Norwich bulletin., 1920-01-03

may seem romantic to foreigners: their passionate protestati4Rs of love may seem too frank to us of Puritan descent; but not only in financial af fairs. but even in their pleasures, they minutely calculate all items.
 Probably there is not ill the world the equal of the French housewife in economy. and efficiency. Before the war wages were astonishingly low in France, and there must have been continual squeezing of each franc; French wife, who could tell from out side evidence that there was unusual stinting in the average home?
 ITO see a. French woman bargain at the market is to learn much in econ erlics, n1athema tics-and oratory. She simply refuses to pay the first price quoted: her genius for getting what you can" is admirable.
 with such women, is it any mar vel that the French home is so admir- ably united? The family is the pri- naaI social fact in France, and the parents are the fundamental fact ily) could never have come into being. Hence there is a reverence for parents equaled probably only by the ances- tral worship of China. Indeed. it Is very doubtful whether the love be- tween husband and wife equals that existing between parent and child. ~TT11ere is constant consultation with parents and relatives by sons and daughters of advanced years-a form of consultation scarcely ever heard of in an American family. If a F'renchnian of thirty or thirty | five proposes changing his profession he may consult not only his father and his mother. but the entire family { groun' the proposed marriage of a daughter or son is often an oeca- | sion for council of the entire elan l including distant relatives that in America would hardly be Included ili our family tree.
 The world has been fond of point l ing out that the French language has no word for home It has 9 word i possibly even more tender. What a l meaning is in the sound of foyer \ 1 includes the concept of heartlastone and much more. It brings te the French mind and heart all the ideals activities, and dreams of Q close. in- i ner circle where obedience is a joy respect a willing observance, and
 love an ever r-present radiance. ! 'aThe foyer is not for the outside world: only behind the locked doors i does it really live and flourish. The 1 father may deal with the outside world of business, but here in the foy- ! CT the mother generally rules suprera' { and her influence Is everywhere seer l in it.
 'Is it any wonder thai when o7' parent dies the other is imnediatel! taken into the home of the married son or daughter. there to rule as t; sort of benevolent, enlightened des pot
 Perhaps some youthful American reader of these pages has alread5 asked. How can there by any court. ship in so privatea home. where ev
 erybody within the charmed circle i consulted about all the affairs con nected with that circle?
 As g preparatory step toward sucl beautiful home life one would thinl that there should first be a most TO
 mantle love affair with moon7igla
 walks and whispered words of ador
 ation and all the other pretty thing
 found in the sentimental novel.
 Unfortunately or fortunately-as
 VOL may view it-these accompani
 ments of American match making ar
 frequently totally absent from FFenci
 courtship Indeed in the middle an
 higher classes of French society ther
 is often very little possibility of love
 making before marriage,
 lowing to the fanlilzr regulations and the fact that there are few coed
 ucational schools in the county. tn
 French girl seldom makes with boy
 those confident personal friendship