The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-04-15

speak Of suca a naughty subject save
in a cold, Minerva-like way.
1t should have been said that the
puritans of the Crom. ,ellian were
somewhat addicted 10 kissing, but
after a most discreet fashion. In fact,
quaint author of the period. who
probably had been there, compared
the cha>te salute Of Puritan maiden
to the thrust of woodpecker's bill.
Passing the Georgian and Victor
IAN eras, during which Byron sang
The First Kiss of Love and Tom
Moore struck his harp and warbled
like nightingale of bowers, smiles,
wine, kisses and cognaie subjects, one
comes TO Il new phase OF the mpmrn.-
Gus kissing question and at this point
it becomes necessary TO dwell little
on the character of the dudIs Ameri
canus, or great American dude-the
latest product OF our sacieTy and civ
Iilzatlon. As ,rt of biological title
has been bestowed on the dude it Is
proper TO remove any false impression
that he is an ass---that i, not in
form or feature La fact ne has none
Of the qualities of that noble animal
none of his grit, .obstinacy or staying
powers The dude hasn't the redeem
ing quality of bad temper. like that
other noble animal without pride of
ancestry or hope of posterity the
mule. A dude may be described in
the main as the combined product Of
a tailor, a shoemaker and halter,
At his birth Stiffness marked him for
her own. Insipidity took him IN tow
at an early age, and will hold MIN fast
astern through life. The dude-ir,
indeed that nature had any particular
design in giving such a being animate
existence-is probably designed to fur
nish casual paragraph for the news
papers and to supply an occasion for
mirth to all persons who have not
taken leave of their senses.
One would have thought that the
absurdities Of this abnormal creature.
in dress and depOrt nent. had reached
a climax long ago but no. The latest
wrinkle among the dudesque fraterni-
ty is that they have taken to kissing
NOT some other fellows sister or
wife (; oh. no, that would involve some
risk, but to kissing one another
Careful investigation proves this to be
a fact. When two of our metropoii-
tan dudes meet now. whether in pub
lie or private, they forthwith embrace
and then the osculatory operation is
performed. 1t is The proper thing,
you know, by Jove
Yes, said well-known society man,
who is not fool, however, Ii appears
to be fact that the dudesque brother
hood have fallen in love with one
another. Most of them now embrace
and kiss whenever they meet, like
schoolgirls. Iii is the lat
est craze.
Well. said the Star man, who had |
the pleasure of meeting the society |
man, what think you will be their
next Manifestation of Stiffness?
Heaven knows; I'm sure | don't,
replied the man of the world. In
point Of capacity for doing outre and
absurd things. the genius of your
dude is simply inexhaustible. Ask |
me something easv.
/ saw the most disgusting sight nv !
eyes ever lit upon the other day. as
was driving up Lexington avenue
near Forty-second street, said an Old /
citizen to the rep 'rter. Nothing less
thar two young fellows, with long
frock coats. tall hats, til hit trousers |
and tinv canes-in a word, brace Of
dudes kissing openly on the street. !
II occurred directly opposite the
Vanderbilt honse, at Lexington
avenue and Forty second street.
Upon my soul he continued. with |
emphasis. this is fact.
Heavens, What are We coming TO
anyhow?
And so it is. That famous parOXys- |
nal kiss. Of which all the world heard |
only few years ago, has, perhaps,
gone out Of fashion, but the kiss dude |
will, no doubt, he found a fit suhsti-
ute. The progress of this latest
alteration Of dudedom viii he follow
Ell with interest. Certainly in res
pect to OSCILLATION, the dndes can
Doint to a noted prototype aud eAemp-
lar in the person of Ahsalom who III.
xi 81 kissed any man that
came nigh to him. OF course it
would be too painful if a few of our
dudes should meet with a like fate
even as they follow his practice.
Topnoody.
Asa-c+,o,, TraxeN