Smyrna times., 1861-04-25
X I S S IN G..

a KISS Is like a sermon: alt requires TWO
heads to make an application" 1t deals with
the hidden spirit by means of tangible symbols.
1t is like faith. in that it is the substance of
things hoped for" 1t is the language of affec-
tion, the echo of love, and thu concentration OF
bliss; it is of "good report" and pleasing to
our ears; it is eloquence "dweling with
sweet accents upon the lips" 1t is both vocal
and Instrumental music, giving vocal express
slon' TO spirited I" harmonies' in a language
and with sentiment Ineligible in all ages
1t is the " seal' of fathers blessing, the wit
ness of a mothers love, the guarantee" of
brothers. protection, the " surety" of sisters
devotion, the gate to a lovers heaven, and
something that mere friends have nothing 10 do
with.
1t is very fashionable for Misses of certain
age to insist that it is all foollshness and de-
eidedy sckening."
We never hear such an expression without
thinking of a circumstance that actually oc-
Cured, somewhere in Indiana, if we rightly
remember. gentleman stopped al a house
by the wayside for information as to the route
he was taking, and found a woman ironing,
with her litIle child trying to amuse itselfupon
the floor; the little one was some two and q
half years old, very neatly dressed, evidently
scrupulously cared for, and eminently hand
some. The gentleman while talking to the
mother picked up the child and kissed it; the
little one looked up in such perfect astOnish-
ment that the gentleman remarked, "Why my
little dear, one would think that you were not
ueed to being kissed" The mother answered
for the ch.ld, al d0a't believe, sir, that she
was ever kissed before in her life. Pm sure
never did such thing, and never knew it's ia.
ther TO +" The Lord have mercy on that child
and send il somebody TO love it, was the gen.
tleman's prayer, as he made sure his wallet
was IN its place, and took himself out of the
house as fast as possible. Not to know the
holy kiss of a mother, the fondling embrace of
father, the earnest lip press of brothers and
sisters, is u fail in the development of the
soul in an essential and vital degree and
surely what is so wondrous holy in infancy, so
refining in childhood, so worthy in parents
and so prevalent upon the hearthstone 10 not q
matter to be disposed of with a sneer, or dis.
missed with Pooh - Kissing, like the
marriage bells, or The blessed truths of the
blessed Bible, never wears out; it is like them,
: always new, fresh and interesting and for
] the same reason, viz: it deals with the affec.
tions, which, unlike the intellect, loves the ia.
mi!iar; delights in the old, and is coy of the
, new aud strange. The variety of kisses is moi
small. There is the kiss paternal, the kiss
fraterna., the kiss connubial (and pre.connubi
7 al), the kiss reverental, the kiss delightful &c
an afiance), the kiss hypocrtical, and the kiss
5 promscuOus.
! The last two varieties are the only ones t.
S which we object. We have often thought, il
: reference TO the kiss promiscuous, one of thu
l blessings of the man over the woman consisted
}. in being relieved of this conventional duty; i
i seems to US. in very many instances, like cast
d ing pearls before swine; and in illustration @
1t the old adage, " Familiarity breeds contempt
of A young man or waman who makes himseI
l. or herself common in this respect must nc
D. wonder if they are not always appreciated.
rc Notwithstanding all that we have said W
are not slow TO confess that in many cases th
rs practice is carried TO unseemly and ridiculor
ID lengths. What sense is there in a lady's n
is ceiving every feminine caller with the same e.
en- preston shat she would greet the return of
be long absent husband or brother! Is it not
hypocritical lie for Mrs. Jones, to thus EXPIRE
's, affection for Mrs. Quidnunc, when in her hea
IN, Mrs. J. wishes Mrs. Q. at home! Is it n
outrageous 10 be expected to put mother
~ lips 10 everybody's baby, clean or dirty!
las The following anecdote comes in very We
he here, 10 prove that there is something VEL
ter NATURAL in kissing:
"As a weary traveller was winding his W
de through the mud in a far west region of t
IN country, he discovered young maiden seat
in front of the door of a small log house.
vas rode Up in front of the cabin and asked the g
es- for q drink of water. He drank it, and she
ice ing the first woman he rad seen for seve
old days, offered her dime for a kiss. The you
ms, maiden accepted the offer, and received bt
the kiss and the dime. The traveller "
about TO resume his journey, but the girl, M
- er before having seen dime. asked: 'Wl
we'd am TO do with the dime lou may uSe
the any way you wish,' he replied it is yours.
ippi IF that's the case said she, IN give J
lie !: back the dime and take another kiss"