The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1894-06-28
WHY PEOPLE BLUSH.
Fear Is tho Truo Cause, and Old Peonl,
Rarely DO 1t.

Rarely D0It.
why DO people blush? Certain emo:
tlons cause kind of syncope. The heart
stops for al instant, and regainine
strength Immediately it acts in O stron.
ger manner and sends tho blood racine
INTO the arteries. So much for the phys.
biological portion Of tho question, but we
wish to know what causes tlcso ONO.
tions,
Darwin explained this by Say ing that
when we perceive on fancy that we arc
pelng criticised OF closely observed our
whole attention is forcibly directed to
ourselves and is especially concentrated
upon our comtenancc. When particu-
lar part OF the body becomes tho object
or such concentrated attention, it's work
ing is greatly modified We see u good
example Of this in tho immediate effect
produced upon tho saliva by thinking Of
q lemon. Our faco reddens Oh tho same
principle. The veins relax and are filled
with arterial blood.
This explanation is not quite satisfac-
tory, and other theories have been put
forward with moro or less success. The
| latest is that Of Mr.. Molinard, which is
| at least original. We blush through
modcsty, timidity, bashfulness and con.
fusion. Praise makes us blush--that il
modcsty. Now, what takes place within
us? Something very simple This praise
pleascs us, but we do not wish that fact
to be perceived. Take case of timid-
ity. A schoolboy is asked question
which he cannot answer He wishes to
hide his ignorance, which may expose
him to punishment or the gibcs of his
fellow scholars. He turns red
1t is the same with confusions We
have done something which we wish to
hide, and we are afraid that it will be-
come known. In short, the moral state
is identical i'll all cases. We rcdden be-
cause we feel that people are finding out
something which we wish to hide.
M. Melinard cndcaYorS to demonstrate
tho correctness Of his theory by showing
that when the fear of being "unmasl1ed"
is removed there is no blushing In tho
case Of lovers we find at first that they
blush when they meet because they are
desirous to hide their sentiment. After.
ward thcrc isl no sign of blush because
each knows that tho other is aware of
his or her sentiments and is no longer
'''i i"i\t VI til'll kllOWH.
a child does not blush. That is be-
canS" he has no idea Of hiding anything.
AS soon as he becomes old enough to
understand that it may be TO his inter
est not TO tell all that he has tlono or all
that passes in his mind he begins to
rcddcn Ii is the samc with idiots The
fear OF being unnaskcd does not exist
and there is no bluShing.
Fear, then, is the cause Of This change
Of cUuntcnancr, according to NJ. Mcli-
nald. We are more likely to turn red in
front OF a number Of people than when
wo are face to face with ono on two
only. Old people blush very seldom be-
cause they are not troubled with the foar
that other people will find them out.
This is 4 novel theory, With some good
points, but there aro several objections
to it. 1t is n fact that we blush invol-
unfairly; Wo blush when we havo moth
ing at all To hide in the presence of pco.
pie concerning whom we arc quito i'll
different.
Girls and boys will sometimes turn
red when ono inquiries about tho health
of their father, mother or lit1lo brother.
That old people do not blush much is
owing not to the fact that they have
nothing to hide but because they know
better how to dissimnlatc.
According To NJ. Mclinard's theory,
all old people must DO paragons Of vir-
tue and all young ones just tho oppo.
site, which wo beg leave to doubt.
Nevertheless thero is some truth in
this new theory, and a study Of this in
connection with the Darwinian theory
mentioned above will lead to some posi-
tive explanation Of the psychology Of
blushing Atlanta Constitution.