| Show Marriage in France a Very Difficult Thing Th ng By Ella Wheeler Wilcox Copyright 1910 by the New York Even Evening EvenIng EvenIng ing Journal Publishing Company HER J are many reasons why T I American girls and boys should be glad they are Americans But greatly should the lovers of America contemplating marriage rejoice in the tho I fact tact that they are aro not born in France and und are not compelled to tollow follow the laws of at o that country when seeking to realize their hearts desire Here la It the true story of ot one pair patr of lovers lovera In Paris Madeline came from a little country place in Normandy to act as maid to toan toan toan an American lady living in Paris Baptiste her lover followed after ft p time and declared his wIsh to make Madeline his lawful wife Madame American thinking the I preparations might take two weeks weak and 1 desiring to arrange matters agreeably for tor the tho lovers engaged Baptisto as a j i valet and titled fitted up a small apartment nt for br the prospective man and wife wIte in i her het garage which hud hiLd been rented j i It h n d r su room om was all its comforts to lit fit up the new apartment For two weeks Madeline was willing to live in discomfort in order to have hor nor new quarters Quartets made attractive How the Red Tape Works The Th consent of ot parents and the consent of parents had to be sent from Normandy in writ writing writIng writIng ing after being approved by b a notary public pu hUe parents delayed be because because cause causo they wished her to invite thorn them to Paris at her own expense to the wed wedding wedding wedding ding Madame American did not consider this advisable so o she suggested that hey use the money moner instead on a weeks honeymoon trip to Normandy Finally the came cameo giving the consent of the parents of both bride and A tidy bill ac accompanied accompanied companied the papers The Tho two families had been obliged to walk ten miles to find a notary public And the till and their own loss of ot time and the tho postage for the papers va were all included In the items Now it St would seem that the lovers might be united But alas Baptists Baptiste had lad been married when only 19 and his gIrl wife had died a year ear later He must produce her birth papers her death papers and her burial papers Again letters Jetters went to Normandy and again there was another family seeking a notary at a distance of ot miles antI and with a bill for Baptiste to pay He was assured the papers would he tie sent right away awa awaIn In another week he hc could publish his banns But one two three weeks Then came camo an announcement from the French government that Bap tiste was to be fined and anti imprisoned for laying Laving changed his address without giving the government notice Tearing his hI hair halt in affright Bap tiste rushed to the authorities for an explanation declaring he had not hanged his address Then it proved that the man mall carrier had been holding Is papers for weeks be because beCause cause 8 use the envelope plainly addressed cid Id not say in care of Madame Ameri Amen American American can The man mall carrier did Ud not feel it In Incumbent upon himself to search for tor one Baptiste He left mail mall addressed to Mr 11 and Madame American only at that address Now having fully tUll authorized his latin Halm to those papers one might think Madeline and Baptiste could bo be mar married marred red ried rj d But no A certain period of time since the th first t papers were Issued had elapsed without the banns published The papers must go back hack to Normandy and new ones must be Issued Three months have elapsed since room was stripped of its comforts om forts to tit fit up an apartment for Madame Baptiste and not yet is there thoe any an date set for tor the publication of the banns But nearly n arl al aJI JI earnings and Baptiste wages wates have been ex es in preliminaries It is always like this in our place saId sad Madeline And that is why h so many runny honest girls go and live with their tb ir lovers loers without marriage It is I not their thelt wish it is the government with its hard aws which forces for es poor Joor I i girls and young oung men to do wrong i I iI |
