The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-30
WILDWOOD FLIRTATIONs.
Graphic Description of the Proceedings by
One Who Seems to Have Been There.

Graphic Description of the Proceedings by
One Who Seems to Have Been There.
Undertones, in San Francisco Chronicle.
II there is one place under heaven where O
woman is deceptive it is in the woods. / suppose
men are more or less deceptive there too, al
though when girl sees fellow in overalls with
q SIX days beard and pair of dusty boots if
she can love him then it is ten chances to one
she can never be disenchanted. at least as far as
personal appearance goes. and since one half or
threequarters of the world marry on personal
appearance, the Importance of the condition as
sumes large proportions. A woman, when she
washes her face and combs her hair back in
simple quite questionable coil, can impose
upon man, whatever clothes she wears There
Is something sweetly fascinating innocent and
beautiful about pretty girl with touch Of
sunburn. And if it is q naturally plain woman
she has all the benefit of the excuse of tan and
dust But just fancy a couple walking arm in
arm through the woods! It's preposterous; it's
absurd; it's ridiculous; it's out of place. And
you can't altogether walk apart That's worse.
That's quite uncomfortable What can fellow
do thenl Science has only discovered one other
way, and-well-you've got to take it,
1t always ends the same way. You start off
as modestly and quietly and respectfully as
possible. There is gentle beautiful, graceful
air of reserve on both sides You are both so
mpressively affected by the beauty the stiffness,
the hallowed nature of the scene that silence
appears to be the natural effect It's nothing OF
the kind, of course. You are both thinking how
where nobody but the chipmunks and things can
see you. You know it takes a certain amount Of
time and certain amount of distance from the
nearest house or the camp to break down the
reserve. And you are both feeling what a pity
1t IS to waste even so much time as it takes to
become acquainted You are struggling along
with the varying breadth of the path between
you. At last you-the man-touch her arm
and direct her attention to some bit Of
scenery. The next time you do your hand
unnecessarily
is log across the road. You take fair and
square hold of her arm and lead her round it.
She says THANK you" in a low voice and YOU
let 60. The next log you place your arm half
half way around her waist. and take it away with
a sweep that says: Don't be afraid. It's only
to help you along" She is grateful, whether for
the little squeeze or for the respectful acknowl-
edgment you don't know. There is creek You
give her your hand, and that's the time you get in
real good unnecessary squeeze. It's very Gu
rious girl can never get over creek, or a
fence, or a log, or anything, when she's with q
young man, without his assistance. But did you
ever see a girl go over creek when she was
alone, or in company of girls? She can jump 1T
like deer, and has less tiunidity than man.
But woman is an awfully timid and helpless
thing when there's man looking Well, you
get along. Somehow or another the next
time you help her by the waist the arm
rests there and you let 60 when she
comes to log instead of holding on. There is
no necessity for it at all, and the excuse is no
iouSeI IcYulrcu. ueH sue ioohS up through the
trees, and her head touches your shoulder You
stand like statue, afraid that if you move she'll
raise her head. That's moderately safe She
takes good long look. The next time she wants
to see ravine, that she can only see by looking
under your chin She places you between the
view and her eyes. She has to lay her head on
your manly bosom. She does it delcately,
prettily, modestly. A man would be brute
who would not make her comfortable Then
you're gone. Two engraved plates-a bundle,
of autographed cards-"Tuesdays" in the corner
an address in town-a few lines in the morn
and sec me-my wife will always be glad to
make my old chums comfortable-that's all.
Then the fair one goes and calls on every girl
who was on that summer trip, who is yet single,
and sympathizes with her in that irritating way
thai provokes retaliation of scandal