Our Ladies Letter.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1065, 10 July 1880, Page 2

Our Ladies Letter.

Pabis, May 10.

This is the season of marriages/: and those who contribute to make them are as busy as those interested in seeing them accomplished. Perhaps a grand wedding in Paris creates, for the time being, "as much sensation as a successful play for a politicaTevent, and the places on snch occasions to frequent are the dressmakers who have obtained the contract for the trousseau, ■: which range in value from 25fr to 35,000fr. There is no courtship in a French marriage ; it is a simple business affair, where the parents, regulate the prosaic side, leaving the turtledoves during; the space of four or six weeks to have ceremonial interviews, for they ' are never . left alone. ;■'■■■ Two weddings are particularly in view just at present. The rich Baron Seillie're. a partner -in his brother's bank, is to be married to Marchioness de Galliffet-s daughter Diana, who has fortune, as it was compromised by her grandfather, Lafitte the bahkeri Her mother is one of the principal rulers of fashion; "beonuse she makes anything she wears look lovely by the grace with which displays it and the perfection of its fit. Then she is a famous beauty on the Verge of forty. She is not rioh, but she lives, gratuitously with her companion of infancy, the Princess de Sagan,who is. Both ladies are separated from their husbands. However, it is said that the Prince of Wales has arranged that the Marquis de Galliffet (one of the first cavalry officers in the army) will give away his daughter. The bride-elect is still; at her convent school, and wears her Holland costume. During the interims of trying on her hew dresses she enjoys her skipping rope — but then she is only seventeen, and her husband is thirty-four. He is fond of travelling — above all, of yachting-^-and the honeymoon is limited to a voyage round the world. The second marriage is that of Mdlle. Colette Dumas, second daughter of Alexandra Dumas file. She, too, wants a couple of years of finishing her teens. Her mamma is a Russian, and a princess in her own right— a title, however, she never employs, knowing the little importance such as in the eyes of the French. She mad« her appearance for the first time in public society at a fancy ball, on Shrove Tuesday last, dressed in the costume of a lady of the time of the First Empire. Her papa is a Bonapartist. She was dressed in a pretty rose and white jupe, carried a : reticule on her arm ; but her terrible blue eyes worked miracles from beneath ababriolet bonnet. One glance laid a stranger, M. Lippermann, a Jew, and a manufacturer of guns and such terrible things, at her feet. He proposed the same evening, was - accepted subject to mamma's approval, and he even desired to consult that absent lady: at once, though it was then five o'clock in the morning. Mdlle. Dumas has 250,000fr. fortune, with great expectations, which reflects great credit on Dumas, who : thirty years ago was arrested for debt, and since has paid off not only his own but his father's liabilities ; and Atlas' himself was considered necessary to bear up the latter load. Dumas is said to make money by pictures and literature. When his house is filled with bric-a-bdc heselJs all, like Prince Deihidoff, and lays in fresh stocks. Colette was his private secretary, and is a very clever girl.

Ordinarily, marriages are riot arranged at this spsed j a formal bringing together of the young people is arranged at the reception of a - mutual friend, a. concert, dinner,, or a charity bazaar. When Marshall Macmahon was President, his balls were selected as a "lucky rendezvous," and he never failed to send invitations : for that purpose when solicited. . However, the theatres are chiefly selected for the matrimonial preliminaries: The upper ten . for, this end choose the grand opera-; . the middle classes and provincials lean to the opera comique. The lady is placed; in the front row of the box, the : gentle man is understood to be in -the pit using his glass. If after the- survey "Barkis is willn', "he arrives.at the lady's box : and begs to be introduced to her. Next day he formally proposes^ and is' accepted from that moment as one of the family. He commenced his courtship by a present of an engaged ring consisting of one or two pearls set in diamonds. The state ring is presented oh the eve of the marriage. It is a sapphire, ruby or emerald, and must be e\er worn with the wedding ring. Every day for a month or six weeks the futme husband is to send a bbnquet of choice flowers, invariably white, tied with lace favors, or satin ribbons with her initials embroided thereon, or some appropriate motto. If the. families be very distinguished the first person informed of the engagement is the Pope, and his telegraphic blessing secured for a fixed day. The; mother or father, accompaniedwith /Eheir .daughter,, call on their rela^ves'and friends to announce the news. The mother introduces her future son-in-law to the most important . relatives of the family. The four or six weeks that elapse before the celebration of the ceremony are devoted to the preparation of the trousseau and the execution of the marriage deeds. The bride must, at least have twelve robes and as many dozens of articles of under— .clothing. Hats and bonnets are assorted to the costumes. .For travelling the costume is very simple— jupe and tunic in English woollen, check pattern, corsage to match ; toque, chiefly orna mented 'with crimp feathers ; the .lace in favor is Valenciennes. Alencon and malines and pearls are more fashionable than diamonds. ; The presents vary according to the cheerfulness of the giver. They are riot how exposed like the contents of a bazaar. Oh the wedding day the : bride should only wear the jewels given to her by mother or husband, and the two mothers ought to be liberal in gifts of diamonds and fancy jewellery ; such is the as Balzac says, "Her Highness woman "makes her entry on the stage of life. Mme. Loiiise.Koppe has brougt out a journal— 'La .Feniine ' — in order to briiig about a "thorough understanding between man and woman, which it appears does not yet exist despite 600 years of trial. ■ She is supported by all the eminent public men who believe that it -is necessary to effect this reconciliation by humbling masculjne pride. Some ladies assert in the new organ they are quite satisfied with things as they are. but one gallant knight writes.frpm Lisr bon 'that among all the animals JwhicU

exist on the globe man is the only one which regards the female with scornful inferiority, Mdlle. Auclerc never went to these lengths. She objects to paying her quota of taxation till men allow her to vote. Mdlle. Kbppe is in favor of divorce. The editor of the ( Motd'Ordre? objects to giving woman votes, because they would only elect clergymen.