The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-07-31
HUGGING IN THE PARKS.

The law-abiding people of this COM
munity were startled on Tuesday. and
the greatest Indignation prevailed at an
article in the Sentinel denouncing the
practice of hugging in the public parks.
The article went on to show that the
placing of seats in the parks leads to
hugging, and the editor denounced hug
ging in the most insane manner possible.
The SIN does not desire to enter politics.
but when great constitutional question
like this comes up, it will be found on the
side of the weak against the strong. The
Sentinel advises the removal of the seats
from the park because hugging is done
there. Great heavens. has it come to
this: Are the dearest rights of the
American citizen to be abridged in this
summary manner? Let us call the at
tentlon of that powerful paper to a clause
i'll the Declaration of Independence,
which asserts that "all men are created
free and equal, endowed with certain in
alienable rights, among which are life.
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
When the trainers of that great declara-
ton of independence were at work on
that clause, they must have had in view
the pastime of hugging in the parks
Hugging is certainly a pursuit of hap
piness." People do not hug for wages
that is, except on the stage. Nobody
is obliged to hug. 1t is sort of spon-
taneous combustion, as it were. of the
feelings, and has to have proper condi-
lions of the atmosphere to make it sue
cess. Parties who object to hugging are
old, usually, and have been satiated, and
are like lemon that has done duty in
circus lemonade. If they had job of
hugging they would want to hire man
to do it for them. \ man who complains
of a little natural, Soul-inspiring hugging
on a back seat in park, of an evening.
with fountain playing all over little cast
iron cupids, has probably got Il soul, but
he hasn't got it with him. To the stu
dent of nature there is no sight more
beautiful than to see a flock of Young
people take seats in the park, after the
sun has gone to bed in the west. and the
moon has pulled a fleecy cloud over her
face for 4 veil, so as not to disturb the
worshipcrs. \ couple, one Il male and
the other female, will sit far apart on
the cast iron seat, for Il moment, when
the Young lady will try to fix her cloak
over her shoulders, and she can't fix it,
and then the young man will help her,
and when he has got it fixed he will go
off and leave one arm around the small
of her back. lie will miss his arm. and
wonder where he left it, and 60 back
after it, and in the dark he will feel
round with the other hand to find the
hand he left, suddenly the two hands
meet, they will express establishment,
and clasp each other, and be so glad that
they will begin to squeeze, and the
chances are that they will cut the girl in
two but they never do. Under such
circumstances 4 girl can exist on less at
mosphere than when doing a washing.
There is just about SO much hugging
that has to be done, and the Sentinel
should remember that very many people
have not facilities ut their homes for such
soul-stirring work, and they are obliged
to flee to the parks, or to the woods,
where the beneticent city government
has provided all of the modern improve
ments. lIugging is as necessary to the
youth of the land as medicine to the
sick, and instead of old persons, whose
days of kittenhood are over, throwing
cold water upon the science of hugging,
they should encourage it by all legiti-
mate means. When in strolling through
the parks you run into case of sporadic
hugging, instead of making a noise on
the gravel walk. to cause the huggist to
stop it, you should retrace your steps
noiselessly, get behind a tree and see how
long they can stand it without dying
Instead of removing the cast iron seats
from the parks, we should be in favor of
furnishing reserved seats for old people,
so they can set and watch the hugging.
1t doesn't do any hurt to hug. People
think it is unhealthy, but nobody has
ever been known to catch cold while
hugging. 1t is claimed by some that
young people who stay out nights and
hug, are not good for anything the next
day. There is something to this, but if
they didn't get any hugsing they would
not be worth Il cent any time. They
would all the time he looking for it. Ne,
good Mr.. Sentinel, on behalf of fifty
Thousand young people who have no
organ to make known their wants, we
ask you to stay your hand, and do not
cause the seats to be removed from the
parks. Remember how many there are
who have yet to learn the noble art of
hngging, and give them chance.
Picks San.