The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-06-06
FLIRTING IN AMERICA.

American meu aud American women are,
perhaps, the boldest and most uncompro.
missing fiirts in tho world. 1t must needs
be SO IN society which banishes mothers
as superfuous, old ladies as nuisances, and
any kind Of chaperonage as an infringe.
ment OF the glorious Transatlantic birth.
right aud an insult to human nature. We
DO not say for moment that this unchecked
uncontrolled intercourse between the young
men and women in America leads to grave
mischances; but we do say that it leads to
an organized system aud recognized tone of
flirting which strikes us, used to more re,i.
iosnee and less freedom, as,odd, TO. saw the
least OF II, and essentially abad form" as
the youth of the day would call it. IF an
hngllshman werc to permit himself to saw
to sirgle favored one anything like what
an American man would say to any girl
whatsoever with whom he might converse,
society would mark him as dangerous, and
careful mothers would keep their daughters
out OF his way, as watch-dogs guarding the
lambs from the prowlipg wolves. But the
American girl would and does think moth
ing of it. She is used to close sailing and
gives as good as she takes She has made
one OF party of youths and maidens who
meet up in the mountains for summer,
and who pair off day after day and far into
the night, among the lonely valleys and in
the dusky glades of the silent forest think
ing nothing of it and not supposing that any
one else will think moro than she does
She has been used to being taken to dane
ing parties by the young man of the hour,
who calls for her and is her "friend" for the
occasion. The mother does not 20 and the
girl is con6ded to the care of her male chap.
eron without hesitation or repugnanee.
Human nature demands gallantry in such
circumstances as an absolute necessity-thc
inevitable overgrowth of the occasion and,
unless she is weaker and rasher than most,
she has to take care of herself while paw.
ing back her entertainer in his own coin.
shielding herself while attacking him, and :,
above all things, showing no fear. Ii ence,
flrting becomes, as we have said, both an
organized system of intercourse and rec
ognlzed fashion among the American youth;
and the consequences arc to be found in
certain dash and boldness and hardness and
discretion all combined, whereby the par.
ties engaged in the pleasant game seem al
ways on the brink of danger, and yet Sc.
cure.
Another consequence is, that English
men and maidcns are at disadvantage when
they meet with their compeers from over
the water; for tho American men would he
sure to say more than they meant to sub.
stantiate to the English girls, and the
American girls would lead the Engishmen
farther than they meant to follow and the
chances are that there would be heartaches 8
and disappointment for the more reserved
of the two.
We have firts enough, however, among
ourselves, and we do as much harm to each
other as is ever done by outsiders. whose
ways We misunderstood because we Judge
OF them by our own. The serious hirt
among us is especially dangerous, and we
question if the boldest American or
the most impassioned Italian ever did
more damage than the quiet, undcmon-
strative English firt, who takes scnti-
ment as his ground of action and Pla
tonism as his point 1appui Soft eyes, that
look dark and melancholy in the twilight ;
a sweet, sad voice that awakes responsive
echoes in the imagination of the hearcr;
languld, still and selfccntained manner,
giving the impression of reserve fund of
force, of talent. of feeling, of capacity for
sorrow, of power of sympathy-these are
the various items which make up the stock.
in-trade of the sentimental firt, and with
these he or she dispenses sweet pain and
pleasant anguish to all around. All, that
is, who are weak enough to believe and in.
nocent enoug h to be deceived, and who take
tlnsel and tinfoil for shining silver and
ruddy gold.