Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-16
MALE FLIRTS.
The Sentimental Old BOy-The Clerical
Charmer The Married MeBhistO
phiIes and the Willy WidOwer.
Clncinnati COmmerclaI,

The male firt exists. He is not an ex-
tinct animal, like the mastOdOn, nor afabled
one, like the Phoenix, nor is he confined to
any one class. One would think he was
only to be found amid dry goods and other
fine clerks, or among those youths who part
their hair in the middle, or was to be seen
in the set who wear red neck-ties, one hand
cased in lavender glove, the other carrying
the same, while on the bare little finger
CLEANS diamond cluster or seal ring, all
of which elegance is purchased on four or
five hundred year.
He exists. You meet hin every day.
Sometimes he has the form of youth Of
twenty, or a gay gallant somewhat older.
He may be a we'll preserved old bachelor.
married man with half dozen children,
or an old man, and more than probable is a
a widower, and not very attractive one
either. of one thing you may be assured
if be is an old man and essays the role,
the older he happens TO be he more fasein-
ating he will persuade himself he is, and
the more sentimental he will become. Sc
cond childhood is but a sad mOckery of the
halcyon days Of youth.
OF all classes Of male flirts the most dan
gerous is a clerical one. Scores of Clergy
dlt Alleo " AAO AtINCA NaICAAA AAASAA-'CAhNo
such. and who would shrink from the in
situation as though it were adeadly sin, as
il is. They are insinuatlnG, and kind, and
tender, that they may WOO souls. They
press Young hands softly and muTmur bless
ingS, while looking into eyes; thus they
awake hearts instead Of cOnSciences, and
set young brains dreaming in way they
little wish or wOt of.
U-Nsu n -. 4
is the most deliberate. The fruit is not his;
it grows on another mans tree; it is forbid
den: he has the like in his own garden.
He does not mean TO appropriate. Oh, 10,
his neighbOr knows he can not do that, so
it is safe TO admire aud handle and be re-
called with the perfume, until the bloom is
gone, and blight has begun, when it is left
unplucked to decay. When married man
undertakes to play this game with married
woman, it is Greek meeting Greek, and
there is not often much harm done. 1t is
merely passage of arms, which may not
ALWAYS be as agreeable to the other parties
supposed to be interested in it as it is to
those engaged in tine sport.
The most insinuating Of all firts Is the
widOwer, he who is mourning for his dear
departed and is so lonely. He always
begins by playing on the sympdthies OF the
woman he is seeking to devOur. He does
not commit himself; he is too wary for that.
He PAYS sly visits, is complimentary and
tender and gushing when no one is by. He
signs, hints that he needs consolation, and
suggests that there is one who can give it.
He looks unutterablc things, but utters
nothing TO the purpose. Should it so chance
that he is thrown with his fair one, and
must escort her Of an evening, he is only
everything that is courteous and polite be
fore Others, as a gentleman should be, but
outside the door he draws her arm through
his, as though with the sanction of prOprie-
torship, probably retaining her hand in so
doing, and giving her a feeling as if she was
claimed and appropriated. When weary of
this s.lingering sweetness long drawn out"
he quietly drops it, and the deluded woman,
who more than likely is one of certain
age to whom the tTifling is aseriOus matter,
has no redress, for he has not said anything.
She is subjected to modification, Tidicule
and remark. She cannot do as much IS
some women would, and as Hannah More
is said to have dOne-Sue him for breach
of promise, and thus punish him in the
only way he is capable of feeling, because
he has made no promise. She can only
bear it as best she may. To be sure ''she
was old enough to know BETTER We are
all old enough 10 know better, but how
many of us do better? In the meantime
he goes his way, hugs his small vanity to
him, and swells with the thought that his
attractions have made one woman miser-
able.
Just such a case came under my observl
A NTH half flOyan
children and one son grown, lost wife
who had always kept him in proper subjcc-
ton. He was miserable at first, of course.
By-and-by it began to be mitigated misery,
and he bought new coat, had his hair cut
and his whiskerS trimmed, and wore be-
coming necktie. Then he was seen talking
to the schOOl-teacher, who was maiden
lady who did not know her own age; was
poor and hard-wOrked, and had her mother
to support.
Our widcwer was well to do, was a mem
Der Of the Church, and bore a good charac-
ter. and when OF an evening nc was seen
turning from her house, IL began to be said,
''What nice thing it would be, so suitable;
she was accustomed to children, and would
make hia good mother Things went on
this way for little while, then he was met
there several times by mutual acquaintan-
ces, and he appeared confused and stam-
cred, and said something about business.
Friends began TO question and iOkG him,
but he denied the soft impeachment.
The woman begaa 10 wear an anxious
look. lie was as self-satisfied as ever, but
his visits to her became fewer, until finally
they ceased altogether, and his public re-
cOgnitiOn was limited to 4 smile, and
bow.
& Soon he was known 10 be devoted TO a
younger, gayer, brighter woman, and the
poor school mistress went on with her
weary teaching with heaviness Of heart
visible in her languid step, worn face, and
listless manner, all of which betrayed the
disappointment she would iain have hidden
"a disappointment not Of the affections but
of the many passions and feelings which
enter into our lives, and make the blasting
Of hopes when youth is past, quite as polg-
nant as any suffering which coald arise
from the sudden dispelling Of loves young
dream.
So it is that some men, upright, honest
and honorable among their fellows, good
fathers and good citizens, so long as they
deal and mix with men, are yet, in their