Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-11-18
"coURTING STICKS"
The Unique Faahion Of Making Love
Old0n Times.

The Unique Fashion OF Making Love In
oldon Times.
In the early New England days, as
far back a. the middle of the eighteenth
century, when hospitality was prac.
tice as well as virtue, there was in
most houses . large assembly room,
and there the family and all the guests
and chance callers gathered on winter
nights about the blazing FIRE logs. We
know that youth was youth, and love
was love, and young men were timid
and maidens were shy, and courtshir
went on in those days.
How was counting possible in this
common room, where every word was
heard and every look taken notice of i?
We read in the admirable volume of the
recent Centennial of Longmeadow,
Mass, by Prof R. S. Storrs Of that
town, that in the winter evenings for
the convenience of young lovers, since
there was no next ROOM" counting
sticks were used; that is long wooden
tubes that could convey from lip to ear
sweet and secret whispers. Was this
invention peculiar to Longmeadow?
It is charming picture that this calls
up Of life in Puritan household, this
tubular love making, the pretty girl
(nearly every girl is pretty in the fire.
light of long ago. seated in one stiff
high-backed chair, and the staid but
blushing lover in another. handling the
counting stick, itself an open confes.
sion of something more than liking, if
not of true love.
Would the young man dare to say 81
love you" through tube, and would
he feel encouraged by the laughing,
tender eyes OF the girl when she re-
piled through the same passage "Do
te1l?" Did they have two sticks so that
one end of one could be at the ear, and
the end Of the other at the mouth all
the while? How convenient, when the
young man got more ardent than seem
~, for the girl to put her thumb over
the end of the tube and stop the
flow of soul! Did the young
man bring his stick, and SO an
nounce his intention, or did the
young lady always keep one or a pair
on hand, and 20 reveal willingness or
expectation? 1t certainly was more
convenient than the telephone. Lovers
can make love with anything, even
with telephone; the successful court
Ing OF deaf person (for there is one
word that nearly every one likes to
hear), as we know, can go on through
speaking trumpet; but these counting
sticks seem to Us the ne plus ultra Of
tender communication-whe a third
person IL present They would be use
full at large parties, where there is such
din and babble one can only court q
pretty girl at the risk of bronchitis or
laryngttts- Sometimes in the lam YOU
can not get near the object of your de-
votion, but with q long counting stick
you could vile her away from her too
ardent admirer. This invention seems
worthy OF revival for many reasons.
Civilization In its progress drops q good
many things that ought to be retained.
Christian 1t Work
The Most Desirable VOCATION
Fathsr-''My child, what do you wish
to be ?" Son-'Delcgate TO imperial
diet" Fathor-''Whys 20 ?'' Son-"Be-
cause they have 90 many holidays."-
Cincinnati VolksfTeund.
The Early Bird.
Ethel-Do you Ike Mr.. Eames, man.
ma?
Mamma e young widow)-why.
yes, AaTliaS.
Ethel-And Mr.. Webster?
Mamma-Yes. dear.
Ethal-Ana Mr.. Fish, and Mr.. Dixon,