Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-12-18
Aumurol1s department.
THE CURRENT LAPSED.
But the Elderly Spinster Thought the Young
Man Was Trying to Kiss Her.

THE CURRENT LAPSED.
But the Elderly Spinster Thought the Young
Man Was Trying to Kiss Her.
A young Cleveland man, asserts The
Plain Dealer, claims to have been
placed in a very embarrassing predica.
ment last Saturday evening. He says
he was calling on certain young
lady who resides in a fashionable down
town apartment house, and as she hap
pened to have gone out with her moth
er, but was expected to return shortly,
he said he would wait in their parlor.
The servant ushered him in, and he
was surprised to find that another cal
ler was also waiting. 1t was a lady
caller, tall, somewhat angular per-
son, of questionable age, with white
gloves and very large black hat.
Left alone with this lady, the young
man felt a little uneasy. He hadn't
contracted for silent tete-tete with a
lone female in a strange house. For a
time he sat stifly quiet. Then, as the
silence grew oppressive, he arose and
busted himself inspecting the pictures
and -brac. AS he moved along
one side of the apartment, keeping at
q safe distance from the stranger in
the big hat, he happened to approach
the electric button that controlled the
light in the room. He had his eyes
glued to water-color hanging on the
wall close by, when, to his amazement,
the lights suddenly went out, leaving
the apartment in total darkness.
Of course it was owing to an acci-
dent at the power house, but the young
man didn't know that, and naturally
expected the lights would Immediately
flash up again.
An instant after the eclipse set in
there was sharp gasp from the direc,
ton of the lady with the big hat.
"You-you did that a-purpose," she
shrilly remarked. 81 saw you stand
ing by the button"
The young man wiped the perspira-
ton from his brow.
~ assure you, madam" he said
"that had nothing to do with it. II
must be some-some lapse in the cur
rent, or something"
"You did it," continued the shril
voice, "because you wanted to kiss
me-"
"No, no, madam w cried the young
man "no, no wouldn't kiss you fol
the world"
Then in his desire to escape he star,
ted toward the supposed location oi
the door.
"Don't move," cried the lady, "ol
I'll scream"
He halted for moment, then softly
crept along the wall again.
81 hear you, cried thd lady. "Don't
YOU dare to come near me"
MADAM" said the exasperated
youth, nobody wants to harm a hail
of your head" :,
"That's just what the burglar said
the night our house was robbed,
moaued the lady.
"But must find the door," said the
youth. awe can't stay in here indeh-
nitely in the dark"
II should think not" snapped the
lady. "But don't you dare to come
this way. If you do, I'll stab your
face with a hatpin! And don't you
think you can fool me. l hear your
miserable squeaky shoes every step you
take"
"Perhaps," said the youth, for his
sense of humor was beginning to re-
turn, sit would be we'll to take them
OFF,"
"Mercy, no." cried the lady "don't
you dare to-"
Then the youth felt his way for
ward, guided as to the lady's location
by sundry shifts and starts of alarm
and after he had run squarely into the
mantel, and banged against screen,
and tumbled over footstool and sew,
eral chairs, he finally found the door
knob and bounced into the hall. 1t
was pitch dark, but almost Immediately
he saw servant coming up the stairs
with lamp.
"Show me the way out of this" said
the youth, and the servant escorted
him to the front door. AS he stepped
on the sidewalk he drew long and
refreshing breath.
He insists upon calling it narrow
escape.