The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-03
A KISS AMIss. BUT NOT A MISS.

story has gone the rounds of the press
it has been telegraphed and telePhoned-
how that good old Grandfather Thayer," F.
NJ. Tbayer, p. NJ. Thayer, of Evansville,
kissed amiss, but not missile kissed a
widow-in the shadow OF her residence. For
this Grandfather Thayer" has been greatly
censured. So far as we have observed no one
has come to his defense Ito his rescue.
Alone, without shelter, not so much as a
parasol or an umbrella, the old veteran has
been compelled to stand the storm, and the
peltings have been so severe that great in
convenience has resulted to the venerable
journalist and Postmaster He has had to
resign the Postmastership of Evansville and
sell out his interest in the Journal of that
city. Grandfather Thayer," il is said, was
leading member in an influential
Church in Evansville, and the same, we be-
lieve is said of the widow, and on that ac-
count we are persuaded the kiss amiss has
been unduIy magnifed. 1t will likely &C.
cur to great many literally disposed per-
sons that the penalty Grandfather Thayer''
has had to pay is greatly disproportioned to
tine size of his indiscretion, provided it is
widow is willing is an act of inconsiderate-
ness, rashness or folly, but if it is inferen-
TALLY certain that the widow was not only
wiling to be kissed but returned the kiss
indeed, possibly kissed first-then, in that
event, who would impose a severe penalty
upon the masculine osculator, be he old or
young? But may not something more be
said in extenuation il not justification of
Grandfather Thayer?." 1t is said that both
himself and the widow were at the time of
the kissing members OF q Church. On more
than one occasion the Apostle Paul in writ
ing TO Christian Churches commands that
they greet one another with a holy kiss"
Grandfather Thayer." over his own sigma
tUrr, asserts that nothing of criminal char
acter ever occurred or was designed" and
that his attentions to the widow never
ttansgressed the rules OF social propriety ex-
cept in the alleged particular OF exchanging
a kiss" 1t will be observed that the kissing
was not all on one side-there was an lex
change" of kisses We do not know how
ancient Grandfather Thayer'' may be-
but we are disposed to congratulate him that
he has not outgrown appreciation of the
bliss of kiss, The French have a proverb-
Honi soft 9gi nal y peRse-and we are in
clined to the opinion that kisses may be ex-
changed without the faint of impurity. 1t
is fagrantly ungeneIous TO assume that
when Grandfather Thayer'' kissed the
widow or exchanged" kisses with the
widow, anything more was intended or
thought of than a mutual expression for
each others happiness. Grandfather
Thayer'' had walked along the shaded ave-
nues beneath the light of the stars and the
moons pale beams, with the widow on his
arm. AS he listened to the lute-like melody of
her voice lie may have sighed to think that
his youth was gone to come no more. and
the widow may have realized the satisfac-
ton of daughter listening to the words of
counsel and comfort from the lips of father.
Arrived at the gate, an exchange of kisses
had, we are satisfied, no significance other
than an affectionate regard for
each others welfare. 1t is to
be regretted that Grandfather Thayer"
became so suddenly and so seriously de-
moralized. Admitting that to kiss a widow
il to kiss smiss a venerable man like
Grandfather Thayer,' need not sell out and
resign, pack his grip-Sack and HE away
to the mountains of Hers:dam, where the
whangdoodle mourneth, in five minutes
That way of doing things is altogether too in.
considerate, We should like to see the old
gentleman reinstated in the Evansville Post
office and TO know that he had repurchased
his interest in the Evansville Journal; being
satisfied that theChurch and the commun ity
would be willing to give the old man chance
to outive his mistake, for when nothing
more seriO us than kiss amiss is charged
exile is cruelty.