"ONLY A FLIRTATION."

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2821, 28 February 1878, Page 2

"ONLY A FLIRTATION."

How often one hears this remark; yet how few seriously think of the meaning of the words. Johnson's definition of flirting is " to ran about idly." " to jeer;" and of a flirt," a pert huwy." Neither, howerer, is the generally accepted mean* ing of the words. Flirting (attention ' without intention) is commonly regarded as a harmless and rery enjoyable amuse* ment; and yet, is it ao entirely harmless t .-. I am speaking to girls, and to them I say, "Be assured it is not." In the first ■.. place, girls who make a practice of getting up a flirtation with erery gentleman they meet entirely lose that freshness and truthfulness of character which is the™ greatest cbarra in a true maiden. Then their capacity for lot ing truly is greatly injured \>y these absurd " pretences," and if they intend to marry they jrJJL find that any man who is really worth baring , does not care to hare for a wife a girl : who has made herself no cheap. Girls i who act in this manne? get spoken of in anything but a fluttering way. Some girl* excuse themselves by saying that they only flirt in a slight degree. How long, may I , ask, will it be before this passes n*tu* rally to the greater and greatest degree P The final stage I take to be something after this style;—A lady and gentleman carrying on a flirtation in which the gen> - tleman is in earnest, while the lady hai no deeper intention than pleasantly pas* sing the time. Consequence—A proposal and refusal, accompanied with the aston. ished lifting of the eyebrows, and the words " Oh, Mr Smith I I nercp-thought you were #«rtouf —it was ' only a flirta. tion.'" The report of this soon spreads, and the lady >« consequently sbnnned by her gentlemen friend*, as none oar* to be thought the second riotim. I think I ■„ hear some fair friend reply " Oh, but yon could easily tell when he was in earnest." Perhaps so (though not always correct), but what if he is not, but thinks yon are, . and enjoys a good laugh with his friends at your simplicity P Few girls care about that, I think. When both parties are equally matched, of course little harm i» ; done except the attendant loss of valuable time and talents winch might hare been spent in many.a worthier cause. • Depend upon it no good ercr comes of a flirtatioo f but often much hariri. A. H.L,