Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-03-02
THE KISS IN HISTORY.
Curious Customs Obtaining I'm Many Por-
tions of the Globe.

tions of the Globe.
There was an old belief that unless a
maiden was kissed under the mistletoe
at Christmas she would not be married
during the ensuing year.
When Fox was contesting the hard
won seat at Westminster the beautiful
Duchess of Devonshire offered to kiss
all who voted for the great statesman.
In the ceremonial of betrothal kiss
has played an important part in several
nations. A nuptial kiss in church, at
the conclusion of the marriage service,
is solemnly enjoined by the York Mis-
sal and the Sarum Manual.
The beautiful Lady Gordon, when
the ranks of the Scottish regiments had
been sadly thinned by cruel Badajos
and Salamanca, turned recruiting SER
geant, and, to tempt the gallant lads,
placed the recruiting shilling in her
| lips, whence each who would might
| take it with his own.
In Finland, according to Bayard
| Taylor, the women resent as an insult
salute upon the lips A Finish mat
ron, hearing of our English custom of
kissing, declared that did her husband
attempt such liberty she would treat
him with such box on the ears that he
should not readily forget.
In Wesley's journal dated June 16,
1853. is given the following description
of duel between two officers at Linn
erick: "Mr. b. proposed firing at
twelve yards, but Mr.. j. said: No. six
is enough. So they kissed one another
(poor farceD and before they We're five
PAGES asunder both fired at the in
slant"
The Code of Justinian says ''that if
man bothered a woman by kiss and
eithS' party died before marriage the
heirs were entitled to half the dona-
tons and the survivor to the other
half but if the contract was made
without the solemn kiss, the whole of
TIE espoused gifts must be restored to
the donors and their heirs-at-law.
The Mohammedans, on their pous
pilgrimage to Mecca, kiss the sacred
black stone and the four corners of
the kaaba. The Roman priest kisses
the aspergillum, and Palm Sunday the
palm. Kissing the Pope's toe was a
fashion introduced by one of the Leos,
who, it is said, had mutilated his right
hand, and was too vain to expose the
stump.
In iceland kissing had deferred PEN
alties of great severity. For kissing
another mans wife, with OF without
her consent, the punishment of exclu-
sion, or its pecuniary equivalent, was
| awarded. A man rendered himself La
BILE for kissing an unmarried woman
under legal guardianship without her
consent, and, if the lady consented,
the law required that every kiss should
be wiped out by IA fine of three marks
equivalent to one hundred and forty
ellis OF wadmal-a quantity sufficient to
furnish Il whole ships crew with pilot
jackets.
In Russia the Eastern salutation is a
kiss. Each member of the family
salutes the other; chance acquaintance
on meeting kiss; principals kiss their
employees; the General kisses his Off
GERS; the officers kiss their soldiers:
the Car kisses his family, retinue.
court and attendants. and even his
officers on parade, the sentinels at the
palace gates, and a select party of
private soldiers-probably deliberately
prepared for this royal salute" In
other parts the poorest serf. meeting a
high-born dame in the street. has but
to say, Christ is risen" and he will
receive kiss and the reply, He has
risen, truly
Home, in his quaint old Table
Book. gives an account of "a curious
old kissing festival held in Ireland:
easter Monday several hundred
young persons of the town and neigh
borhood of Potsferry, County Down,
resort, dressed in their best, to IA
pleasant walk near the town, called
The Waller. The avowed object of
| each person is to see the fun. which
consists in the men kissing the females
without reserve, whether married or
single. This mode of salutation is
quite matter of course; it is never
taken amiss, nor with much show of
| coyness. Tie female must be ordinary
indeed who returns home without hay
ing received at least a dozen hearty
busses, y Chicago Tribune.