A Proposal Under Difficulties: A Farce

In a stylish New York drawing‑room late in October, a nervous gentleman named Robert Yardsley finds himself trembling on the verge of a marriage proposal. He rehearses grand lines in his mind, polishing his courage with the same vigor he once used to challenge policemen and pen comic verses. The scene is set with a ringing bell, an empty room, and a housemaid named Jennie who slips in unnoticed as Yardsley steadies himself.

Yardsley’s soliloquy quickly turns into a comedy of errors when he confuses his intended love, Dorothy Andrews, with the sprightly maid standing nearby. Stumbling over poetry and propriety, he launches a heartfelt, if hilariously misguided, declaration that catches Jennie off guard. The dialogue sparkles with early‑20th‑century wit, delivering a playful portrait of love‑struck nerves and the farcical mishaps that can arise when confidence wavers. Listeners will enjoy the charming banter and the gentle mock‑heroic tone that captures a timeless moment of romantic bewilderment.