Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-03-21
THE KISSING PARTY.

There is some difference OF opinion in re-
gard to the merits or dement's of the kissing
party. Some very respectable people regard
it as quite harmless diversion, while others,
quite as respectable and equally wise, regard
it as immodest and Of pernicious tendency.
think there are some grave objections to this
diversion, and beg leave to state them with
all candor and kindness.
/. And first, it must be granted that the
kissing party is Improbable. 1t Is certainly
reasonable and desirable that our diversions
should be not only harmless but profitable.
They should tend to cultivate the intellect, to
increase our stock of information, and to
improve our conversational powers-in short,
to fit us for increasing enjoyment and useful
ness And they may be made to do oil this
for us, and yet be none the less divcriing and
enjoyable. In fact, those diversions which
exercise and improve our mental faculties af-
ford us higher and more real enjoyment
than those vhich only amuse or excite us.
Amusements which do not awaken thought or
impart Information are always insipid and un-
satisfying. As an intellectual being, man
needs intellectual diversion. But there is
nothing INTEL, ctual in the plays usually in
dulged in at kissing parties. No sensible con-
versation can be carried on while these plays
are in progress. Comical remarks are made,
and vulgar grimaces and attitudes assumed,
which call forth pcals of boisterous laughter ;
but conversation, properly so called, is never
attempted, and would not be at all pracIica-
BILE There is absolutely no intellectual pro-
fit or social culture TO be derived from these
plays; the only profit Gf profit it may be call
ed is the sensual qualification of proniscuous
kissing. There are surely some modes of di-
ver,ion more profitable, and at the same time
more pleasurable, than these kissing plays.
,. The plays INDUCED in at kissing parties
are rude and indecorous. l confess to not
being very familiar with these plays, yet
have seen enough of them 10 convince me
that they are very far from proper. While
viewing one at a safe distance for thirty min
utes, saw two girls thrown upon the floor by
| young men who were struggling with them
| for a kiss I saw boys and young men chas
ing girls at full speed between or over chairs
and benches from one end of hall to the
o!her-the girls seeming to make desperate
| efforts to outstrip their eager pursuers-the
race always ending in a capture, rude scuf
Ae. and kissing. Hugging and kissing seem
cd to be the chief business Of the evening
The farmer boys handled the girls with about
as much ygor and as little delicacy as they
were accustomed to use when breaking theil
young oxen. looked to see the girls resent
their rudeness, but they seemed to endure il
with the utmost good nature. Now, this mode
of spending an evening may be proper and
ladylke, but to me it seemed rude and vulgar
not to say indecent. 1t certainly cannot bt
conducive to refinement or personal delicacy
3. Promiscuous kissing tends to immodesty
and lioentiousness Let me not be misunder
stood on this point. do not say that all, o.
a majority, of those who engage in thesi
plays are immodest or lioentious. have NJ
personal accusations to make. am discuss
ing the play, not tho persons who engage il
it. The persons may be good enough, bu
the plays are oorrupting. Kissing amonl
relatives may be proper enough l make NJ
objection to it. Kissing between persons en-
gagged in the tender business of courtship
not likely to be abolished, whether it be prop
| er or not huhi nOt, tupAoloAoi noohS 49,
ink in opposing it. But promiscuous kissing
between persons who stand in no such rela
tioLs to each other, who are sometimes slmos
or entire strangers, some of whom are maj
ried aud others single, is quite a diherer
thing and think most Objectionable. Ther
are always some married people who ehoos
to engage in these plays. There are too usV
ally some young men of vile character VIII
are attracted by them. Is it proper an
wholesome thing for young girls, from thi
teen to twenty years of age, to bo kissed IN
Rugged by these married men, and by thes
vile young men who come only TO gratii
their sensual natures? Will such association
do these sensitive girls no harm And
they permit lewd men or married men to en-
brace them and kiss them freely in publi
is there not danger that they may allow the'
same men, or others no better, TO take sin
liar liberties with them in private 1t ma
be confidently answered, Mo- they are qui
too virtuous and modest for that. And of Il