clock and
noon. Every marriage performed in
France must take place at the city
bo11 Eoo1ociocfipc houQ No pnWpr in
q legal way, marriages performed by
them alone are not being recognized.
Many people not wishing to have the
pomp and expense of a church we'd
ding dispense with the ceremony be-
fore the altar.
Wedding parties are never alone in
the big bare halls of the marie.
Dozens Of couples are waiting with
relatives and friends and likely as
not ones marriage may be sand
WICKED in between that of ones wash
woman or butcher. If one has a
church wedding the ceremony there
generally follows the same day, the
splendor or simplicity being in &C.
wv uduCS Will lHS pilSS OAC WioHCo
to pay, there being as many as half
a dozen classes of marriages and
funerals in France. 1t frequently
happens that the religious ceremony
is put off a day or two after the cere-
mony at the Marie for reasons Of the
family of either party, and though
legally man and wife the bride still
remains at her parents home.
For some people, marriage Is al
most an impossibility. Even though
all steps are taken by an intermediary
with as little expense as possible, GER
tiicates cost SO, and this is a for
tune to the poor who count their in
come by sol an hour. A man or
woman in such a class has his or her
nose to the grindstone sixteen hours
more or less a day, and cannot lose
time with possible loss of employment
to look up signatures from this one
and that. In the end the couple de-
eide upon a union libre"-a state
u~nconsecrated by Church or State.
Publication of banns is sometimes
nothing more or less than a washing
of soiled linen in public. If there