The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-16
FLLRTENG.
wn.s 1t Means-BlirtInk viswed from
Various standpoints-The Different
Kinds OF Eh1ts. - egca;
Prom the Saturday Reyiew,l


accurately described things 30 ahadowy, so
fttul, 90 dependent on the mood Of the moment,
both IN the audience and the actor, that analy-
sis and representation are equally ut FAULT. And
fiir,mg is one Of them. What is flirting
Who can define or determine2 1t Ia more BE-
rious than talking nonsense, and not so aerious
a naking love; it is- not ,chaf, and 1t 10 not
feeling; 1t means something more than indif-
ference, and yet something less than affection;
raises expectations in the individual, and sets
society on the look out for results; it is play
thing in the hands OF the experienced, but
deadly weapon against the breast OF the un-
wary; and 1t is thing 30 vague, 30 protean,
that the most accurate measuter OF moral
values would be puzz.ed to ssy where II exartly
ends and where srrous intentions begin But
again We ask, what is flirting? what constr.
tutes its essence what makes the difference
between it and chaf on the one hand, and 1t
and love-making on the other? Has 1t Gu.
mulstive power, and, according to the old say.
ing of many q little making mickle, does
long series OF small dirtings mako up ct,n-
crete whola Of lave or Ia + lie an :1:1 unnor; :;
conditions were changed but vslueless. as
thugs are The man who would be able to
reduce flirting to definite science, who could
anaiyze its elements and codify its laws, would
be doing infinite service to his gen neration; but
we fear that this would be as difficult as find
ing the pot Of gold under the end OF rain:
bow, or catching small birds with pinch OF
salt. Every one has his or her OWN ideas OF
what constitutes firting; consequently every
one Judges Of that pleasant exercise according
10 individual temperament and experience.
Faded flowers, VINO see impropriety IN every
thing they are no longer able to enjoy, say, with
more OF less severity, that Henry and Angelma
are flirting # they are laughing and whisper,
ing in an alcove together, probably ct the most
innocent nonsense in the world; but the fact
that they al o enjoying themselves in their own
Vay, albeit silly one, is enough for the faded
flower to thInk they are after mischief, flirting
being to her mind about the worst bit OF mis-
CHIEF that fallen humanity can perpetrate.
The Watchful mother, intent ON chances, says
that dancing together ofte ler than is neces-
sary tor good breeding and just the amount OF
attention demanded by circumstances, Is dirt
ing; tlmid girls newly out, and not yet used to
the odd ways Of men, think they are being
HIrted with outrageously if their partner fires
off the meekest little compliment at them. or
looks at them more teDderly than he would
look at a cabbage; but bolder spirits OF bo.h
sexes think nothing worthy Of the name which
does not include few questionable famlliarl-
ties, ard an equlyocue Or two, more or less
''rlsky." With some. flirting is no hing but the
passing fun Of the momen; with others. it ID the
first lessoG in the great unopened book, and
means the beginning OF the end' Witn some,u
is deep sea fishing with broad, boldly made
net. and taking all fish that come in as good
fol sport il not for food.
FIirts are of many kinds, as woll as Of all
degrees. There are quiet fIrts and demon
stratiye firts; q rts OF the subtle sort whose
practice is made by the eyes alone, by the
manuer, by the tender little SIGH, by the bend
or the head and the wave OF the nand, TO give
pathos and point 10 the otherwise harmless
wor,I. and fiirts of the open and rampant kind
who 90 up quite boldly towards the point, but
who never reach it, taking care to draw back
in time before they really cross the border.
This ia the kind which, as the hirt male, does
incalculable damage TO the poor little futter-
Inp doves to whom it is bird OF prey, hand
some, bold and cruel; but this ls the klnd
which hap unlimited success, using as 1t does
that immense moral leverage we cal tantai-
izne forever rouslng hopes aud exciting ex-
pectatlons and Turing on as an lgnaS fdtuus
lures one on across the marsh, In the vain be-
lief that 1t will bring Us to our maven at last.
Then there is the race OF male nIrts great Id
the way in which they manage TO lnsinuate
things without committing tn. mselves to pos
tive atemenis. They generally contrlve to
give the impression Ut some m 'sterlous Mn
d1ance by which they orr held Lack from full
auu trluk COultSslOn. 1hO- AA'S Wv N'.' DShN~'
at unfortunate attachments, at u past that has
burnt them up or withered them up ut any
rate that has prevented their futuro from bios
somins IL the direction ID winch they would
fun have had i; blossom aud bear irult. They
sketch out very vaguely to- oaliihes ot some
turning romance: Il lew of the Byronic breed,
add the susplcol OF somc dark and me au-
cbo,y CRIME as further enhance ment; and
when they have got The girls pity and the love
that "a akin To piy then they cool down scl-
cntIicalx peve1 crea, ing any scandal, never
making any rupture, never coming to mo-
ment when awkward explanations can be asked,
bat cooling nevertheless. TN tne tnlue drops
OF lts own accord, dies out from inanltion, and
they are free to carry their sorrows and their
myslerles elsewhere Some mon spend their
lives ID this kind Of thing, and hnd their pleas-
are in maxi & all the nlce women theS know
nadly or sentimentaIy IN love WIN tnem; ana
If by chance any poor moth VINO mas burned
her wings makes too loud al outcry, the tables
arc tuned against he. dexterously, aud she Is
held ND TO public pily-cOntempt would be q
better word-as one who has suff.red hers If
TO love too vel aud by no meaus wisely, and
Who has run after Lolhario who@would not
let himself be caught. Then there are certain
men WHO Hrt only with marrieo women, and
others who frt only with girls; and the two
pastimes are as different as tropical sunlight
aud our northern noonshipe; and there are
some who are .'brolhels," and some who are
'iathers" to their young trlendCsusplcious
IA hers on the whole, not unlike Little Red
Rldipghood'. grandmother the wolf, vito per-
ilIousiy bright q, e., and not little danger to
Red Ridingho ID IL the relationship. how de-
I;oht fri ,r.v,r n NOV ha Tn the wolf Some