MALE FLIRTS.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 52, 28 September 1878, Page 4

MALE FLIRTS.

! Even more despicable than the petticoat, couquette is this male flirt. If he is at heart, a Lothario, he way be defined as knave as well as foul. A would-be seducer should he, though to often he is not, out of the pa e of civilisation. But there are hundreds of men who—from no moral motives, lint simp'y for the sake of social peace, and avoidance of the cold shoulder hereafter in otner families to which they have tho entree—would not entertain any idea, of actual seduction, and yet will lay themselves out to win the affections of girls from no othor motive than sheor oonoeit and vanity. With women who have been out for several seasons, whether married or single, they do not .succeed in doing so' much barm ; such women, if not conquetts, snub their advanoeß if not relished; or, if they in their turn fire ilirtingly disposed, the game commonly resolves itself into diamond cut diamond. Experienced male flirts realize this, and their prey is, for choioe, young girls in their teens. The flirt himself may be conscious that he cannot afford matrimony, and may bo too old a stager to lose his own heart, whilo be cannot afford to pay for the luxury; but it is pleasant to " spoon," and to feel omself an object of interest in some gontle brcst ; it tickles his vanity to hear his nam* coupled with this or that attractive debutante. Tho latter has, probably never been tnado love to before. 'l'm be asked for a fourth v;i!so. to.bo solicited to til out a square dance or two ip tbobaloohy, or to dawdle for hull' un hour in the supper room listening to soli speeches, flatters her, and, though she may be- heartwhole at the (puts;;, aht) may soon rind her wiugs burned, tho more .so because her limitod experience and ocquainianoe at the commencement of her career often prevent her from enjoying that ssfety in numbers, which a multitude of admirers iti past and present seasons afford the older bell. A talented mala flirts surpasses in his line even the genius of • Tiessilian. He knows the tactics for each

stage of the game, when to be t. nd r and dutiful, when touppear piqued, and when to strengthen his position by a judicious display of a modicum of attention to some rival belle, so as to arouse a feeling of jealousy in his prey. The Iqtter has perhaps not realized the inroad upon ln>r own heart until the stroko of bringing a rival upon the scene is attempted. If this is carried only to the right extent, sufficiently to excite jealousy, without arousing utter disgust, indignation and, ostragement, the fetters which till then were silken, and hardly felt by the victim, begin to turn to chains. The fliTt has then won his game ; he may toy with it till he is tired of it, or until his heartleasness is exposed unci realized by the girl, or until parents ancV guardians ask his intentions and find his otfiontery and air of injured innocence equal to the occasion. Readers can call to uriud many such men in their experiences; c parents who know of their proclivities ' guard against them as a broad lion against a kite. Still, there are parents as well as young ladies who are not forewarned against the danger, ami, even if the male , flirt finds his game in one case escape him under tho wings of her chaporone, ; the range of society is wide, and, so long as he has not committed himself by a»j- ---| real scandal suoh as would socially os- | tracise him, or which would make him iat least too notorious to be allowed to | cultivate tho society ofyourtf women, he can always console himself that there are as good fools iu tie sea of flirtation as ever come out of it-—Examiner.