Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-12-26
No Kissing There.

Young girls are as nature made
them. and very sweet they are, too,
in their quaint dresses, showing
the plump chest and rounded arms.
Pages could be written about their
charms. What dear, dainty little
dolls they are! Such white teeth, rosy
lips and coy smiles. Who shall de-
scribe them? and what next? A kiss,
perhaps? Not over here. Oh, never!
They never do. They don't know
how, actually, don't know how, and
even peasant girls are closely guard
ed.
Fancy a young man in cotton kimo-
no and wooden clogs stealing a chance
to walk with his best girl under the
blooming cherry trees, explaining the
consultations and quoting sentimental
poetry; telling her that he .'huug up
on her evelids.n hat "her voice was
like IA temple gong" in fact, that he
loved but her alone, and then making
her several bows at the door of her ia
theirs straw : matched hut rs they
parted in the moonlight. Can any
American lover stretch his magma
ton enough to believe in a sweet
heart not kissing those pretty lips,
paint and all, by a sort of natural Sc
lection?"
IT'S a melancholy fact, but a Japan
csc has no such impulses. No lover
courts his mistress with sweetest per-
suasive kisses" No mother kisses her
baby as she cuddles it against her
bosom. A parting husband presses
the hand of his wife and bends his
forehead to the mats in sad farewell.
Our SITUATIONS u through the
crescendo of bow, hand-shake, kiss
and kiss. / can't explain the differ
ence in grade between the last two,
but everybody knows But in Japan
the expression of regard is regulated
by the number and length of the
salaams.
A friend who constantly travels
about the country told me of a little
Illustration in point. He had been on
the road for six weeks having with
him a native merchant who was inter-
terested in his business. On their re-
turn to Toxic ne accompanied the
broker to his home, a permit for the
nights visit having been obtained
from the local Inspector of police.
The wife met her husband and his
friend at the door and ushered them
in. Together they assisted their guest
to remove his coat. The wife next
took from her lord his wadded kimono
and other wraps and folded them
away.
Then, and not until then, did they
kneel upon the mats and bow long
and low to each other. "YOu have
been many weeks away from u.s."
said the wife in a sweet, atfectiOnate
voice. 1--WE have waited for you with
impotence. | hope that you are well,
dear lanoskesan." And he thanked
her and said he was.
My friend had been curious TO know
whether these fOrmalities which he
had always witnessed between &C
quaintances would be repeated be-
tween the devoted couple, who would
not feel restrained before an old friend.
| retold the tale to a select audience,
and added my opinion that the mis-
~sionaries might give the belated Japs
some pointers on earthly bliss when
instruction on the heavenly joys of
another life had vacation. Why not
get up classes to teach the art of kiss
ing, with some good old gray-headed
elders for instructors? That would be
quite harmless and proper. The girls
could learn if they began quite small.
TOXIC Special to San Francisco Chron-
icIe-