Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-01-24
+ Froa, the LonsIom critic.
kiGsirG,'.

A kiss is Ike 4 sermon: "lt requires
t~o heads and an opp!irotion,' 1t deals
with the hidden spris hy means of tan
gibIc symbols 1t is like faith, in that
it is "thc substance of things hoped for
1t is the language of affection, the echo
ot love and the con 'cntraton Of hlis,; it
is Of good report" and pleasing TO our
ears; it is cloqucnce dwelling with sweet
accent upon the lips. 1t is both vocal
and instrumental "harmonics' in Ian
guagc and with sentiment ineligible
in all languages and in all ages. Ii is
the '-caP of fathers blessing, the
"witncss' of mothers love, the guar
antee' of II brothers. protection, tho sur
ETY. OF Il sisters devotion the gate to
lovers heaven, and something that mere
friends have nothing to do W tt. 1t is
very fashionable for Misses of certain
are to insist that "it is all fooijshncss,
AMI decidedly silly We nctcr hear
such an expression without thinking Of
a circumstance that actual y occurred,
somewhere in Indiana it W. remember
rightly. A gentleman stopped at a honsc
by the waysidc for information as to the
route he was taking. and found a w,mln
ironing. with her little child trying t.
amuse itself upon the floor; tto little one
was some two and Il half years OIL very
neatly dressed, evidently scrupuinusIy
cared for, aud emiucniiy handsome. -
The gentleman. while talkin. to the
mother, picked up the chill ani kissed
it; the little one looked Mp in sash per.
feet astonishmcnt tntt tho gentlemtl re-
marked, Why, my little dear. one would
think that you were not used to beng
kissed The mother answered Tor the
child, II don't believe, sir that she was
ever kissed before in her. lie I'm sure
| never did such thug, and never
knew its father to do So lord have
mercy on that child aud send it somebody
to love it, was the gcntle.nan's prayer,
as he made sure that hts wallet was in
its place, and took himself ont OF the
house as fast as possible. Not to know
the holy kiss of Il mother, the t)nding
embrace OF Il father, the earnest lip press
of brothers and sisters, IS to fail in the
develoDcment of the soul in an c>sintia!
and vital degree; and surely what is 50
wonlrous holy in infancy, 81 refining in
childhood, 50 worthy in parents, and 50
prevalent upon the hear;hstone, is not Il
matter to be disposed of with Il snccr, or
dismissed with pooh" Kissing, like
the marriage bells, or the bless ii truths
of the blessed Bible, never wears ont; it
is, like them, always new, fresh, and in.
tercsting: and. for the same reason, viz;
it deal, with tne Affections, which, uu-
like the intellect, loves the familiar; de-
lights in the old, and is coy Of the new
and strange.
The variety of kisses is not small -
There ia the kiss paternal, the kiss fra
tcrnal, the kiss connuhial, (aud prc-c n
nubial )and tic kiss promiscuou4. The
last two varieties are the only ones to
which we object. We have often thou, ,ht,
in reference to the kiss promiscuons, one
of the blessings of the mau over the wo-
man consisted in being relieved of this
conventional duty 1t seems to US, in
very many Instances, like castinI pearls
before swine; and in Illustration of the
old adagc. 'Fa iliarity breeds contempt
A man or II woman who makes himself
or herself common in this respect. must
not wonder if they are not always apprc-
ciatcd Notwlthstan ling all that wo
have said. we are not slow to coat, s.
that in many cases the practice is carried
to uuseemingly and ridiculous lengths
Wta, ssnss is there 10 la4y's receiving