The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-13
AT1lANrA's KISSING EPIDEMIC
Baltimore Sum-

| According to Mrs. Joseph kingSberry,
1 n prominent society woman of Atlanta,
| Ga. an epidemic is raging in that city.
| 1t is not yellow fever, or, worse yet, yell
| low Journalism, but she considers IT
serious enough to justify special warn
ing on the subject. The epidemic IS an
epidemic of kissing, and demands, Mrs.
| Kingsberry thinks. stern repreSSlVe
measures. such as the admOnitory toe of
| the paternal boot. Most of the blame
she seems inclined to place upon hlrta-
| tious and impudent young men. She
says:
| Il remember once years ago, when the
| kissing fad was III vogue. that II sweet
young debutante went with a fashion
able young man to Il very fine affair." At
ter dancing he proposed Il rest in Il quiet
nook among tn palms. There he cOolly
put his arm about her to kiss her. OF
cours ,ne was indig ant, aIs any rightly
reared girl would be. He was not in the
| least disturbed by the Indignation at his
| imPertinence, but coolly told her not
to be prude or she couldn't he u sue
cess in society. Doubtless so talk the
| fine young men under the palm and on
the piaZzaS, wishing to be seen of other
men in their role Of Washers. In char
| ity let us suppose that the girls they
kissed were taken by surprise and did
not know what to do. Let me advise
them right here to drop those yOuna
men from their visiting lists; they may
not be wicked, but they are unworthy.
There is no question that the society
young man of the present day is very
often inclined to be prcsumptltOuS and
impertincnt. There is frequently Il not
able lack of the Difference of manner ana
respectful courtesy which formerly char
acterized the bearing of gentlemen to-
ward ladies. But whether the men are
wholly or mainly to blame for this,
where it exists. may we'll be doubted.
There are very few men, no matter how
| impudent. who cannot be checked by a
woman who desires to check them. There
| are some who are not Hmenable to any
cure except the intervention of male
relatives or social oStracism. Such Of
| fenSive creatures can be dealt with by
the proper authorities. whom the girls
can summon in time of need. But, as
we have said. there are very few young
Imen whom THE girls themselves cannot
keep in order without the assistance of
patcrfamiies or the police. As Il rule,
| girls, are not kissed against their wills.
he should be. but generally in the mat
ter Of labial privilege he has at least
some reason for thinking that Eve Of
| fenS him the rosy fruit. Sometimes it
| is simply his self-cnceit and egotiSm
| that suggest it. 1t such cases he de
serves all the punishment he may re
ceive. But if the woman gives to him
and he feasts. he may lie Il very weak
fl1vrs hut Ip
| would be more or less than human to
refuse. From Adams time to the pres
ent he has nearly always succumbed.
The remedy in Atlanta and elsewhere is
| in the hands of the girls. They ought
| to realize, if they don't, that familiarity
breeds contempt, and that while the
friendliness and good comradeship that
characterize the relations of the young
men and young women of the day
are all right, woman is woman for
a. that, and though she ride ii bicycle
| or wear boomers. she should never per
NIT her male friends to forget the re-
spect and courtesy that are due her as
lady.
Mrs. Kingsberry does not object to
genuine, honest kissing for real love"
That, she says, goes on forever, like the
And so say we all. 1t is impossible to
place an embargo upon kissing or to de-
| nounce it shocking-except electrically
lin principle or practice. But it should
take place under the sanction Of the true
and honest god of love- Girls lips should
not be like roses whose honey may be
slipped by every bee that comes along,
The bees think no worse of the flowers
ar haf =
girls in proportion as they respect them.
selves. If young men want kisses, the
girls should insist on regular matri-
monial engagement, known and APP
proved by their friends, before they let
them go ahead. Then they may be as
happy as they please and indulge in Mrs.
Kingberry's epidemic to their hearts
content. No young man who is not will
| ing to be married has any right to
those feminine favors.