Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-03-09
WHERE THERE'S NO KISS
Britisher Talks on How People
in Different Countries Greet
Each Other After Long
Absences

rs''ohaSS vi Lieut. Henry NlnS, OIL
Chester, England, was In the city yes.
terday Ell route to Florida. and In
an Interview with Reporter of The
News and Courier talked most Inter
estingly of his travels throughout the
world. giving accounts of the queer
customs and conventions of many
clinics. During her Majesty, Queen
Victoria's lifetime he Mas among her
troops in India. and was detached to
many posts throughout the world at
large. in this way becoming familiar
with every phase of life.
Lieut. King did not live IN Chester
after he had attained 10 years of uge.
nut he referred to the quaint old
city, with It's decorated shops and
covered sidewalks with the greatest
tenderness, and said that he could ro-
member quite well the days when he
and his young playmates would test
endurance by the number of old Ro.
man walls. which, intact, still sur.
nnded the city. He alluded to tho
Dee as tho most peaceful and most
beautiful" of rivers, which still held
the same charm for him II had held
III hoyhood. II was quite pathetic to
see his devotion TO the native town,
In spite of the sunbrown on his fuce
which told in brief tho history of
his life.
Lieut. King talked at length of his
travels, In most learned way, and
among other things discussed the diff.
ierent ways In, which people showed
their emotions In different places and
countries. He said that kiss and
embrace were supposed to be the OK.
preston OF love everywhere, but In
reality the kiss was only one express.
sion OF affection IN outward physical
motion. When the reporter smiled
knowingly, ms II there were no place
where kiss did not mean the same
way, he became quite enthvs!a IN
trying to unbias his mind. AID ,as.
why, there are places where such
a thing MS IA kiss Is entirely unknown
The lips do not serve the sang pur
pose for all people that 1t does for
you here In America and many other
parts OF the world. A caress with the
hand, the nose, the tongue, a nat on
the back and various other substitutes
serve just as well. II IL true that
Western civilization hold TO the kiss
rs the greatoBt expression of dcvo-
ton. Men IN our climes hold with
paolo ManteGazza In saying. Fear,
religion, interest, space and time may
separate lovers, but the kiss thoy
have exchanged will hold them to-.
gether." The kiss is In truth the
sealing. wax. IL YOU will excuse the
figure, of speech. Darwin Is correct In
saying that kissing Is unknown In the
Malays, the Andamans, Fueglans, the
Ialtians, Paupans, Australians ana the
Somals, of Africa.
"On my travels. noticed these lit.
tie distinctions In conventionalitles,
ana was at first very much amused to
see that the Malays expressed their
feeling of endearment by touching
noses. They prefer this organ be.
cause they feel that we breathe
through 1t, and therefore IL Is nearer
the soul and life of man. When they
saw us kissing which we did. of
course, merely for their delectatlon,
they seemed very much amused.
1t was fully as amusing to the An.
daman islanders, who occasionally
rub noses. but more frequently use
the eye in greeting each other. |
nave often seen husband come In
from long absence. and throw his
arms around his wire's neck, weeping
and actually bowling az IL they had
lost n very dear friend. However,
they always end up In more cheer
iul mood. He then always proceeds
to call on his relatives and acauaint.
ances, going through the same per-.
formancc.
The African husband never kisses
his wife. He holds himself too much
aloof. and acts as il he were going
through some kind OF incarnation
when lie meets her after an absence,
On this occasion the Mandigo wife
meets her husband and throws herself
on the ground at his feet as token
OF greeting. In other places tho
women kneel and rise clapping their
hands. in a truly child-like way.
The Dahomians greet their hns.
bands with the greatest possible dig.
hlty, railing PROSTATE on the ground
ana throwing sand upon their heads.
The husband stands for a few mo.
ments overlooking her and then com.
mands her to rise. The Tongans do
likewise. only they go so far as to
tear their hair and beat their breasts.
The New Zealanders. like tho Ma.
lays. believe that the soul is In tho
nose, or rather that two souls meet
through contact of the noses. The hus.
band gives vent to his joy IN the Tan.
q, Kind of bitter crying and moan
ing ending finally In a merry laugh"
Lieut. King then smiled and said:
DO, not look so shocked. but in Poly.
nesia the husbands strokes his wife's
lace, sometimes with his hand but
more frequently with his foot. In
Australia, he is content with patting
her on the back"
In q 1ovial. good-natured way. he
added: "All of these ways of showing
love are In vogue in certain remote
parts or the world but our way is
lnStl a. fEAs. u -.