Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1849-12-25
A." Counting VS.. Attentions

An old paper says: "This is subject
which, always important, is becoming pc
culiarly so, and we design TO call the at
tention of the young people occasionally,
in hope of arresting an alarming and de-
sructive evil.
Young ladies are bound to fall in love as
soon as possible, and bound to be bound
to a partner for life as soon as the neces-
sary preliminaries can be made--such as
getting lover, fascinating him thOroug ly,
being courted, having the question popped,
getting the wedding garments liz array, and
inviting friends TO see them pretty married.
The young man is bound to be gallant and
nolite and admire without stint, all the
pretty young girls known and unknown !;
to doff the beaver, offer his arm, invite to
the ride, pleasant saunter--ln short 10 all
and sundries, indeed to show his devotion
and oallantry towards the sex, until some
enehantress throws her spell around him,
and he sinks, subdued, into common
place, Indifferent, careless Benedict.
- Now out of these things grow diff
cdlties. A young man admires pretty
girl, and must manifest it; he cannot help
doing so for the life of him. The young
lady has a tender, heart reaching out like
vine tendrils for something to cling to !;
she sees the admiration, is flattered, be-
gins soon to Aeve, expects some tender
avowal and perhaps gets so far as to de-
eide that she will choose white satin I'M
der thin gauze at the very moment TIE
gallant that she loves is popping the ques-
ton good h. ha y to another damseI ten
miles off. Now The difficulty lies in not
precisely understanding the difference be-
tween polite attentions AMI the tender
manifestations of signing love.
Admitting beautiful girl, AMI wishing
to make wife of her, are not always the
same; and therefore, it is necessary thai
a piT should De on the alert 70 discover to
which class the attentions paid her by
handsome and fashionable young gentle
man belong. 1t is hard to draw the exact
line of separation between polite attentions
and downright counting, but our great age
and extensive experience have enabled us
to observe enough to aid the young and
artess in deciding the matter.
First then--if young fellow gree'S
YOU in a loud, free, hearty voice--lf he
knows precisely where to put his hat, or
his hands-if he stares you straight in the
eve with his own wide open-ii he turns
his back to speak to another-li he tells
YOU who made his coat-lt he squeezes
YOUR hand--if he eats heartily in your
presence--if he fails to be very foolish IN
fifty ways every hour, then don't fall in
love with him for the world; he only ad-
mires YOU let him do or say what ne WILL
But if he be merry with every one else,
but quiet with you--if he be anxious to
see that your tea is sweetened, and your
dear person well wrapped up when you
90 out in the cold !; if he talks very low
and never looks you in the eye--lt ms
cheeks are red, or if he be pale, and his
nose blush, and if he takes paper, 1t is
enough; if he romps with your sister,
signs ike pair of bellows, looks solemn
when YOU are addressed by another gen
Geman. and in fact, is the most still awk-
ward, stupid, yet anxious of male friends,
Won NAV 90 ahead, and invoke the shaft
Of Cupid with perfect safety, and make
the poor fellow too happy for his skin to
hold him"