National Republican., 1885-10-31
THE KISSING HABIT.



duiged IN by Girls and Women.
kate upson Clark in Philadelphia Prcssl
Much ridicule has been expended, and
rightly, upon the almost universal habit
tmong women, even those not especially In
innate with each other, OF kissing whenever
they meet or part. The kiss, as a saluta-
tion, belongs properly to another and more
tarbarious quarter Of the globe than
America, and to time long ago. IL is
ltgitimately an expression OF profound af-
fCCton, and to use IL commonly or slight
irgly is to degrade n beautiful and tender
Ceremony. Some recent observers have re-
marked that the kiss as n salutation, except
Gmong near kindred or dear friends, Is pass
ing out OF use. We should be glad to be-
lievc that this is so. but In many portions OF
TIE country II is certain that the kissing
lGbit Is still almost universal among women.
Those letwcen whom an actual dislike Is
known to exist touch each Others lips in
their calling rounds, and even on the street
aud at railroad stations.
At certain girls school some years ago
where the kissing furore was prevalent (as
Is the case In most schools of the sort), n
society was formed, which was dubbed the
\. X. l.. These mystic letters stood Tor the
words, Anti-Kissing League, and the So
ciety embraced at one time most of the
"soid" girl of the school. We understand
that is no longer in existence, but its inlI-
ence was most salutary, and is felt
even to the present time. If the
teachers in girls schools and col
legCs would only take the matter
Of kissing in hand and create a public senti-
ment against the indiscriminatc Indulgence
in the practice there would be much less of
the absurd "mGsh" epidemic among the cal
low maidens In our educational institutions.
The whole trouble arises, we are inclined to
believe, from the large place which love and
marriage-matters OF emotion--occupy In
the thoughts of the young women Of the
country. Young men and boys never make
themselves ridiculous by kissing each other
Ldiscriminately.
Love Is to man a thing apart:
IT'S woinan's whole existence,
says some poet. This is undoubtedly true,
speaking broadly, as society is organized at
present, but genuine, large love is, and
ought to be, TIE underlying basis of the
character OF every man as well as Of every
woman. The love to which the poet al
ludes is too apt to be slckly scntimentalism.
1t is impossible to cherish such unhealthy
fancies In the busy life which every woman
| ought to live, in common with her hus-
| band or her brothers. This dreamy romanti-
cism which is ready to make hero out
of the first stupid youth who happens along
| is responsible for large proportion of the
bad matches, broken hearts, and unsettled
minds which infest society. If women
could only be taught that they are not to
think of marriage excepting us q happy
chance, and as something not in the least
essential to the completeness of their lives,
great step forward would be taken in
| their progress. With both men and women
| the period Of youth must necessarily be
more or less haunted with dreams of love.
| This is natural and inevitable. No thought
full person would have 1t otherwise. But
when romantic ideas absorb the whole
power of mind, rendering efficient practi-
cal work impossible, as is the case with
many silly young girls, the question be-
comes q serious one, how shall we elevate
| these young women, and give
to love and marriage the proper
| space and weight In their
minds? We believe that 1t can he done only
| by uprooting from the feminine mind cer-
tain ingrained and long inculcated notions,
namely, that woman lives but for marriage;
that any kind of light occupations or none
at all will do till the expected ''inexpressive
he" appears, and that the mastery of some
sort OF useful and remunerativc business Is
not just as much duty of woman as of
| man.
We fear that the frequent kiss of average
| womanhood is but, in some sort, an express
sion Of the sentimentalism which is charac-
teristlc of large part of the female sex of
the human species at this period. 1t is not
unlikely that the disappearance of the too
social lip-touching, If we ever live to see 1t,
may mark not only restoration Of the kiss
to its true affectional significance, but an
| advancement Of women to higher grade
| of intelligence and sensibility.