The laws of husking every wight can tell, And sure no laws he ever keeps so well; For each red ear a general kiss he gains, With each smut ear he smuts the luckless swains; But when to some sweet maid a prize is cast, Red as her lips, and taper as her waist, She walks the round and culls one favored beau, Who leaps the luscious tribute to bestow. Various the sports, as are the wits and brains Of well-pleased lasses and contending swains; Till the vast mound of corn is swept away, And he that gets the last ear wins the day. IV. KISSING IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES: IN ARABIA, EGYPT, RUSSIA, FINLAND, ICELAND, PARAGUAY—A PLEASING BUT PERPLEXING NORWEGIAN CUSTOM—THE “BLUE LAWS” OF CONNECTICUT—KISSING IN THE EYES OF THE LAW—MONEY VALUE OF A STOLEN KISS— SANITARY DANGERS OF KISSING—KISSING THE DYING—FAMOUS KISSES—THE BLARNEY STONE—SOULFUL KISSES—KISSING THE FEET OF BEGGARS. The custom of kissing varies in different countries. The Arabian women and children kiss the beards of their husbands; the superior returns the salute by a kiss on the forehead. In Egypt, the inferior kisses the hand of a superior, generally on the back, but sometimes on the palm; the son kisses the hand of his father, the wife that of her husband, the slave, and often the free servant, that of the master; the slaves and servants of a grandee kiss their lord’s sleeve or the skirt of his clothing. In Russia, the Easter salutation is a kiss. Each member of the family salutes the other; chance acquaintances on meeting kiss; principals kiss their employés; the General kisses his officers; the officers kiss their soldiers; the Czar kisses his family, retinue, court and attendants, and even his officers on parade, the sentinels at the palace gates, and a select party of private soldiers, probably elaborately prepared for this “royal salute.” In other parts, the poorest serf, meeting a high-born dame on the street, has but to say, “Christ is risen,” and he will receive a kiss and the reply, “He is truly risen.” The Empress Catherine of Russia instituted assemblies of men and women to promote the cultivation of polite manners. Among the rules for maintaining the decency of those assemblies she directed that “no gentleman should force a kiss from, or strike a woman in the assembly, under pain of execution.” A most pleasant, tender, but, at the same time, perplexing salute, is that bestowed upon one by the women of Norway, who, after having put you to bed and tucked you up well between the sweet-smelling sheets, bend their fresh, fair faces, and kiss you honestly upon the beard, without a shadow even of shame or doubt.