The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1888-07-14
lMPARTING THE "HOLY KISS"

l xMtAHHkN6 INN sstVA1x AkSSe
| About to De Revived by the Ger.
| man Baptists.
The National German Bsptist con.
ference, In session few days ago at
Wabash, Ind., recommended the css-
tom, by It's clergy, OF imparting the
"holy kiss" to members OF its various
churches, but suggested that the kiss.
ing might be made more agreeable II
the kissers would keep their nustaches
neatly trimmed, Or--What was pro-
nouneed better-cut them of aitOgeth.
er. The communion OF congenial souls
by osculatfon Is one Of those ancient
customs which never grows old. As
to its invention, 1t is certain that ma
ture was its author, and 1t probably be.
gan with the first courtsh!p. An old
Scandinavian tradition would have
people believe that Rowena, the
daughter Of HenGist, Introduced the
| kiss into England and thus transmit
ted the custom to us Of today. But
just as II tho boys and girls long before
Rowena's time had not discovered II
for themselves.
There Ia, further, AN Old rhyme
which gees to show ,ha, lips were not
unused to osculatnry purposes NJ an
early day. 1t says:
But somo reply: swat fool would dauncs
lfthat, whom daunce Is tloone, :"
He mny not have at iady's lips
That which in daunco no won I"
Lovers of kis -pg-and who are not
might almost be pardoned for wish
ing that they had lived durlng cer-
tain period described by Hone in his
queer old .'Tabie Book" when Ia Ire.
land they had "kissing bees" on Eas-
ter Monday, on which occasion It was
the duty of each female present 10 re-
ceive cat least n dozsn hearty KISSES"
This was what might be termed pro-
miscuous oscula ton, and II Ia probable
that these ceremonies were extensively
pa,ronized by "ye ancient maiden In.
dies" Of the day.
There WAS time when the old Gus.
tom of kissing the bride In church gave
rise to some ridiculous scenes. As 1t
wss considered u high honor to kiss
her first, there was u great rush after
the ceremony, and the fair damsel
was often carried out In swoon. In
the "Coliier's Wedding" we are shown
how.
Four rustic follows wait awhile
TO kiss tho bride ut the church stilO
Time and time again genius has becn
| rewarded with kisses. The cheering
pit which commissioned the volup.
,uous Duchess dc Villars to kiss Vol.
taire during successful performance
Of "Merope," did not impose severe
task upon the fair lady, nor WAS the
kiss ungraciousiy received. The
~ Nv IL.
all those who voted for her iAvorite
Fox, when he was In the hot electoral
contest for tho borough OF Westminster,
and on II par with this enthusiastic ac-
ton was that Of Lady Gordon, who
turned recruiting sergeant, and offered
AS bounty II shilling to be taken from
between her cherry-ripe lips by the
mouth cf tho recrcits. II Is sflirmed
TO rush into the ranks for bounty Of
| this kind. .-...a.
One would suppose that kissing
would obtain in Iceland, as the act IL
said to give warmth to the blood. Not
so, however. a man who kisses au
unmarried female there against hor
wilI-note tho latter clause, reader
renters himself liable aud even II no
has obtained the iady's sanction, her
cruel guardian can demand legal reps-
! ration! ....
A Finnish matron-probabiy Of Ico-
landic origin--hearing OF our timS-hOn-
ored custom OF lip service, declared
that II her liege lord atom ptad such
liberties with her no would Ind the
Il oor locked when no next came home
from the lodge.
Who does not remember the story OF
the jolly preacher who, when he had
obtained the long-sought kiss from tho
wIy-mads bride, a privilege at one
time the parsons inalienab'e right,
wanted another aud another, aud when
ne had taken a score would eXcIaim
Now to my twenty add a hundred moro
a thousand to that hundred 80 kiss on
70 make that thousand up n million;
Treble that million, and when that's done
Lots kiss airosh as whom wo first beHuni
This might be termed carrying tho
joke too far; but the old preacher had
probably gone back to the days Of his
boyhOod, when kisses were to be had
for the ask ing. Oae might proceed in
definitely with this genial subject, but
as kisses upon paper ara but hollow
mockery we decline.
As bluff King Hal said to Anne
Boleyn:
| Sweetheart.
I were unnanneriy to tako you out
And not TO kiss you.
Let us believe that historical kissing
has not been altogether farce, even II
there bc those who arc wicked enough