The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-02-15
ATLANTA'S KISSING EpIDENIn
{ Baltimore Sum

baltimore Snu.1
Accounting to Mrs. Joseph King>ha~--
a prominent society woman Of .ArIa-.,'
TIA. an epidemic Is raging in thar ,.'
II ~ not yellow fever, or. worse Wei ~.
/ low journalism. but she considers
serious enough to justify a special war.
ing on the subject. The epidemic Is an
epidemic of kissing. and demands. N-,
kingsberry thinks. stern rrrre>>.,.
measures. snch as the admonitory L., 49,
the raternal boot. Most Of the hlar.
she seems inclined to place upon n-rr..
tiouS and impudent young men. 81.
says:
Il remember once years ago. when fg.
kissing fad waS IN vogue. that n swt,
young debutantc went with Ii fashion
able young man 70 a very fine affair. AZ
ter dancing he proposed a rest in a quiz
nook among tn palms. There he cody
put his arm about her II kiss her. ut
course she was indignant. us any rightly
reared girl would be. He was not in ,ha
least disturbed by the indignation At his
impertinence, but coolly told her hot
IL be a prude or she couldn't be II >u..
cess in society. Doubtless 50 talk Tn,
fine young men nnder the palm and ou
the piaZZaS. wishing to he seen Of other
men in their role OF 'iEishers.' In char
ity let uS suppose that the girls they
kissed We're taken by surprise and did
not know what 10 do. Let me advise
Them right here IL drop those youuA
men from their visiting lists: they may
not be wicked, but they are unworthy"
There j. no question that the society
Il man Of the present day is very
often inclined 10 h" p~rcSumptnouS ana
impertinent. There is frequently Il not
an III lnct- ~ 41a - "a 49,. .s
respectful courtesy wfhi,il formerly char
acterized the barring OF gentlemen 10
war; ladies. Burt whether the meal arr.
wholly OF mainly 10 blame for this,
where 1t exists. may Well be doubted.
There are very few men. no matter how
fmpudent. Who cannot Ire checked by 4
Wulnan who desires TO check them. There
are some who are not amenable 10 any
cure except the intervention of male
or social oStraciSm. Such of
fenSiye creatures can be dealt with 10y
the proper authorities. whom the girls
can summon in time of need. But. as
we have said. there are very few Young
whom the girls themselves cannot
keep in order without the assistance nt
or The police. AS Il rule.
girls, are not kissed against their wills.
average man may he no better than
he should be. but generally in the mat
of labkal privilege he has at least
reason for thinking that Eve Of
fers him the rosy fruit. Sometimes it
s simply his s~elfconccit and egotiSIn
suggest ii. 1t such cases NE de.
serves all the punishment he may re-
GIVE. But if the woman gives to him
md he feasts, he may Ire q very weak
md "nnworthy' young man. but ne
be more or less than human 10
efuSe. From Adams time to the pres
mt he has nearly always s~,,ccumbed.
he remedy in Atlanta and elsewhere il
n the hands of the girls. They ought
realize, if they don't, that familiarity
reeds contempt, and that while the
and good c~omradeShip that
laracteriZe the relations of the young
men and young woTl4An of the day
re- all right. Il women is {: woman for
. that. and though she ride n bicycle
r wear boomers. she Snofild never Der
her male friends to forget the re-
courtesy that are due her rs II
lady. 'tt ~ at
Mrs. Kingsberry does not object to
genuine, honest kissing for real love"
NAT, she says, goes on forever, like the
,ng OF the brook, because it is mature"
nd so say We all. If. is impossible t..
ace an embargo upon kissing, or to de-
ounce it shocking except electrically
IN principle or practice. But it should o.
.ke place under the sanction Of the true
hi honest god of love. Girls lips should
Ct be nike roses whose honey may he.
pped by every bee that comes along.
he bees think no worse OF the lowers
that account, but young men respect
rlS in proportion as they respect them
ives. IL young men want kisses, the
Els should insist on IA regular matri-
onral engagement, known and ap-
owed by their friends, before they let
EN- go ahead. ME- they may be as
lppy as they please and indulge in Mrs.
lngberryS epidemic to their hearts
ntent. No young man who is not will
& 10 be married has any right to
feminine favors.