Page:Our Little Girl (1923).pdf/74

 rather be unpopular than find friends in any such way!

“As for kissing—Dorothy, a kiss should be a sacred thing. It is symbolic of-"

Mrs. Loamford blushed again.

All of this was old stuff for Dorothy. She resented the ancient, kindergarten tone which her mother was using. As far as “the facts of life” were concerned, she was certain that she could shock her mother without any effort. As for this talk about holding hands and kissing —that was old-fashioned. Dorothy didn’t make a practice of holding hands, not because the contact was immoral, but because it was more effective to hold young men at a distance. The more they wanted you, the nicer it was. Kissing also was taboo. It didn’t mean anything, but it gave the kisser a psychological advantage. Anyhow, it wasn’t right to encourage a young man too much.

The authorities whom Mrs. Loamford had consulted, however, probably were not aware of Dorothy’s code.

“A kiss,” resumed Mrs. Loamford, recovering from her embarrassment, “means—it means physical love, Dorothy. So many young girls don’t understand that. They play with the most sacred things in life. One of the things I like about your friend, Arnold Deering-"

Now she was beginning to interest Dorothy. Had her mother noticed something? Was all this sexology only an introduction to the real topic?

"-is that he doesn't-he's always a gentleman. I don't mean that some of your friends don't behave well, but Arnold is particularly nice that way."

He was, too. One of the girls had said he as "too virginal to be exciting," but Dorothy rather like to think that Arnold wasn't somebody else's cast-off. Even so, he would kiss, if he were prompted. Her mother didn't know much about men!