The Portland daily press., 1883-02-17
milwaukee SUM-

milwaukee sum-
There is a good deal of talk among theatre
goers, and in the editorial columns OF the
newspapers, about the new styles of kissing
and hugging that have been since invented
last season by the theatrical profession. One
lady has resigned from the dramatic COM
pany because Stephens, the star, kisses her
with ''Henry the Eighth kiss" We have
not seen the kiss, and never knew Henry
the Eighth, but description Of it shows
that it is kiss that is in use largely in soei-
ETY., though it is probable that those who use
it do not know that Henry has patent on
it. 1t is said the actor, in this particular
kiss, comes up behind the girl who is seated
In chair. he reaches his hands around
each side of her head, takes her chin in both
hands. then leans over and presses his lips
to hers, and leaves them there for about
four minutes, each minute the lips become
glued to hers more and more, until finally,
when the bell rings for him to cease kissing
and say something, it is with the greatest
difficulty that lie can be torn off. We do
not read that The actor leaves his lips stick
tends to other business, but it seems as
though be might The girl does right to
throw up her engagement. She would be
justified in throwing up anything, because
no girl likes TO kiss that way in public, for
wages. There is only one person in the
world who should kiss a woman the way
the papers describe this affair." and that is the
manwho is all the world to her, and in that
case it would be best for him to have dam
perrin ms neck, so she can turn it off when the
room becomes sufficiently heated. But
speaking of acting, the new Jeffreys-Lewis
hop skip-and-jump, and throw yourself all
over a fellow, is the worst. If that style
comes permanently into use, the male lovers
will have to be prize fighters and acrobats.
The woman, Lewis, sits and stands as
though unmoved by anything that is being
said, but suddenly, without any warning,
as though somebody had pulled a string, she
jumps clear across the stage and falls into
the arms of the lover, and rolls over in his
arms couple of times wearing the buttons
off'his vest, and fetches up with her face so
near his that he would kiss her in spite of
hades, if he didn't have to use all his muscle
to keep from falling down with his burden.
If this actress was a small creature, an actor
could stand and take good deal of her ac-
as Mary Anderson, and seems TO weigh a
ton. That is, she seems SO to a fellow in
the audience, and the lover on the stage acts
as though he wanted his salary raised, or
smaller woman. 1t is possible that the
actor who supports her knows when she is
going to break out into new tantrum, and
can tell by her looks when spell is coming
on, and can get ready and brace himself,
but it looked to the audience as though he
had to be on his guard constantly for fear
she would throw herself at him in new way,
and he would not be in a position, and he
might let her drop ON the floor and break her
in two. We had about as soon have a two
hundred pound solid shot fired at us from a
gun, as to have that actress run at us head
first, and fall so her feet pointed the other
way, and place the responsibility of catching
her properly upon US. Of course, if she had
lot of shawl strap holders, and grip sack
and coffin handles seWed to her clothes in
different places, and it was a catch as-catch-
can wrestle, and he could take right hold
wherever it happened, when she came at
him with her teeth set, and every nerve at
Its greatest tension, an ACTOR could work for
less wages, but to know that you have got
to catch her just so, with your arms and
hands in the proper position, must necessi-
tate great brain on the part of the actor,
and much practice in private before pub
lie exhibition can be given. Next year we
expect the stage will give us several new
things in kisses and hugs, and it is not i'm
possible that whole evening entertainment
of hugging and kissing will be given by the
best companies, as pantomime, with not a
word spoken all the evening, except, 'yum-
YUM" or ''pass the FAM" or "give us a
rest" OF something appropriate, and we
should not be at all surprised to see actresses
throw themselves from the fiers of the thea
ire or the upper boxes, or from balloons.
into the arms of lovers who have been trans
ferred from the prize ring or the GRECO
Roman wrestling arena. Improvement il
the order of the day, and night.