Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1886-12-02
THE ETHICS OF HUGGlNG.
Learned DisquisitIon Upon a Very
Popular Industry.


A few days ago young gentle
man hugged his grandmother with
such fervor that three of the old
lady's ribs were dislocated, and she
now lies in precarlous condition.
This, L may add, is an unprecedented
case. Men have hugged the oppo-
site sex with such ferocity as to en-
danger their lives, but then the OPP
Grafton was not performed upon the
grandmother. About a year ago q
young man in the East embraced his
sweetheart, and when the hug was
over he found she was dead. But
she had long suffered from a dis
ease of the heart; SO he was only in
part responsible for this melancholy
occurrence. Hugging is compare
lively modern institution. Our
ancestors never hugged. They calmly
and demurely embraced. Now, here
| pause to draw the line between the
hug and the embrace. The hug is an
earnest, quick, impetuous contraction
OF the muscles of the arms and chest
when the object TO be hugged lies
within the circles bounded by the
arms, while the chest is the goal or
final point of the hug. The wsrmth
Of the hug is determined by the ex-
tent of the muscular contraction.
But the hug is not, as anatomists as
sert, terminated when the object is
brought in contact with the chest
On the contrary, the sweeping in is
but the shell of the operation. The
kernel is reached when the space be-
tween the hugger and the huggee is
annlhilated, and the blade of knife
could scarcely be inserted between
both surfaces. This is, perhaps, the
most dangerous stage of the opera
ton. A pound, nay a few ounces of
extra pressure may result, if not in
the displacement Of rib, at least in
the bursting of a corset string, with
the almost inevitable destruction OF
bangs, montagues and such like
headgear. The release, if not skill
fully managed, is also attended with
danger and should be as gradual as
the elementary pressure.
| Expressions of anguish on the part
of the huggee may, as rule, be re-
garded as hypocrltical, and should
have no effect in inducing the hug
lger to diminish the pressure. II
like manner all danger-signals in re
gard to the arrival of a third party
on the scene should be investigated
by the party of the first part before
receiving the attention the genuine
arrival of a parent guardian nigh
command. This may done by /,
quick glance over the shoulder, ant
this rapid change of the direction O.
the head may be accomplished by ,
little practice without making any re
taxation of pressure necessary. Ifth'
warning should prove to be withou
foundation the deceit may be punish
ed by from two to three pounds ad
dItional pressure, but so gradual tha
none of the adornments of the persol
hugged may suffer. For these littl
accidents ruffle the temper and EN-
bitter the memory of the operation
The small affairs of the toilet ar
not accomplished easily, and the fe
male mind is ruffied by the destruc
ton of the laborious establishment
of the morning hour.
Near relatives should be embraced
and not hugged. The embrace
merely the throwing out and partia
contraction of the arms, without an
special attention to an objectiv
; point. An especially young an'
pretty aunt may be excepted, and
have known cases where an extreme
ly juvenile and good-looking step
mother has been the occasion of tn
merging of the embrace into the hug
But this is rarely done, and is attend
;, ed with much danger, particularly
: the embrace is dependent ON th
e purse of the old man for the necess
s ties, as well as the luxuries, of life
f To embrace mother in-law is a ho
a low mockery, and should be attempt
u ed only when some important objet
J. has to be obtained, and even then "
: doubt if it is excusahle. A cousl
may he hugged or embraced, as tf
-. fancy of the operator may dictat
- the choice depending solely Oh IL
iage and good looks Of this most COZ
veuient and delightful relation.