The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-04-24
ONLY A TRAMP.
NO. IL.

AeCs come down to facts and figures.
tlgures never lie but liars figure some
times. Everybody kisses q ought to
Kiss. Then, everybody is interested in
a KISS. Show me a maiden upon whose
IImpid cheeks there turks the sweet
ness OF a pansy or violet who does not
believe in the royalty of a kiss and I'll
show you a novelty. Show me a man
who has never felt the timid blush of
glory glow upon his brow as he kisses
away the golden moments and I'll
snow you either an old bachelor or a
crank. Show me any mortal who has
neVer felt the heartfelt rapture of a
good-night's kiss and I'll show you one
weary, sad and disconsoIate. Kisses
are emblematic of love and virtue, and
L don't believe any one can go far in
tne fields of vice and crime so long as
some loved n gives him a warm,
sweet kiss in the morning or at even
tide. They show forth love, they bind
hearts together in silken cords of affec-
ton, they make life worth living, they
lead to Heaven. The memory of my
salnted Moravian mothers kiss comes
to me now sometimes when I am tired
and weary, and, ali, what a pleasure
1t Is to muse on those by-gone kisses
and what an inspiration they are to
me to go forth to battle for truth and
right. And oftentimes methinks a hear
the echo of my mothers kisses coming
from over the battlements of Heaven
reckoning me upward and onward to
higher aspirations. The nearer we
keep to the sweet dreams, the tender
loves, the ambrosial themes Of child
hood the happier we shall be. The
farther we go or LIES road the rougher
1T gets, and it is we'll at least, to some
times linger by the wayside and look
back over the fowery paths of youth
which we once trod. And as we do
so the kindest oasis that gems the way
guarded by the queen of love is q kiss.
l am aware that kisses are placed by
some only in the garnet of poetry and
fiction and sentimentalism, but I wish
to advocate them upon higher, upon
grander grounds. Let common sense
talk in this matter. You gain my re-
spect, you gain my love and you can
control, to a certain extent, my char
acter and my destiny. A kiss of love
is the nearest way to mortal hearts
that I know anything about, therefore,
I argue that by a careful system of
this kind one can accomplish great
good. There's many a wanderer out
on the mountains black and cold, who
can be brought back into the fold by a
soft, sweet kiss. Of course a promis-
cuous system of kissing might not
redown to the greatest benefit to
humanity, yet there is a time for such
things.
There is a time I know full we'll, a
place I know just where. There is
many an angel in Heaven borne there
by the influence of some loved ones
kiss and there are countless souls in
that other kingdom brought there by
the want of a kiss, and there is many
a soul in North Carolina lit up with
rapture this very day because some
soft lips kissed away their care and
sorrow.
OF there's a magic sweetness-a
nameless estacy-reaected from a kiss
which inspires and ennobles ones
whole nature. I plead for no theology
or creed whose aim is to make man
kind sadder or lonelier, but l do love
those themes whose tendency is to
pluck up the thorns and thistles from
life's garden and plant flowers and
fruits in their place. There r now
too many lone signs of sorrow lading
the winds and waves. There are
too many pillows damp with the
tears of woe. There r far too
few smiles and far too many frowns.
There are too many hearts crushed l n
sadness. And the greatest phllan-
'throplst of the century is he who
makes the people happier and better,
who brushes away tears and lights up
smiles, who cheers hearts and gladens
lives, who carries our burdens and
lights a lamp of love each moment in
some heart. Yes, sir, he's the friend
of humanity today. He's nearer to
the true science of living than half the
theologians. Now, how can there be
done better than by the kiss Of love9
It's the most eloquent thing in the
world, and it conquers ere it tires.
And he who cheers sad souls, who
makes tear stained eyes laugh for joy,
will be the genius of the coming CEN
+,,ru +hoD bo who ia the most antitrust