Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1878-10-09
THE KISSING CUSTOM.

that females exchange with such alacrity,
a. special devices Of the Evil One, intended
to keep alive in the masculine breast the
6ree Of indignation that such sweetness
should be wasted upon unappreciative lips.
And further, we have believed the ladies
to be aware Of the peculiar effect that such
exhibitions produce upon the stronger sax.
But with such a note as the following be-
fore us, We must change our minds and
conclude that our fair friends have no such
thoughts, but to the contrary, really mean
reform. The editor of the Guardian has
forwarded to me the following note:
HOMER, La, Oct 4, 1879.
Drayton r. Hayes-Dear Sir We have
observed occasionally In the Guardian that
IAN Idle Sportsman" fires Random Shots"
at some Of the weaknesses Of his kind. He
has written of VILLAGE Gossip, Of Gifts, and
of Love-making; may We not, through your
kind assistance, induce this Idle Sportsman
to tire volley into that senseless, tiresome
habit which has grown to be % common
among the iadies--we allude to the method
they have Of kissing each other when they
meet, when they part, and ut all odd and
inconvenient seasons and placesf We do
not know that We have any right to object
to the osculatory process IL the lovers Of it
were the only suferers- But We insist that
the ladies might shake hands like the gentle
men, or might bow and simply give q cor
dial verbal salutation, and not he always
throwing back the veil and pressing the
lips of all their female acquaintance after
an absence of only few hours. The cry
ing want Of the age ia reform in this re-
spect. Should An Idle Sportsman be the
successful missionary Of this new doctrine,
future generations of females, rid from q
hateful thralldom, will rise up and call
him blessed.
We are, with great respect,
THREE SUFFERERS.
With this written testimony Of discon-
tent in the hostile camp, what moro can a
good soldier do than to keep alive the
Sweet animosity" against tiresome Gus
tom to both sexes, and lend his aid to the
eradication of the habit.
1t may be said, in the first place, that
the attempt will lie almost hopeless. 1t is
like q war against any one of the DEGREES
of fashion. If we were to tilt with point
ed lance against the pin-back business, we
would suffer early defeat. If we were TO
inaugurate crusade against switches,
rats, false curls, and other denominations,
we would fall ingloriously upon the field
The forms of salutation are as much as
anything the dictates of fashion. Notice
the changes. In by-gone years the gentle
man bowed with courtly flourish over the
extended hand, while he impressed upon
its snowy surface chaste, respectful kiss.
The lady dropped in formal courtesy to his
salute. To-day we bow with hat in hand
and touch not the digits Of the female
she bends in easy dignity, no longer cour-
tesys. These customs will change, rs be-
tween the sexes, We know; but will the
kissing Of females by females endure for
ever, 10 this vital question now before US.
We have notnow at hand any record which
will show how long ladies have had the
habit. Whether it began centuries ago or
10 modern innovation, We cannot say.
Likely it has grown with civilization and
refinement. For example: In barbarous
nations no declaration of war was common.
Hostilities began without notice and on
sight, Nowadays it is different; and We
reason that something Of this kind influ-
ences many kisses from woman TO woman.
When the rival helles of the social assem-
bly, meet, they kiss. That finds its parallel
in the pugilists who shake hands before
the 6sticnffs begins. Spies who go into the
enemy's country put on the garb Of friend
illness before crossing the lines; so, when
Mrs. Florence Fsrthingale at church greets
her neishbor, she presses lip to lip in
friendly kiss, while at once her rowing gaze
travels with critical glance from head to
foot to detect weakness and inaccuracies
in the feminine attire. After an absence
of years, Miss A. greets her school friend
with kiss, and Afterwards comments with
freedom upon her changed appearance, heI
oldish look, spinster-like manners, and gen
eral failings.
The fair sophronis Primrose dearly love-
Charles William Henry Augustus, who dis
penses smiles and calico from behind ths
counter Of the most popular store. sh,
robes herself in raiment fne and jewell
rare; her Spanish scarf hangs far below hel
waist; she meets the object Of her silen
alteration, aud, horrible to tell, Euphemii
leans con6dingly upon his arm, dressed il
fner raiment and jewels more rare, will
longer and broader Spanish scarf Will
hatred burning in her heart and kindnes
beaming in her eye, she kisses the fair enc
my. Judas kisses-all these.
Two ladies are discussing the absuriit,