The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-08-31
FRENCH MARRIAGE
CUSTOMS CHANGE AM
Many Girls Happily Welded After
Being Won IN Fashion Of
English Sisters.
Number Of Educated eentIewomsn
Who Are Earning Their Living 70
~>lncreasing Every year-NeW Z
Occupations Are Open.

" SSSako%'Stts ~ ~tSus
London.-French parents know nc
better than English parents what "a
do with their daughters, writes q
Paris correspondent Of the Tfmes
When marriage fails, Or is unduly de-
layed, action becomes imperative. For.
merly, marriage was the invariable
remedy; today there are not enough
men to go round, and girls must look
for some alternative to wifehood and
motherhood when they leave school.
An aim In life Is essential. Their
parents are the first to realize this,
and turn reluctantly from matchmak-
Ing to the choice Of a career. The girls
are less reluctant, because they do not
despair Of finding a husband and are
glad to think they may meet him and
choose him for themselves.
Sometimes their dreams are realized,
and there r many happily married
women In France who have been
wooed and won In the English way.
They met their husbands through their
work. The numbers Of educated gen.
tleWomen who are earning their living,
or preparing to do so, increase every
year. The liberal professions include
many qualified women. There are q
few notable cases where women are
associated with big business concerns,
hitherto only by lei In agricul-
ture women sometimes direct their
estates, but there Is no general fem
tnine movement towards outdoor man.
ual labor. Women gardeners can be
counted on one hand; farmers are al
most as rare.
Upholds Modern Mothers.
Mime. Leon Daudet In her recent
book, comment Elever nos Files"
puts herself on the side Of modern
mothers in such things as sport and
liberty Of thought within measure"
but is opposed to the idea Of women
taking a part in politics., law, medi-
cine or business. She does not be-
lieve they will find happiness in a pub
lie career: La veritable vie des
femmes est a la maison." She would
have her daughters accomplished In
fine arts and fine manners, charitable,
domesticated, "sachant composer I'm
menu ct au besoin r~executer." They
should excel in well chosen sports, and
in their late teens Balzac's novels
might be set before them.
In all they do they should be
watched over and guarded. For daugh,
tiers so educated marriage Is the only
desirable end. They r Ill fitted to &C
out into the world.
N. Pierre Soulaine in his novel, ID
Rue de la Paix," draws a vivid pic
ture Of a girl brought up In this way
who is forced eventually to earn hel
living. 1t does not offer an encour
aging outlook, and n feels the cir
who must a her livelihood needs
something more than the education
which even a delightful and virtuoui
home can give. She energies from hel
shell too much Of a woman to stans
alone.
That there are French women VIII,
understand that their daughters mus
be better armed for life is evident
but they belong generally to th'
petite bourgeoisie than to the grand,
bourgeoisie, or the aristocracy. No
until quite lately have women Of tn
upper classes contemplated taking u
paid work outside their homes, an,
the prospect ~confounds them. Man,
mothers would like to see their daugf
tiers married unsuitably rather tina,
not married and forced to earn thei
living.
New Occupations Open.
The result is the girls Of today ar
turning their eye to occupations whic
hitherto have been forbidden. Tn
cinema has many attractions for them
II is easier than the stage. The Ru
de La Paix offers many opportunitie,
Shopkeeping appeals to the practices
artist which is latent In 50 man
Frenchwomen.
Business attracts more than cool
ing, housekeeping, gardening or run
ming a car. Teaching is more to he
taste than nursing. She does not loo
with favor on any occupation whic
takes her away from her family alto
gether, which spoils her hands Q
destroys the outward signs Of her II
ward grace. .--.
She strives to keep her wage-earI
ing work and her private life az ia
apart as possible. The freedom whfc
comes to Frenchwomen with an earne
income does not often run into 1
cense. Sound common sense and
practical conception Of the value q
money keep most girls from extraya
gance, eve when family tradition
fan. @@ '"< +s>.2 49,.
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Drunkards Among Insects.