The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-13
HEROIC OSCILLATION.
The Kiss Given Lieut.. HObsOn Mt
Long Beach.
From the New York Tribune.

Il TOM the New Ork tribune.
Had Lieut.. Hobson foreseen all the en-
barrassmnest that would be thrust upon
him by an adoring public it is more than
likely that even his unhinchiug courage
would have failed and that he would have
prevailed upon Admiral Sampson to send
some other officer to make plans for rails
ing the half-suuken Spanish warships 1t
has been one long ovation for the hero of
that little incident of the Merrimac," as
he himself has called 1t. He has been
cheered and feted and dined and inter
viewed to distraction; his hand has been
wrung until 1t must be wellngh palsied
and thousands are now tumbling over
themselves to grasp a hand that has
grasped Hobsous. But the young officer
is modest man, and all these ordeals
must have been as nothing when compar-
ed to the osculatory trial he was compel-
ed to undergo at Long Beach, Long ISL
and. one day last week.
The osculator was Miss Emma Arnold
of st. Louis and there are several versions
of the affair One says that Miss Arnold
bluntly requested to be kissed. and that
the lieutenant blushngly complied, An
other AYERS that the officer was kissing
some children, and that Miss Arnold re-
marked coyly, that zone could almost
wish to be a child again" whereupon the
lieutenant opined that such a formality
was not Indispensable, and kissed her on
the spot. The exact spot is not mention
ed But, anyhow, Miss Arnold was kiss
ed and several scores of hotel guests
who witnessed the sight have since been
singing gleefully:
They kissed, saw them do It,"
while others responded unsteady:
hrI1 L
She held her head up every time"
Incidentally, the public is informed by
special correspondents, who were at once
hurried to the scene of OSCILLATION, that
Miss Arnold has a wealth of coal-blacS
hair and a rich olive complexion"
So far as the dispatches from Long
Beach have informed the country Miss
Arnold is somewhat reticent regarding
her achievement. But reticence ia not
especially characteristic of St Louis. and
we may hope that i'm time the possessor of
the wealth of coal-black hair" and the
well-to-do olive complexion may be pre-
vailed upon to describe her sensations.
We doubt il the kiss of heroic lips differs
in any material degree from that obtaina-
bic from lips less distinguished But Miss
Arnold can give an excathedra opinion
upon that point.
Was this particular kiss like that de-
scribed by Tennyson's Fatima, who re-
marked concerning it:
so Lowell o fire! once he drew
With one long kiss my whole soul through
My lips, as sunlight drinketh dew!'
We doubt 1t. We are inclined to think
that the leutenants feelings were moro
accurately described by the titled lady
who wrote:
In short my deary. kiss me and be
quiet"
and that the kiss was
-"snatched hasty from the sidelong
maid"
Anyhow, Miss Arnold has been made
Immortal with kiss"
But we fear for the future of the lieu
tenant Not until the memory of Miss
Arnold has been somewhat dimmed by
time is he likely ever to be safe from
osculatory assaults. 1t may be said that
the famous officer could not well refuse 50
simple a request. Granted. But can he
well refuse similar requests from thous-
ands of other young women If they should
make them? We fail to see how Miss
Arnold has the call 1t looks from the
road as if Lieut.. Hobson's favorite quota
ton would soon be:
cor leave a kiss but in the cup"
He could find II IN the cup when he had
time to look, and depositing 1t there would
save him a deal of embarrassment. If
some such clearing house is not establish
ed a long cruise would seem to be the only
thing left for Hobson.