Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-08-26
FLIRTING FOR FUN.
NOT so TERRIBLE A THING AS SoAB Ps'
PIE SUPPOSE
Men Who Exert an Exceedingly Strange In
Aasnce Over Womsn-Soms Men Are
Born Flirs Other Have Flrts
Thrust Upon Thtm.
Baltimore AH,sF CON.

Baltimore AmeToon-
What could be more timely this mid
summers day than little talk about h'rts
for the summer is presumably their mar
vest, and the popular rescrts their vantag'
grounds. Indeed, many Of the dowager'
would be overcome with enui long before
the season was over had tney not an asa''
de reur in the form of 1irtation to water
through its various stages.
Of course, we are all taught by precept
before we are launched upon the gay and
tickle world. that fiirt is sort Of human
monster, who goes about seeking whom hs
may devour; but, alas, prscepts are quickly
forgot, and experience teaches us that ne
is invariably the most charming man We
meet at Vanity Fair. He does not impress
us az dangerous as he smiles into our eyes,
but then we have not learned how mucn
smile sometimes conceals, for he may smile
and smile and be villain. But because
man is thoroughly abrasive, even fasci'
nating-hence flirt, in the usual accept
ance of the word-he is. not necessarily q
william.
So many persons err in believing man
20 blame if he makes deeper impression
upon the woman he meets than he can re-
ciprocate.
Some men are born firts. Without In
tending or wishing it, they win the adml'
ration-aye, the devotion--of almost every
one they meet. These are dangerous to the
peace Of mind of their fair friends, but not
as much 80 as the one who, having the nat.
ural gift, has also keen appreciation Of
it's power and enjoyment Of its results. We
have all met him; we have watched him
with interest; We have sem the other men
watch him with envy. For men who are
not successful with women always despise
the one who is.
The male flirt does not win the respect
of women by fattery. He seldom makes
the mistake of pOintedly complimenting.
In that fact lies his strongest card. 1t is
his indescribable manner that gains the
day. Each woman to whom he talks is
made to feel that to him she is the only
woman in the world. If he is presented to
one and does not meet her again for a
month he is sure to remember her, and al
though he has really forgot all about it,
and may he racking his brain to remember
the time and place, or perhaps her name,
''outwardly his manner will be as though
silently, of course, but none the less deep
ly, he has dwelt upon her image ever
since"
1t is the ''impalpable manner" that con-
stitutes the chief charm of the tlirt, and it
is this Intangible, subtle flattery that is
dear to the heart of woman, and 30 irritat-
ing to men who have not learned it.
These men fiirts are not the handsomest
men in an sssemblage neither do they ap-
pear to exert themselves to gain popular
favor-it is their seeming indifference to
admiration which makes them 80 attrsc-
tive. A good example of male flirt in re.
cent fiction is Heathcote in Miss Woodson's
story of "Anne." I will quote a para
graph which describes him and analyses
his influence upon his acquaintance Of
both sexes:
"What was it they found to like in him?
That was the question asked often in irri-
tstion by his brother man, and, naturally,
for the women themselves could not give a
reasonable reason. The corresponding idea
of life is not the same, since men admire
with reason-the woman is plainly beau
tiful, or brilliant, or fascinating around
whom they gather. At Caryl's seven or
eight men were handsomer than Heath
cote, number were more brilliant, many
were richer, yet almost all of these had
discovered at one time or another that the
eyes they were talking to were following
Heathcote furtiyely, and they had seen
attempts that made them tingle with
anger, all the more 80 because they were Sd
delicate and fine, as became
the actions of well.bred women" This is
true to life.
1t is not 10 much wealth or beauty as it
is "a winning way" that makes an attrac-
tive man. have known women to care
more for the attention of one who had no
no occupation, who was
avowedly mot a marrying man." than
they did tor the earnest admiration of
another who had every thing to recommend
him.
Women are more frequently to blame
for their unrequited affections than is the
object of them. A woman has no right to
imagine man in love with her because he
pays her some, or even much, attention.
That is no evidence. He may be equally
as attractive to half dozen. Therefore,
if they choose to misconstrue friendly
preference for something more serious,
why, surely the man is not to blame, and
should not be called fiirt because he is
lovable. He is, however, contemplate
when he wins the regard of woman with
out caring for her in the least; but l be-
lieve there are few such. In my own
opinion there are more intentional Hirts
among my own sex. Women love admit
ration and they are determined to have it
if they can, and, moreover, they want the
world to know they have it; hence this
vanity causes them to encourage everv
would-be admirer they meet.
| heard a sweet, attractive debutante
oncs say she would rather be considered a
tiirt than any thing in the world. She was
gifted with the requirements Of mind and
person. These, added to the desire, made
her in one season realize her ambition.
Men called her heartless, vain, flirt in.
capable of loving, and yet they lowered
around her as moths around a candle.
She found that hers was not the Hottest
ambition, for when her Prince Charming
arrived he heard of her reputation and for,
sock the field, and lost the prize. Men
condemn flirts and yet they encourage
them. They warn others of their danger,
and yet plunge headlong into it them
selves.
But after all, there is not as much harm
done by fiirts of either eek as the world
generally believes. OF course, there is an
occasional susceptible heart broken, but this
is because one or the other took too much
for granted Remember this, you who are
enjoying your summer outing. make all
the friends you can, but don't imagine
every friend lover, and You will be apt
to take less cynical view of life later on.
Conlin,t Cat Avay with Much,