" Smooge"

"What do you Americans mean by 'petting' or 'necking'?" queried, last week, at Chicago, Canon William Thompson Elliott of Leeds, England. Then, to show himself a clergyman of the world, he hastily added: "Those words don't exist in England. The things which I imagine are referred to don't happen over there. I'm sure they don't."

To oblige the Canon, reporters ventured definitions:

" 'Petting' and 'necking' are about the same; but girls prefer to describe it by the former word and youths by the latter."

" 'Necking' is apt, strictly speaking, to be more violent but more innocent than 'petting.'"

"Either 'petting' or 'necking' may describe any series of caresses which stop short of copulation."

Prudent, Canon Elliott expressed no opinion on these definitions. When persistent newsgatherers asked: "Isn't it true that in Australia 'Do you smooge?' is equivalent to 'How about a petting party?'" the Canon was again silent.

"Smooge" is good Australian; and the ladylike affirmative reply to "Do you smooge?" is "Well, I'm not fussy."