Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-12-31

Views OF kissing from tue Boss
Smaeker of the American
Stage.

Mn Crinkie's Peuilleton.l
The western reporters have gone
recklessly into the psychology Of the
Abbott kiss. There is something
about it, ii we are to believe these
mad wags, that stimulates inYestiga-
ton. One of them declares that it
has breadth but no depth, and an
other has detected ASCERTAIN flavor in
it. Still another, whose explorations
have evidently been in the line OF
wardrobe, insists that it is "cut bias. +"
The two cities Of Chicago and St.
Louis having got into an ineXtricable
Wrangle wei this delicate physiolog-
icsl question, there was nothing to do
but TO interview the lady herself on
the subject, aud a st. Louis reporter,
to use his own words. tackled her in
her boudoiF.'
As everything thai Miss Abbott
says is fraught with q fine inner sense
Of Abbott and art, and as stage kiss
Ing is a phase Of dramatic work which
may be said TO be unexploited,
this interview has a peculiar interest.
We can only call the readers atten.
ton 10 the marvellous righteousness
of the lady and the naive frankness
with which sne eseAAAd the real secret
Of the Abbott kiss" which, ofcourse
is %earnestAess. The reporter tells
his story in the following direct man
ner;
l want to know something about the
art OF oscillation, or tho oscillation Of
art, Miss Abbott, said the reporter,
feeling that it was possible to have O
worse subject Of conversation than
kissing between a young lady and an
inexperienced and guileless young
mad who was 1eYoting his life to the
acquisition Of wisdom.
Well - but--noW you know,
blushed the scribe, everybody has
more or less to say about the Abbott
kiss and 50, entirely in the pursuit Of
information, | must know something
about it."
What can l tell you that yeu do
not know about kissing. Everyone
who has a mouth can kiss. Romem.
Der there arc kisses and kisses, and
you may believe nc when / tell you
that the stage kiss is a cold, dim, pale
elusive and
empty compared TO the kiss Of 1--WE, ]
know what both are. Do you?"
We'll, | think | can guess az some
OF the conditions Of the lattor kiss,
the reporter. II have some
vague, general views about il, which
have never been cyystalized into
fit could be illustrated
But il can't, you know"
'On your part, perhaps, but on
mine'-the reporter would probably
have made q wcll-rounded and efec-
tive romark il Miss Abbott had not
at this point touchingly asked him if
ne would eat an apple.
The topic was spoiled; no amount of
interviewing could evolve Miss Alb
bott s views on the kiss. All that she
could be got TO admit was that the
balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet
was copied from a painting Of Antony
and Cleopatra which she had seen AZ
Milan. People talk about what they
are pleased to call "tho Abbott kiss
SAID she, altogether Forgetting that
III tho scene il not made ro.l;stta a.
would be utterly fat. stale and nm.
profitable. | will not sing roles ike
Traviata, OF which | do not approvo.
but those 1 do act ! will act with NV
whole heart and my whole soul. with
al the ar which God has given me.
| have never sung yet that ! was not
accused Of being Nn love With the
tenor, just because / sing and act 10
dead earnest That rs shat realism
IN art means
SO much for tho positive kiss. The