Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-06-22
FLIRTATIoN.

Ihe free and unTestralned intercourse of
the sexes, which IS such marked feature
of social life in this country, has excited
much comment among foreign writer's, and
great deal has been said and written both
in favor of and against it,
The opinion that prevails here is ofcourse
strongly in its favor, it being reasonably
urged that there is less danger from open
intercourse, than from the secret commun-
ion of kindred souls, which surely, follows
any attempt at separation The open and
shameless immortality which seems the nat
urai consequence OF the French system of
restricting unmarried females, only to give
them entire freedom aftermarriage, surged
in favor Of our more natural, and certainly
more agreeable custom.
But there is os phase Of this question
that has received too little consideration
! There is an evil incident to this absolute
freedom of the young people of both sexes,
that needs looking after, and calls loudly for
correction, and that is, the contemplate,
and criminal thing called Irritation. The
disposition of both young men and women
to trihe with the best and holiest emotion OF
which each is capable.
1t would be difficult to decide which sex
deserves the most blame in this matter
Probably both are equally guilty, although
| it is perhaps more common, but not more
reasonable and proper, to sympathlze with
the gentler portion of humanity, when they
have suffered from it. Whether male or
! female, however, shirt' is a despicable
character, and if recognized as such, gener-
ally receives the well merlted contenpt OF
every honest man and woman.
A man who by constant attention, and the
| thousand nameless little marks Of prefer
erence, by which alone sentiments of affec
! ton are made known before a positive dec
! laration, leads woman to suppose that he
! loves her, and thereby induces a growth of
attachment on her part, Is certainly a very
guilty man, and heartless vagabond, if he
/ refuses to accept the responsibility OF his
conduct and make her his wife. No sensi-
| bic woman, however warm her regard may
/ be, would mistake the cold formality of a
| mere acquaintance, Oh even friendship for
| the advances of lover, who has designs on
/ her heart, and if a man succeedes in win
/ ming her love by his attentions when he
/ does not entertain the slightest particle of
/ affection for her, he may inhict an injury
on her, from which she may never recover.
! Broken hearts are not very common, we
admit, although careless trifiing with the
1 noblest impulses Of the soul is too much so,
/ but there is such thing as broken heart
( in the sense that a woman's love may be
! thrown coldly back to her, chilling her heart
and soaring it, so that it becomes wholly
/ calous to any other emotion, or else if the
/ victim be sensitive, utterly running her hap
piness, and casting black shadow over her
whole life. Depend upon it such occurreii-
| ees are not rare, they are shamefully tre-
auent and this alone it is that renders 1t a
| dangerous thing to expose fair, innocent
girl to the approaches of unprineipled and
/ heartless men.
But the eternal law of Justice is satisfied
in this, as in everything else. The men are
not alone guilty. 1t Is a sad reflection that
/ there are women who are so insenslble to the
finer instincts of their sex, as to treat unwa-
nv and susceptible men in the same Unieei-
! ing manner. We think it can be laid down
as general proposition, that no woman
ever had right to refuse a man, unless that
man Is a fool That is to say, that no sen
sible man ever offered his hand to a woman
unless he Judged from her conduct towards
him that his affection for her was reciprocal
ted. To be sure there are men who, laying
to heart the oldand foolish adage that faint
heart never won fair lady, rush In where
they feel sure they are not wanted, and
where wiser men would fear to tread, but
these are comparatively rare exceptions
the larger number of men who endure the
pang of a refusal, can comfort themselves
with the reflection, if it be any comfort, that
they have wasted their love on an unworthy
woman.
Most men would be very careful to assure
themselves of their exact position IN the
woman's estimation before they Offered
themselves. If there be any reason to sup
pose, from the young lady 5 conduct thai
She is not favorably disposed, there are very
few who would risk the modification OF {
negative reply to their proposal. But te
males who are guilty of such heartlessness
are either too much wanting in the delicate
sensibilities of true women to perceive the
drift Of man S conduct, towards them, Of
so blinded by their vanity, which Is pam
pered by assidious attention, that they art
willing to place him in a false position before
a gossiping and scandal-lovlng world, IN
order to gratify it.
The fact is, making love is aserlous thing
aud the emotions Of the heart which mem
Der of one sex excites towards the other arr
the best and noblest Of which the soul |
capable The person, therefore, whethe
male or female, who trespasses with rud
tread upon such holy ground, who tear
open the portals which conceal the mos
sacred feelings from the gaze of the work
only to close them again, hopelessly y infict
a deep and irreparable.injury, an injury TO
which, we're it possible, he or she should b
held directly liable, and made personall
respons ible Sooner or later retributio
will come and when it does, it will com
with terrible force, either in the same man
ner, or in the cold contempt of honest pee
pie, or else in that utter calousness an,
hardness Of heart which is the sure resul
of continued trifing g-iS Saturday Night