purse = in modern GB English is a thing you put your money in. In modern US English, if I am getting this right, is what we GeeBees would call a bag, or even handbag. Originally, it was worn around the waist (LArousse 2000), but is now more commonly used to describe a pouch type form purse or small bag on a drawstring, although not eclusively. In French, an "aumonier" is a chaplain. He is in charge of religious and educational matters. He often holds the purse strings. Universities and schools have them too. It all goes back to the word "aumône", originally a charitable donation (money or things) to the poor and needy : alms for the poor... have you seen Fiddler on the Roof???

Anyway, if you want to see a picture of what this means in contemporary English, here's a webref for you :
www.linpassion.com/product.asp?id_cat=8

When I was little, I wanted to be a bridesmaid, just so I could get dressed up in a fairytale "costume". Bridesmaids then used to carry these sorts of bags, which we called "dolly bags". Does this term still work???

verrine = verine (according to Larousse 2000), thus a little glass globe used to protect a lamp, it can also be used to refer to a source of light