The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-10-08
"SMASHING." /"
How Vassar Girls Make Love to Each
Other.

How VassaP Girls Make Love to Each
| Other.
| wonder if any of your readers have
ever heard of the practise of smashing +"
at Vassar College. If not, l fancy that
many might be somewhat interested in
hearing about one of the most curious
freaks ever INDUCED in by schoolgirls. |
know whereof | speak, for |
have been for over two years a wit
ness of this wild species of insanity.
When young woman at Nassar sees an
other whose appearance, general style,
talents or eyes Especially the latter she
admires, instead of seeking her acquaint-
ance in an orthodox manner, straightway
she announces to her friends and crOnies,
with the most mysterious and contiden-
tial air, that she is hopelessly, complete
ly, entirely, utterly smashed in fact,
dead gone" Then follows a series of the
most idiOtic performances. Smash "
notes are written, elegant flowers, boxes
of candy, costly books, etc, are sent by
the "smashee" to the smasher :" APP
pOintments are made in dark corridors to
kiss each other goodnight; smirking and
Ogling are in vogue in the dining room
and in the chapel. This state of affairs
is kept up for some time-length of time
depends upon the violence of the attack.
Then the " smash" develops into an as
tonishing friendship, or the parties drop
one another by mutual consent. 1t is
not uncommon to hear some bright girl
say; "Oh, / am 50 smashed on Miss
so and 50. just adore the ground she
walks on. l have the pal p so when /
see her that | can scarcely stand up"
| have known girls whose great power of
intellect could not be denied, who stood
at the head of their classes, to make absO-
lutte fools of themselves over other girls.
| have seen girls cry themselves sick be-
cause their loved ones smiled more favor
ably on some'rival than on them. | have |
known of six dollar boxes of confectiOn- |
erv and fifteen dollar bouquets being |
sent through some Jealous friend by the |
victim to the victor. And speaking of |
these tokens of pure, unadulterated af |
fection reminds me of something quite |
funny The offerings are often more |
practical than pOetical. Dishes of pine |
apple, hot lemonade, fried oysters, etc,
an intensely practical turn Of mind sent |
to her adored one a hot boiled sweet po-
tato! 1t is quite the thing at Vassar to |
have the reputation Of being a successful |
% smasher." One enterpriZing young |
woman boasted of her three hundred and |
fifty victims. She was a Maine girl, and |
her charm lay in the fact that she was
quite gentlemanly in appearance. Very
few reach the zenith of two dozen, and
if one were to successfully aspire to
more than that | think she might say
20 Now let thy servant depart in peace"
| think, also, that under the circumstan-
ces it would be the most laudable peti-
ton she could possibly put up. Now
Mr. Editor that | have shown the ridicu
ous side of the matter, | might continue
70 discourse in mOurnful numbers of the
serious side, of its cause and effects, of the
lrgument it furnishes for co-education
Dut | have some spark OF kindly feeling
eft for ssyour readers, therefore / will
pare them the ghastly recital.
NASSAR Girl |