Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-06-25
OF KISSES AND KISSING.

OF KISSES AND KISSING.
New York Tribune.
Turning, reluctantly we confess, from
an interesting newspaper discussion a
to why, after a man has spent severa
years in hard whisky-drinking he see
snakes instead of birds of paradise, We
come by an abrupt step to considera
tion of the latter day state of kissing il
this country. We need not stop to trace
the history of kissing from the first
efforts in that direction on the part OF
Adam and Eve down to the present
time-indeed, it seems to have but little
history-it has always been the same
and has always been generally INDUCED
in. Kisses may be divided into several
classes, as, the mothers kiss, the sisters
kiss, the conjugal kiss, the lovers kiss,
the young woman novelist kiss, and so
forth. OF these, all are entirely proper
except the young woman novelist kiss,
which should never be indulged in ex-
cept on paper. The Others have never
been prohibited by civilized people.
That is, never till within the last two or
three weeks, and then only in Boston
and Philadelphia, but it none the less
needs the severest condemnation; in
deed, to prohibit kissing in Boston and
Philadelphia, where existence at the
best is dreary, is the height of cruelty.
Two weeks ago a Boston young man
of good family and of excellent position
in society was standing, late at night,
with his wife in doorway 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 beguile the time, slipped one arm
about her waist and "kissed her two or
three times" But the proceedings were
seen by eagle-eyed Officer 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
discharged them on account
of their previous good character, but
with warning not to do it again. 1t
is the understanding now that there
must be no more kissing in public, and
the pleasant pastime has been abandoned
the city.
This was in Boston and was not,
But who thought to see Philadelphia
follow Boston's ignoble lead? Still, that
IS what she has done, and worse. Two |
)r three days ago Isaac Purnell and |
Sallie Senseman, young people who hope |
soon to be married, were wandering |
land in hand along quiet street in
Philadelphia at about nine o'clock in
he evening. The street was deserted,
Is is usual with Philadelphia streets
The affection between the young folks
vas strong and they stopped in the
hadow of a large tree and kissed each
'ther once. They did not know that
officer Stanton was infesting the neigh
but he was, and he arrested
hem and took them to the police
tatiOn. There the learned magistrate
leld them for the grand jury. The
lext day this able body of citizens in
icted them for assault and battery
pon each other. They insisted that
hey had done nothing of the kind. but
he State of Pennsylvania insisted that
hey had, and now the Philadelphia
apers are gravely and unfeelingly
peculating as to. the term of imprison-
lent that they will probably have to
ndergo.
1t seems to us that this is the most
Iretched business that we have heard
f for many years. If the Boston and
idea spreads and becomes
eneral, the people of the United States
lay as well emigrate to Russia, or to
)me other comparatively free country,
here the right to kiss and to be kissed
not questioned. We gladly return to
he consideration of the question why
hisky- y-drinking gentlemen observe ser
ents, crocOdiles and other reptiles of a
ibulous age.