Middletown transcript., 1894-07-14
changed are noticed, it will be found

changed are noticed, it will be found
that the salute is on the air.
Instead of being regarded IA a mes
senger of love the kiss is suspected OF
being a harbinger of disease; the re-
cipient is always afraid of catching
something. 1t may be Insignificant,
but observation shows that the
healthiest people are least addicted to
the kissing habit. Nature abhors it;
In in fancy there is no Disgusting the
aversion. The fat sweet baby sub
mits to the torture rapacious affection
as the quickest way of escape. Chill
dren let alone do very little kissing,
and parents who know the danger to
which they are exposed to resent the
familiarity. George Francis Train is
not the only New Yorker who holds
that kissing is pernicious and exhaus-
tive, Physicians and surgeons in
every clinic and every important
case denounce the practice. Their
own babies are never kissed by wis.,
itors and rarely-on the cheek-by
friends.
July Liberty or death, flags and
fireworks were the order of the day
on the Fourth. | set fire to package
on the piazza in the morning and
otherwise disported myself as a gay
young thing, much to the anxity of
my mother. There were fireworks
over the water in the evening, and
they looked very lovely from the
boat house balcony, where we sat and
ate frappe add felt patriotic.
In the morning an intense longing
to possessed me. Mamma objected
mildly. She wanted to know what
on earth I could buy in Salem, butI
knew 1 could buy something. So 1
gathered together some of the school
girls who are now my sworn admirers
and try to initiate me in every partic-
ular and started. We were ferried
to the town by the dear old Captain
and took the open cars. The cars
here have such fascinating habit of
wandering through sweet, green
country roads and giving one delic-
ious glimpses of the sea. We sat on
the front seat and ate candy in a pie
beian fashion that enjoyed extreme
ly. When we reached Salem of course
the stores were all closed and the
city given over to small boys and
young men who flaunted their pa
triotism in our faces by setting off fire
crakers about the car. We all drank
soda water in nice little drug strore
with white painted counters and walls
and then we rode disconsolately home
again, having failed to spend our
money.
In the evening we went over to the
boat house and danced and fiirted
Then we sat around and looked at the
rockets as they shot into the air and
dropped into the sea. 4 slightly
pious person who devoted himself to
me insisted upon about our
country and the Declaration Indepen-
dence and things.
'Tell me frankly, Miss Lakewater,"
he said, with the air of of stump
speaker, "do you think that under our
form of government we
have progressed far beyond the civil
Iation Of monal chical countries?'
1 was slightly nonplussed for a
moment, as I have never been a stu
bent of comparative civilization or
hny thing of that sort. But l answered |
with an air of finality:
Indeed do not"
81 felt sure of it." said he: 81 was |
certain you would agree with me.
And why do you hold those views?"
Because said" solmenly |
In monarchical England they have
drawing room of great splendor. and
to be presented at one in the crown
Ing glory of civilization. What has
America to compare with the privi-
|ege of kissing the Queens hand and
backing out of her presence on the
rain of your court gown"
Whereupon the solemn mansaid he
feared I was fIppant. Fearing he was
koipg to try to convert me, sent
him to get me an ice, and while he
Fas gone l escaped. Still, l had
bleasant time.