It might be well to memorize one or two proverbs on this subject: “To kiss a man’s wife, or wipe his knife, is but a thankless office.” “He that kisseth his wife in the market-place shall have enough to teach him.” Finally, there is the stolen kiss. The bold lover says: Kiss her gently, but be sly, Kiss her when there’s no one by, Steal your kiss, for then ’tis meetest, Stolen kisses are the sweetest. The more backward swain _argues_ the matter to himself: If I should steal a little kiss, Oh! would she weep, I wonder? I tremble at the thought of bliss— If I should steal a little kiss: Such pouting lips would never miss The dainty bit of plunder; If I should steal a little kiss, Oh! would she weep, I wonder? He longs to steal a kiss of mine— He may, if he’ll return it! If I can read the tender sign, He longs to steal a kiss of mine; “In love and war”—you know the line. Why cannot he discern it? He longs to steal a kiss of mine, He may, if he’ll return it. And the man of observation has given his experience in the matter: Beneath a shady tree they sat; He held her hand, she held his hat, I held my breath and lay right flat— They kissed—I saw them do it. He held that kissing was no crime; She held her head up every time; I held my peace, and wrote this rhyme, While they thought no one knew it. The prudent Scotch girl has expressed the views of many of her sex in regard, not to the impropriety of kissing, but of kissing “before folk”: Behave yourself before folk, And dinna be sae rude to me, As kiss me sae before folk. It’s no through hatred o’ a kiss, That I sae plainly tell you this, But, ah! I tak’ it sae amiss To be sae teased before folk. Behave yoursel’ before folk, When we’re alone, ye may tak’ one, But nent a ane before folk.