FLIRT, OR SCALP-HUNTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3372, 11 November 1911, Page 4

FLIRT, OR SCALP-HUNTER.

THE WAYS OF WOMEN.

HOW HEARTS ARE CHOKED -4

As long as the beams of the silver moon have power to draw the tides from one end of the earth to the other, so long will femininity, in general and in particular, preserve her magnetic, influence over mon-kind. And when the sun ceases to be able to turn the heads of all the pretty sunflowers t-o watch his progress across the heavens, then will the attraction' of the male elements for feminity also cease.

It is for this reason that the game called “flirtation” lias proved, and will always prove, so fascinating 'both to girl sun-flowers and boy sea-waves. “When the gorse is out of bloom” flirting, like kissing, will be out of fashion.

And, indeed, flirtation can be a harmless game enough; as educational as, and more interesting than the old game of “Buried Cities.”

For it can bring out the latent gifts of both players. . The wish to please frequently develops the power to: do so, and thus both kid and lass are improved, polished, and made into more desirable members of society by their influence one upon another. The unkempt hobbledehoy, brusque and uncompromising of manner—the tomboy, regardless of her personal appearance— what has more power to. smooth the angels of these, than the growing desire of each to appear attractive in the eves of the other?

Alas, that- so innocent a desire should contain the germ of so much that is dangerous, so much that may lead to mart-break, may lead, even, to the shipwreck of a young life! Yes, this can happen when the game develops into a cruel sport which is so akin to it as to cause cases of “mistaken identity” to-occur; it is a pastime called by some “scalp-hunting.” ■ Now, the real flirt rejoices in the pure pleasure of 'being attractive, “it’s the chase, not the quarry!” as one of Rlmdo Broughton’s heroines remarks. The scalp-hunter is bent upon having the fact of his or her charm openly made manifest by the number of victims chained to the chariot-wheels of his or her invincible attractions. The feelings of the victims themselves are a very secondary consideration. The true flirt, boy or girl, is generally good-hearted, has no end in view but a little harmless amusement. The hurting of anyone’s feelings, the wounding of hearts, does not enter into the rules of the game. The genus scalp-hunter proper, sad to say, is found more often among women than amonff men. For one thing, the male scalp-hunter becomes 60 very soon a marked man that his deadliness is often thus impaired. “Oh, yes, that just Harry all over,” the experienced one of five seasons will reply to the blushing confidences of the debutante. “He always used to say that to Muriel before she was engaged. And it was with those remarks about ‘loneliness of soul’ that he got round poor Ethel. Did he quote to you .‘sweetest eyes were ever seen’?— Of course I know.” Disillusionment, wounded vanity and pique form a triple coat of mail for that debutante against the subsequent attentions of Harry. “You be careful, my boy,” is the warning of several bachelors to their young friend. “Miss Lotharia is leading you on. Don’t you believe in that bashful delight whenever you call, those little things she ‘doesn’t mind telling you’—that pride of hers in your friendship. As Kipling observes, ‘Get out, she has been there before!” The only-effect of this warning is to make the -love-lorn youth wax furious in defence of his idol. It is all very well for them to talk: he wouldn’t show lie was so beastly jealous; and the idea of saying things like that about a girl like that! “A girl like that” lias one very efficacious weapon which a mere man does not wield. “I do not know,” falters Lotharia with downcast eyes, after carefully, imperceptibly bringing affairs to a crisis. “I had no-idea. You seemed just like a younger brother. lam so sorry—” Perhaps the “younger brother” believes her,, and- forgives. Perhaps he is so angry that he says “rude things” to Lotharia (who bears them meekly, confiding her regret. ~ater, to another admirer, thereby filling the latter with deeper adoration of her sweet womanliness,). Perhaps—perhaps he only goes away saying nothing. .. One shrine is desecrated in his heart, the shrine of the Ideal; one belief, his belief in womanhood has suffered severe damage. “No thorns go as deep as a rose’s,” and to gratify a woman’s vanity, to add one more “scalp” to those dangling, in imagination, at her dainty waistbelt, a, boy’s heart may have been warped ancl harmed. Oh, he’ll recover, no doubt! ■ But by-and-by, when his love is offered to a girl more conscious of what such a gift means, some of the freshness will have gone from it; some of the young enthusiasm, the loving trust of his nature will have been rudely checked; now and again a bitterness a slighting view of things which should be sacred, will grieve her who- would make up to him for Lotharia’s thoughtlessness and cruelty. He is not what lie might liave been. Think wliat this means, you, who are sometimes tempted to stray through “the primrose path” of innocent flirtation to the war-path of the scalp-lmnt-er. Is it worth it?

The world may acquit you. even of being a coquette. But your own heart will accuse you, and if the insatiable delight of conquest brings its own punishment, it is your own heart that will c-rv “Behold the biter bit!” For the sake of the unspoilt love that you all would wish one day to call your own, be generous, be true, to your better selves, and, bo merciful!