New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-17
or Kisses and KISSING.

Turning reluctantly we confess, from an lh'cl
.s.iro rewsnaner discussion as to why, after a
mon has snent several years in hard whiSxey
dinl,inc no secs snakes instead Of birds oil para
disc we come by an abrupt step to consldera-
tion NJ the latterday state of kissing in this coun
try. We need not stop to trace the history Vi
,;ss;no from the first efforts in that direction on
the mart of Adam and Eve down to the present
time-indeed, 1t seems to have but little history
IT, has always been the same and has always been
generally INDUCED In. Kisses may be divided ih.o
several classes, as, the mothers KISS, the sS'er
kiss the conjugal kiss, the lovers KISS, the Sou'S
woman novelist kiss, and so FORTH vi tnese' d"
are entirely proper except the young woman ho'er
ist kiss, which should never be INDUCED III eA-
cont ON paper. The others have never been' pro-
hibitcd by a civilized people. That is, never I'LL
within the last two or three weeks, and then
only In Boston and Philadelphia, but it none the
less needs the severest condemnation; indeed, 10
nrohibit kissing In Boston and Philadelphia where
ex:Ience at the best is dreary, is the height OF
cruelty.
Two weeks ago o Boston young man OF good
family and of excellent position in society yas
standing, late at night, with his wife in door
way waiting for an East Boston car. East Boston
cars come slowly up that way, and, since his
wife was young and pretty, he naturally, to be-
auile the time, slipped one arm about
her waist and kissed her two or three times. U
But the proceedings seen by eagle-eyed On1cer
Mcguire, who was in doorway on the opposite
side Of the street, and who promptly arrested
them and took them TO the station-hOuse on a
charge of disorderly conduct. The next morning
the Boston Judge reluctantly discharged them on
account Of their previous good character, but with
a warning not to do it again. 1t is the under
standing in Boston now that there must be no
more kissing in public, and the pleasant pastime
has been abandoned throughout the city.
This was in Boston and was not, perhaps on
the whole, 30 surprising. But who thought to see
Philadelphia follow Bostons ignoble lead? Still,
that is what she has done, and worse. Two or
three days ago Isaac Purnell and Sallie Sense
man, young people who hope soon to Ike mar
ried. were wandering hand and hand along quiet
street In Philadelphia at about nine o'clock IN
the evening. The street was deserted. as is usual
with Philadelphia streets The affection between
the young folks was strong and they stopped
in the shadow of a. large tree and kissed each
other once. They did not know that officer
Stanton was infesting the neighborhood, but he
was. and he arrested them and took them to the
notice station. There the learned magistrate held
them for the grand jury. The next day this
able body of citizens indicted them for assault
and battery upon each other. They insisted that
they had done nothing Of the kind, but the
State of Pennsylvania insisted that they had,
and now the Philadelphia papers are gravely and
unfeelingy specializing as TO the term OF I'M
| prisonment that they will probably have to
undergo.
1t seems to US that this is the most wretcheu
| business that we have heard of for many years.
| II the Boston and Philadelphia idea spreads and
becomes general the people of the United states
may as well emigrate to Russia, or to some other
comparatively free country. where the right to
| kiss and to be kissed is not questioned. we
uladly return to the consideration Of the
question why whiskey-drinlEing gentlemen OBJ
serve serpents, crocodiles and other reptiles OF
| a bibulous age.