Here’s a tidbit out of The Art of Kissing, characters
changed to reflect our Pink Press, first printed in 1936.

An excerpt from a contemporary writer will, perhaps, give us some
idea of what happens.

“The top gentlemen and bottom gentlemen range themselves
about the room. In leap year the bottom gentlemen select a
partner, and together they shuffle about on the carpet until
they are charged with electricity, the lights in the room
having been first turned low. Then they Riss in the dark; and
make the sparks fly for the amusement of the onlookers.”

During a gathering of men, on a cold, dry night when the air is
overloaded with electricity. But be certain that neither you nor your
partner touches each other after shuffling on the carpet with your feet.
Merely lean over slowly and, when your lips are about half an inch
apart, slow the process down even more until the spark jumps. However,
considerable practice should be had before this kiss variation can be
done successfully. The natural reaction to this sort of shock,is to pull
away from each other. But, try to resist this natural impulse because,
if you do not kiss the moment after the shock has been perpetrated, the
pleasure will be all gone.

Once you have practiced this for some time you will become so
innured to the slight shock that you will seek more potent electric shocks.
These can be obtained with the use of an electric vibrator or in fact,
any device that is worked from a battery and a coil which steps up the
weak 3 volts of the battery, Shooting galleries have electricity testing
devices of this nature which have two handles.

No matter what you use, the method is as follows: first you

 

 

Pink, Press

arr nee

 

fo Love is Cicer - Uo be Quiser is to be loved

ly voice was once cavried across a dark and

closet door ajar and he stood there, just like before.
We answered sometime latter and we just sat there in
the dark and smiled. Lis deep stare reached far down |
through the dark recesses of my mind. :

We held our wet hands together and then he

openly wept. & did not say anything distressing. ck
fimelf. Ye whined about being without me for so
long. nd ck just stood there holding him. Hie head
on my shoulder and his teaw down my side.

We had wary anbwrn curl and when they weighed

upon my shoulder my pulse quivered a tenfold. &
Rnow he was the one, ck knew ck would be content the
rest of my Life with him. ck could even sense his
apathy shining through with pure potent affection
towards me.

hissed for the first time. Ue held cach others arms in

take hol of one of the the live wire, of the handle of the machine, if *e more theatre, he pulled out my chair in the

that is what you are using. Then, your partner should take hold of the

restaurant, anid he enthralled my sense when he said,

other pole, or handle. This done, bring your lips together until there is "ch love you.”
about an eighth of an inch separating your lips. At this moment, turn :
the rheostat that increases the current. As soon as the charge is strong. That night c shall always owe dear. For at
enough, a sudden, intense spark will jump the gap of your lips. Again wight 106 Rater ee: nonll Ce together ob Cart: Cgsinet

do not flinch but seize hold of the opportunity of bringing your lips
together in a grand, climatic kiss. The advantage of this method is
that you can regulate the electrical charges so that, when you become
innured to one strength, you can increase the current almost indefinitely.

A word of warning, however is apropos here. be satisfied with
the current generated by this battery set. Don’t be like a young friend
of mine who discovered that the battery set, even at its highest output,
was too weak for him and his partner. Being of an experimental nature,
he decided to see what would happen were he to use the ordinary house
current as the electrical stimulus.

And so, together with his lover, he placed himself in front of an
electric wall outlet into which he had screwed a plug and a wire whose
end had been frayed so that the two wires were separated. Taking hold
of one wire, he advised the guy to take hold of the other. Then using
the usual “electric kiss” technique, he bent over and started to bring his
lips slowly towards the guy’s lips, He got as far as about half an inch

From his lips, and thats all. Because, a moment later, he saw a blinding
flame sear across his eyes and he felt an enormous blow jolt him off his
feet. When he came to enough to realize where he was, he found himself
asprawl on the floor, his boyfriend in a similar position a few feet
away. The result was a pair of burned lips and a combined determination
to stick to the old fashioned way of kissing. The burned lp will always

spurn the flame.

Warning : Do not try this one at home kiddies and God Forbid don’t
try it with a member of the opposite sex!

By Hugh Morris, The Art of kissing, 1936, reprinted in 1988

  

  

kiss me, she said
--Thomas

The Little Lavender
Book, 1994

 

The instant they were
in bed Miss Aldclyffe freed
herself from the the last
remnant of restraint. She
flung her arms round the
young girl, and pressed her
gently to her heart. “Now

Hardy,
Desperate Remedies, 1871,

all offs, that night together. Whrough it all, that
night

forever.

or

Cnonymons

In various times and places in the 19th
century, there were common terms to
describe love relationships between women,
such as “the love of kindred spirits,”
*Boston marriages,” and “sentimental
friends . . . . The 18th century also had a
term for love between womyn -- romantic -
friendship.

—Lillian Faderman, 1981, The Little

Lavender Book, 1994

 

 

 

SHE

She appears like someone familiar,

et I don’t know her.

0 look at her,

she ts a stranger to me.

Even after we are introduced

and get to know each other a Little,

She still has a stranger's aura about her.

Then without noticing
she slowly became as familiar to me,

as my pillow and stuffed dog that Ive had,
since I was a young person.

Before I realized what was happening,

she had become as dear to me

as my pillow and dog.

I welcomed every meeting,
looked forward to every time
we were together in Ss

oe ht special the moments
she shared the different parts
of herselves with me.

 

_ It was then that I started realizing

I loved her most deeply.

It was durt those times

that I felt this the most.

I missed her when I didn’t see her
and felt sad when I couldw't.

She was and ts to me

like a wild and untamed bird

soaring through a deep green forest.
Just to look at her or to be with her
reminds me how I am excited

Just to be alive.

She reminds me how beautiful

a single blade of grass is

or a whole fled full.

Except now she has to GF

and does not know when she will be back.
She tells me that she loves me,

she cares about me, and to thank me
for all the good that I have done for her.
She thanks me for being patient, loving
and su; ive.

I tel her the same

plus that I will miss her incredibly So.

And that I am deeply sad at her leavetaking.
It feels like the spot in heart

that she has found for hersel
will be empty because she wit
to fill it.

not be there

So, I tell her that she ts tmportant to me,
that I will always love her

and that I will always welcome her back
when she decides that she wants

and can return.

For a little while we are close

saul ood-bye in man different Ww i.
Sk a with a gift a my heart. H
She leaves like a stranger, but 1 know her.

By Grover