always a large
entertainment, sometimes at the bride's house, sometimes at the house
of a near relative; there are theatricals with personal allusions, or
recitations of home-made topical poetry, some good music, and the
inevitable evergreens woven into sentiments of encouragement and
congratulation. The bride's presents are set out much as they are in
England, and perhaps class for class more valuable presents are given
in Germany than in England. Electro-plate, for instance, was
considered impossible a few years ago. A wedding present, if it was
silver at all, must be real silver. But it is not so much the custom
as with us to give presents of money.

The civil marriage takes place either the day before or early on the
same day as the religious ceremony. The bride used to wear black silk,
and still wears a dark plain costume for this official function. Her
parents go with her and the necessary witnesses. The religious
ceremony often used to take place in the house, but that is no longer
customary. The anonymous author of _German Home Life_, a book
published and a good deal read in 1879, says that marriage is a
troublesome and expensive ceremony in Germany, and that this accounts
for the large number of illegitimate children. Mr. O. Eltzbacher, the
author of _Modern Germany_ published in 1905, confirms what was said
in 1877 as to the number of illegitimate children born in Germany and
Austria, for he says that in Germany itself they are 9 per cent.,
while in those districts of Austria where the Germans form about
nine-tenths of the population, from 20 per cent, to 40 per cent, of
the children are born out of wedlock. In France statistics give 9 per
cent., in Scotland 7.4 per cent., and in England and Wales 4.2 per
cent. Nevertheless in modern Germany children are not illegitimate
because their parents are too poor to pay their marriage fees. The
civil marriage is obligatory everywhere, and costs nothing. The
religious ceremony need cost nothing at all. In the porch of every
church in Prussia there is a notice stating on which days _Freie
Trauungen_ are conducted. Several couples are married at the same
time, but they have the full liturgy and the marriage sermon. A small
charge is made for the organist and for the decoration of the church.
A friend whose husband has a large poor parish in Berlin tells me that
the Social Democrats object to the religious ceremony, and will stand
guard outside the house on the day of t