The Price of a Kiss.

Hastings Standard, Issue 15, 13 May 1896, Page 4

The Price of a Kiss.

The Secretary of State for India has announced his final decision on a question which possesses not a little interest for ihe world at large, for the point turned on several levities in conduct not peculiar to Anglo-Indian circles. It seems that a medical man, Sur-geon-Major Clarence* Smith, in the Goverment service, so far forgot hiprofessional dignity as to ask a married lady whose name was not "Mrs Smith, to let him kiss her. She 11atly refused to do anything of the kind, and took the first opportunity of telling her husband what had happened. Whether moved by remorse, or by some more worldly motive, the surgeon wrote a humble and penitent apology to the gentleman whose rights and privilege? he had proposed to infrin ' i his excu ; i- only made the it 11 r%» rse. The aggrieved 1 i 1 i 1 m 1 fall statement of the ftt dung with th.' apology, to the (i i . iof the *. _■ s - Presidency, in or-n i..a. the o;:'i nd* r might be fittingly punished. '1 hauthorities pronounced, after due consideration that ;• Ik 1 , r ."i: and unpardonable offence !. d Uui tommtcUd. raid Surge on-Maj> l " J* >iith w;--« dismissed from the - r\ i< . 'fi.H he and his friends considered much too m-vur* a penalty, particularly a- i; invoivi.:i the loss of a p. ■nsion to which in a short time he wo. '• I Ir» ■ t '•>.. si i lit ,;K .1. All Opp»': 1 w;;S rd.l 1 Itol l ■' ~ CIV - tary of State pr.i;. :nir fer ~ -:i ot the sentence. Sir Henry Fowler, however, who was t!i-"i in t>f. . n-:\ refused to iuterfer.. s> 11 d it been for the deio-i; of t 1 e r.ib -r.il party at the general election, ti.v incident would pro I'll bly h'.vt l-I« -id. But the €onservn:ive vieti.rv Ihi-j done something for Sinw»:i-Maj<«ir Sn<::!i. for although Lord Georg:- ILu.iil: >n has not reversed liw p:v<ivc decision as regards tin- di-siiiis-nal of the culprit, he has inclined to mer-.-y on the matter of a pension. In recognition of past services, and as an act of grace towards Mrs Smith and hchildren, the pension is r.r> [ >; ft i ted. ror? Of LlrOnlJli!' £:'■ iNXv&Xlg&ic •* « f ' V" ' ' ,f V ■■ 'Vbeen mad." r.r;l:.i ■ n: i: i-. -i vMitmino-'- r. -■ • : * Tlie r« : u •• 1 * ..i'tiy pUndi 1 in ext« niiitiyn of his temerity th;-t on a previous occasion th>- bdy h i allowed him to kiss her hand, and that this" concession impii> i a c> r.;iin latitude of opinion on the subjt.-t of osculation generally which encouraged if it did not justify further advance-. There is here, however, a conflict of evidence, the lady protesting that she resented even the first approach towards what diplomasts call an understanding. But neither Sir 11. Fowler nor Lord George Hamilton seem to have dealt with this particular issue, and indeed there are several points in regard to which an authoritative pronouncement is still wanting. Ir> justice to its servant-, if not for the edification of the public, the Indian Government should now explain exactly how and when applications for kisses become a crime which calls for condign penalties. The doctor, it will be observed, never got the kiss he asked for. What punishment the virtuous Government would hu.v(> dee int. 1 sufficiently severe if M~ i"- '' * 'latched She favour •l.r.iKt tjini. <*•-;. v.,i alone knows. Even the mot'it--'* jontence seem*