Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-02-18
LOCAL INTELLIG ENCE.

MosrIY Amour KIssING.-One Of the most eNtcn-
sve and dearly cherished institutions of the day is
kissing. From small beginnings and exceedingly
strict limitations it has grown and extended until all
cssses and ages of people claim its indulgence and it
pcrmeatcs every possible place where men and wo-
men do congrcgate. 1t is but few generations since
the so-cnllcd "blue-laws of Connecticut and Massa
chusetts forbade men from kissing even THEN wives
on Sunday, under severe penalties. Within the re-
mcmbroncc Of all mddlc.aged people kissing was
limited by proprcty to that which might be INDUCED
in between husband and wife, parents and children,
brothers and sisters. The rule in n few years so
much relaxed it is saii that anxious lovers could seal
their engagement with one kiss the next to be talk
en- only after the meeting at the altar \ few years
more and moderate indulgence between cousins was
not deemed improper then, when cousins were not
convenient other folks cousins did jus, we'll And
SO it has gone on until kissing between males and ie
males without any reference to relationship marriage
is almost universal Again: it was once believed, and
that belief was acted upon, that kissing should be en-
loved only in private or within the domestic circle
hut this old fogy notion has for some time been ADAM
doned MS too squeamish for this fast age. Now kiss
ing is INDUCED in the most public places in the street,
railway stations and cars, school houses and churches
1t is not long since that the newspapers tecmod with
glowing and tanazing accounts of the public kissing
of city clergyman by nearly all the females Of his
congregation, and some more sympathetic spins
tiers were said to have been more particular 10
repeat Than to omi, this dclectabe exercise. And so
it has gone until kissing Is a recognized institutions
in which all who desire may freely indulge. In some
of orr fast neutrality-suspicious. where youth. Of both
sexes attend we shall soon expect to find kissing EN-
bracel science to be taught in the curriculum,
and Professor in that department regularly in
stalled.
Riding in the cars a short time since we happened
to be delayed in Il village hundred miles distant,
where four,hes OF the most popular Institutions
of New England, waiting for the meeting Of train.
On the platform Of the station were fifty or more
Young men and women Of ages varying from sweet
sixteen TO the mature two three and twenty.
As our car stopped two Of the more mature looking
of these Young ladies got aboard and seated Themselves
each against window, which windows were mme-
diaely opened, notwithstanding the thermometer indi-
Gated zero atmosphere. Very soon the young men
outside came along in single file TO bid them good
bye" Immediately after the frs, prolonged 'byc"
was enunciated nrtire chances cast around the
car and their head, were out Of the window and ex-
plosvc smacks heard which made the wclkin ring
This repeated until the entire body Of young men
had passed the window, and in some instances the
dose or twice repeated some Of the more
heroic young vcnurcd into the cur, exchanged n
few words with the young ladies' and them after the
tcalthy ganccs, during which all the passengers
Of looked the other way. the tender, tan
TALKING smacks repeated with an emphasis which
must greatly heightened the effect upon the perform
ors Now do not complain Of these demons,ra-
tons; We in common with the greater portion Of the
passengers enjoyed them hugely But IN behalf Of
those more thinly clad we suggest that keeping car
windows open fifteen or twenty minutes when the
thermometer is at with all except the kssers and
kisses, merely to repeat the exercise ad libum, j.
triie of trcspass upon the good nature Of those
whose constitutions are of the more delicate order