The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-07-02
About kissing Babies.

q distance, but close at hand it is mar.
row, aggressive, and sometimes appall-
ing. Ii it would exhaust itself in the
eloquent patois Of the nurscry-that
marvellous pigeon dialect that obfuscates
the infant mind for at least six months
longer than the most serious and sensi-
BILE conversation would do nobody
could complain. But the homage which
young mothers pay their offspring does
not in their minds constitute q complete
discharge of necessary obligations.
What they 80 passionstely give them:
selves, they think should be exacted
from others, and that much they take
Tor granted without asking any quos-
tons. As consequence, baby kissing
invitations have become much more
customary than is agreeable to- at least
the average masculine mind. Unfortu-
nately, baby, when put by its maternal
relative under a mans nose to be kissed,
cannot be refused, like a proffered piece
of roast pig or q section of tripe. The
calm but highly.wrought expectancy
with which this assumed privilege is
offered will intmida.e the stoutest heart.
The person of whom this service is de.
manded may not be Chesterfield in his
manners, and perhaps scorns the con-
ventionalities of polite society. He may
even affect pride in brusqueness and a
disregard of common courtesies, but he
will not refuse to kiss s'woman's baby,
ordered up on the short notice usually
given, unless he is made of different clay
| from that which enters into the compo
sitiou OF the great mass of humanity
His cowardice or powerlessness may
make him angry with himself, but thai
fact will not affect the result when he il
brought face to face again with the same
dissgreeable expression Of moral com
pulsion. ".,.t ...,... ~. ,..,....,.,
II a protest will do any good, tina
protest should be uttered. Mothers pu
the public and their infants under to-
heavy tribute for their own pleasure,il
offering up as osculatory sacrifices t.
all their friends and acquaintances thes
puggy epitomes of men and women
There is little satisfaction in kissing, an
less there is mutual assent in the al
rangement, either tacit or expressed
When men are called upon to kiss ba
bies they do not comply willingly. The
may preserve an exterior as placid as
summer lake, but within they are pent
up volcanoes of unutterable remou
STRANGE, or perhaps profanity. No ma
Especially if he is bachelor, and Z
that class there are q great many jus
now-knows what part Of . baby is il
tended for kissing, and experienc
teaches him nothing. If he tries il
lips, they are moist, irresponsible an
generally unsatisfactory; if its cheek
the clammv point of impact offers hil
no natural encouragement to repeat tn
operation. The infant is hardly NOR
to be congratulated than the one VIII
bestows these compliments or tokens {
affection. Even the kisses showered W
on it by the warmth Of maternal love
neither understands nor appreciates, an
it may we'll protest with all the force {
;, its uniformed ideas and unregulated wi
against having its tender features. il
vaded by a stiff, manly beard. 'Nobod
stands in awe of .. baby to the extent ,
fearing 70 ask, fayors Of it, Without an
forced conditions in the matter, II
baby will be kissed quite as much ,
. their grown-up acquaintances desir
:, and doubtless more than is, physical
good for them. We move for an abO]
ton Of the courtesies now customary
the nursery circles, or ut least trar,
fer of the initiative, and will do our be
, to keep the terms Of the treaty inviolat
Tribune. III ,~si ,,l,a, ae.Il