Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1855-01-11
Kissing under Duress.

The following incident develops mode OF
enforcement of the claims OF personal respect,
through the medium Of constraind attention
TO III ird party, which, to say the least Of 1t,
is peculiar. OF its perfect success, however,
in the present instance, we have The proof IN
our personal experience.
In the days when we wore young-"Oh!
would were boy agan"'-we made one of
a happy throng of younSle.s, who after hav-
ing spent delightful afternoon in the various
duties and amusements usually incident 10 an
oldfaShioned quilting in the country such as
rolling up, To- eing water, threading needles
&C., found themselves, with the quilt out,
The room cleared and swept, the chairs all
placed against the walls, aud everything in
readiness for an out-an-out quilting irolic.
Our party, in addition 10 the boys and girls,
included several married persons, some older
and some younger, most Of whom had just
dropped in to see the young folks enjoy them
selves, and 10 partake OF the creature comforts
which uSally constitute an important feature
in the programme on such an occasion. But
among then were John B--and his newly
welded wife, the latter Of whom, by the bye,
was scarcely sixteen, and decidedly the pretti-
est girl in the roori. Her husband was man
OF about five and twenty, full six feet high, and
wlthal had the reputation of being the best
nun in the district, and ready at short notice
to prove it.
After the usual preliminaries in the way Of
small talk and compliments, just to wear off
foolish embarrassment, the order Of the even
ing commenced with a play called "Content-
ment," and as many pawn was paid and
faithfully redeemed not by repeating verses
of poetry, standing five minutes with the face
10 the wall, walking three times around the
room blindioljed, or any such tame perform.
ances as are commonly practlSed in the more
refined circles Of the city, which only serve
10 remind one Of the better times in the coun-
try-but in the primitive way, by good, old
fashioned, honest kissing, that sounded out
clear and diStact like the cracking of wagon
whip, set the old folks mouths to watering,
and made old Mrs. Deal whisper 10 Mrs. Skel
ion that "She didn't see why married woman
couldn't enjoy plays just as we'll as single gals;
for her part, she didn't see no difference, be.
cause she was old, it warn't no reason she
shouldn't feel young"
The sport continued for some time, the boys
ever and anon Slyly peeping at the pretty face
of Mrs. B., and only wishing that they
could select her as partner, but restrained
by The fear that her salwart husband might
think proper to resent such liberty with his
new bride; in consequence Of which latter
impression, she was, for the time being, a
mere wallfower.
This state of things was observed by John,
who, constituting this lack Of attention 10 ono
whom he thought as deserving as any, into a
want Of proper respect towards his wife, and
by reflection towards himself, determined il
should no longer pass unnoticed. So rolling
rolling up his sleeves, he stepped into the mid
die of the room, and, in voice that at once
secured marked attention said:
"Gentemen, I've been noticing how things
have been working here for some time, and
amt half satisfied. don't want 10 raise Q
fuss, but -"
"What's the matter, John 7" inquired hal
dozen Of us. "What do you mean. Have
| done snythng to hurt your feelings Y''
ayes you have; all Of you have hurt my
feelings; and l've just got this 10 say about it
Here's every gal in the room been kisset
mighty nigh dozen times apiece, and there!
my wife, who consider as likely aS any o
'em, has not had single kiss tonight; and
just tell you now, il il she don't get as man.
kisses the balance of the time, ms any gal il
the room, tie man that sights her has got me
/; to fgh.-that's all. Now 60 ahead with you
, plays ~
IfMrs. B. was Sighted during the rest
OF the evening, we did not observe it. As to
ourself, we know John had no fault to find will
US individually, fer any neglect on our part