The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-16
HISTORY OF KISSING.
IN BYGoNE YEARS IT WAS A FEE
 LIGIoUS CEREMONIAL.
Introduced Into England by Royalty The Kisses of Some Notable Peo- pie Which Have Caused Much
 Trouble in Various Ways.

There is an old fable of the first kiss which leads us to suspect that the pleas ing pastlime may be Of Greek orlgm. Ing story goes that a beautiful young snep- heruess, found an opal on one or the nils of Greece, and wishing to give 1t to a young shepherd, whose hands were busy with his -ilock, let him take it from her lips with his own. Thus the Kiss was invented and perhaps the popular super, sutton against the opal may be traced back to this same incident, for osculation has been fraught with great moment In the world history.
 Numerous instances occur in Holy. Writ which proves that kissing was rengious ceremonial. Thus we read how men sa- luted the sun, moon and stars by Kissing the hand-a superstition Of which Jop says he was never guilty, the same honor having been tendered to Baal.
 Some of the passages in the Bible where 1t is mentioned are replete with softness and tenderness, while others teem with treachery and revenge. Ja- cobs interview with Rachel at he we'll Joseph reception of his brethren. Moses greeting his father-in-law, Jethro; Da- vid's kiss of peace to his erring son, Ab- salon, and to his friend Jonathan, and the passionate kisses bestowed upon our Savior s feet by the repentant Magdalen. are a few of the former class. Jacob 8 kiss, in which he robbed Esau of his birthright; Jacobs treacherous salute of Amasa before his murder of the latter, and that dreadful one Of the traitor ju. das, which has become the type or al treachery, are some of the most remark able cases in point of the latter category.
 The Greeks were in the' habit or KISS ing the lips. hands, knees or feet in salu- tations, according as they considered the the "Iliad ." we zee Priam kissing the hands and embracing the knees or Achii- les. while he pleads for the body of Hec- tor. Similar instances might be quoted from the Aeneid.
 Kissing was an act of religion In an- cIent Rome. The nearest friend of dy- ing person performed the rite Of receiV- ing his soul by kiss. supposing that It escaped through his lips at the moment of expiration.
 Later. in Rome, near relatives were all lowed to kiss their female kindred on the mouth, but this was done in order to know whether they smelt of wine. be- cause the Roman ladies, In spite Of the prohibition, were sometimes found to have made too free with the juice of the grape.
 It is said that kissing was first intro duced into England by royalty. The British monarch Vortigern gave a-ban- quet in honor of his Scandinavian allies, at which Rowena, the beautiful daughter of IIengist, was present. During the pro- ceedings the princess. after pressing a astonished and delightful monarch with | a little kiss, after the manner of her peo- pie.
 The giving or withholding of kiss by royalty has often been fraught with great | consequences, as when in 1169 Henry Il refused to give Beckett the kiss of peace | the usual pledge of reconciliation in vogue at that time-it was accepted a: l fatal and so it subsequently, proved. The most honorable royal kiss on record ] Is that which Queen Margaret of France 1 in the presence of the whole court, ont
 day imprinted on the lips of the ugliest l man in the kingdom. Alain Chartier | whom she found asleep. To those around | her she said: 'I do not kiss the man
 but the mouth that has uttered so many
 charming things. | A King can give Judas kiss as wei l as any one else. An instance of this 1: l found in the treacherous kiss which. ir | French fashion. James l imprinted upor | either cheek of his ex-favorite. the in' | famous Earl of Somerset, implicated 1T l OverburyJ mysterious murder in tn
 bloody Tower When Somerset was ar | rested. James, who had ordered the ar
 rest, kissed Somerset in seeming friend
 liness, mutter4ng however as the dool | closed behind the Earl, "Go thy ways-l l l see thy face no more" | Among the serious kisses may be men
 toned those of Antony and Cleopatra
 and of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn | Both of these, it is said, shook an em Are and destroyed a religion.