Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-03-17
ETHICS OF KISSING.
4 woMANs VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT
or OSCILLATION.

rbc.c Men Upon Whom Modest
Mciden May Lavish Kisses without
Compunction and Those Toward
Whom She Should Play the Mtser.
There are still occasions, however
rare, when inactivity, much as 1t has
fallen into disfavor, continues to be
mastery. When modest maiden Is In
doubt as to whether or no she should
kiss or allow herself to be kissed by
any nan not related to her by close
ties of consanguinity, she best displays
her wisdom by giving herself, not him,
the benefit Of the doubt and so refrain
ing from OSCILLATION.
An absolutely safe list of men whom
it is allowable to kiss might be COM
piled from the list given In the BOOK OF
Common Prayer Of persons whom 1t Is
forbidden to marry. There can be no
possible improperly in any woman's
being kissed by her father, grandfather
brother, unc!es, ETC., whenever occa-
sion may offer. Still, public opinion Is
much less in favor of kissing than OF
wore, and affectionate greetings are
no LONGER considered good form in mar
ket places or what answers for them In
the present generation.
TO the prayer book may be added
cousins within the degrees forbidden in
marriage by the Roman Catholic
church, but these in moderation. The
Young man cousin who is greedy in the
matter of kisses from his pretty cousin
is not to be trusted. He
Should be denied
And set aside and mortified.
Kisses of greeting or parting, of good
night. good morning and of congratu-
lation are still general, although by no
means so frequent as they were Tor
merly. Indeed, kissing as a practice Is
much less popular than it once was.
Between doctors and the moralists 1t Is
constantly falling more and more into
disfavor while. still more fatal. Fasn'
ion, with a big +. sets her face as
flint against all demonstrations or feel
ing as ill bred.
All the same, the man who becomes
engaged to be married. as usual
thing. expects kiss from his 1iancee
to seal the bargain. not for publication
so TO say, but as guarantee OF gooo
faith on her part If she is willing tc
promise to marry him. he reasons, she
ought to be willing to let him kiss her
| Moreover, he desires kiss or Kisses
upon general principles as something
To which he is entitled by the unwrit
ten law of tradition. On the othei
hand. the party of the second part has
herself to consider in the matter. a
woman should be sure of her own bona
| fide intentions of matrimony ana dou
bly sure of those of her lover before
she sets such sign and seal to the
contract. Engagements or marriage are
by no means irrefragible. and she VINO
kisses least Is likely TO have leas
cause for future regret. AT all eVehts
prudrnt woman will wait until the
engagement IS announced before sht
permits any kissing. There are mer
who have serious objections to marry
ing any woman who has been engaged
to another man. for the simple reason
| that they do not choose that any maj
shall be able to say of the woman
whom they take to wife that he Ia:
kissed her as her lover. 1t matters lit
tie, rather more. that the kisses have
been given in good faith to an atiiancet
husband. It's a way men have.
Sir. she's yours
| You have brushed from the grape its sol
blue;
From the rosebud you've shaken the dell
cate dew.
What you've touched you may take
A noted lady killer" of past gener
alton who had been engaged man!
times and who boosted to his Intimate
that no woman had ever refused an OF
fer of his hand in marriage was one
asked why in that case he was still
bachelor. Because | am waiting unit
can find woman who will not per
NIT me to kiss her before we are mar
rleu, lie replied.
Even though woman be fully rs
sured of the inevitableness in due tim
of her marriage she will be wise not Il
be too liberal of her caresses. Mos
things in this world are rated as valua
BILE in direct proportion to their rarity
Were diamonds as common as pebble
they would be worth no more CONNER
cially than the common stones OF tn
beach and highway. Moreover. one ma.
have too much of Il good thing. kim
Midas story is an old one. TOO nue.
water drowned the miller" 1t is CON
mon practice with confectioners to al
low a new apprentice all the cana
which he or she can eat. certain that L
little while the surfeit of sweet WI
destroy all taste for sugar in any form
1t is human nature essentially to ur
of what we have much Of and to priz
most the fruit which hangs highes
and is most difficult to obtain.
Consequently the woman who
chary of her favors, who Is ni"garol
even with her caresses. will find tina
her lover values them all the more. an
that his respect. as well as his affet
ton. for her becomes the greater l
proportion as he hopes rather than
sure of her. 1t has long been maXir
that no man shall kiss and tell; never
theless. the woman is safest by far @
whom there is nothing which 1t wer
better 1t were left untold.-Helen Ole
field in Chicago Tribune.