The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-31
BY EDNA EGAN. 7


 &u racking interview for the
 young man to look forward to
 when he has decided to marry the girl of his choice. He wins the sAeart of his "ladye faire," all the while keeping his weather eye open to idiscover the attitude that her parents !thke toward the match. When he is sassured of the girls love. he, as gen. Itleman, approaches the parents frank fly to give an account of his financial totatus.
 The length of the engagement de- Ipends upon the young peoples feel ;1ngs and circumstances. Year en- Judgements, especially when they have mot known each other very long be- l1ore, are of benefit in better acQuaint- ling the engaged couple with each eth ier's nature dnd peculiarities. On the other hand, too lengthy engagements. aextending over year. are not to be ! considered.
 Very often the announcement of an arrangement is not made until at least the approximate time of the wedding has been decided upon. Varied meth sods of announcing are used. It is very ioften written up and sent to the socie- ty editor of a newspaper, signed with the fuifa nafnHe and address Of the send or. For instance:
 ~Mr. and Mrs Alexis Smith an- nounces the engagement of their v daughter Mary to John Manners. of Washington, D. C." If you wish. you may add, "No date for the wedding has as yet been fixed; but it will probably take place in June"
 Personal notes may be written in stead, both; by the man and girl They include an Invitation to an at7home, at which both the girl and hers mother ipreside. This will give the future husbands relations chance to De- come acquainted with his fiancee. Tea and cakes may be served.
 The engagement period is the time to lay foundations for a happy mar ,riage. The girl should seize this cp- ', portunity to make friends with the mans family and relations. First i'm pressions are the most lasting, and, of course, she wants to be happy with them as we'll as with her own people.
 The husbands family, on their part. iowe a duty to the girl. They should welcome her into their family with love and cordiality. Even if they do not approve-as what fond parent ever wholly does?-it is best both for his sake and their own to accept his choice with at least outward alacrity. The mother of the man should call on ifhe girl as soon as possible after the en- xagement is known to her, and should extend some nearks of her favor.
 Another way to announce the en- eneagement is to give a luncheon or dinner in honor of the engaged couple s This can be done by the mother of the girl. a relation or a friend. The en- eaaement is announced uniquely. on this occasion, to the intimate friends and relations Sometimes the two names are hidden in individual flower bouuuets of fayors; at other times photographs of the pair are pasted or Y fans, cigarette boxes or place cards Sometimes their names are announced by means of toast
 Very often friends respond to an en- xagement with a gift. Flowers. oi some small things for the future home are thoughtful gifts, though none is ac- tua1ly necessary.
 The duties of the engaged couple tc each other are few but important. Con- sfderatfon for each others feelings and toleration of each others faults art important attributes to cultivate. L,on' allow the young man to come every night, nor be hurt if he does not wisf to come. While one man and one woman may be more to each othel than anybody else could be. they were never intended to be everything ant to fulfill every want. Each member O the contract needs to rub up agains other human beings, in which inter course the otheris not included. If on' ! wishes to have something new ant good to Simpart to the other, if the! wish to remain interesting to each oth z CT. That Is very often the trouble witl married people even more than the en gagged. One or the other does not real ize that he or she cannot, because no infinite, meet every want of the part ner. no matter how willing each ma, DC. That can only be gained by. mix ing. with others. ~
 Itis not considered proper for eithe she man aof girl to go1o with "a gir 1SSans unless a relation, during tn engagemen..' But there are very pos sibly circumstances, under which thi rule may be broken, and if there is perfect understanding between tn v6UA q C uobody'a affair."