The Washington times., 1928-08-27
Flirting May Be
Innocent Fun,
Says Author
BY Beatrice Fairfax
An Authority on Problems Of
Love and Marriage

Love ana marriage
Are you a flirt?
Did you ever ask yourself this
question
just what is q flirt--have you
ever stopped to consider?
Here is a letter from girl
who never dreamed she was a
flirt, yet several of her friends
declare she does flirt. Ny cores
pondent is mystified and a little
disturbed,
Dear Miss Fairfax" she writes.
'.What in your own personal
opinion is flirt2f This question
has caused me considerable worry
lately.
II have been taught that
flirt Is a. girl who leads men on
without ever thinking Of giving
anything in return.
I'm only sixteen and | am
very active church worker. But
although I'm pretty and attrac-
tive, / never received much atten-
ton. You see I'm explained as
sort of slow motion or too
modest. Yet several times have
been told by my friends how
surprised they were because
Carried on such a Irritation
with Mr.. So-and-So.' And on one
occasion at picnic, l was In
formed that caught myself a
fellow and flirted with him all
day.
These little bits of news sort
OF took me by surprise and so
am seeking refuge in your
column. hope you will speak
your mind very plainly and I
anxiously await your reply
IN. p. b."
III it Is hard for you yourself to
decide whether you flirted. my
dear, it Is doubly hard for me TO
determine, because, you see, do
not know you personally.
Often a girl and a young man
feel genuine interest in and lik-
ing for each other--a pleasant at
traction founded on congenial
tastes which Is not and does not
pretend to be love. In such
case, because they laughed and
chatted together. possibly danced.
etroIled or rode together, they
might be mistakenly accused of
flirting.
Yet there Is just q little bit Of
the fiirt in almost every girl-just
q little OF the urge to make love
for fun without serious thought.
Possibly your friends detected
this impulse In you.
I believe you are slightly mis-
taken in the definition you give
aAf n fR.k ne wn5tSr lee T7rS ~
ON without thought OF giving in
return. That sort OF girl is
either deliberate coquette- pre-
tending love she does not feel,
trying to attract admiration just
TO crafty her own shallow pride
and conceit-or else she is what
is popularity known as a gold
digger and IL trying to attract
expensive attentions and gifts.
A flirt Is girl who plays at
love for amusement. She is usu-
ally thoughtless rather than q
deep schemer. Flirting is some
times deliberate, and 1t is always
cheap, because ii is a cheapening
I Of love. Moreover the game Of
Irritation is very dangerous for
the man and girl who play at it.
Coquetry deliberately deceives.
The flirt usually plays at love
without pretending to be in earn
est. Nevertheless, she is playing
with fire! If either she or the
man with whom she Is trifling
should suddenly become in earnest
at the game they have been play
ing a broken heart and possibly
tragedy might result. 1t often
- ~ TOD
becomes the victim of her own
Irritation, which develops into a
one-sided love affair.
1t is natural for women to try
to be attractive to men. Even
girl babies instinctiyely smile and
dimple and flutter fringed eye-
lashes to win masculine admira-
tion. There is no reason why
every girl should not perfect her
Unborn power to charm.
But when It comes to deliber-
ate Irritation be careful, won't
you. for at best it is a cheap pas
time, and it is about as safe as
playing with gunpowder. DELHI
crate coquetry is too insincere
and cruel to be worth discussing.
Make yourself as attractive and
charming as you can, M. p. B..
and enjoy the comradeship Of
nice young men. But my sugges-
tion is, watch yourself lest you
spoil wholesome comradeship by
flirtatiousness You can enjoy
the best OF good times and con-
genial friendships with men, and
when the right time comes win
the Right Man without stopping
to make :. pastime OF love or af-
feet "fondness'' you do not feel