A yawn that started last evening in one of the dressing rooms at the Mystic Theatre ended on the operating table at the Central Maine General Hospital. The leading character in this spectacular performance was Miss Retta Murray of Everett, Mass.

Miss Murray was waiting to go on for the second performance. She was tired and seated on a trunk in the dressing room. She stretched her arms behind her head and indulged in a self satisfying yawn. To her horror and amazement she was unable to close her mouth.

When the seriousness of the situation was seen a physician was summoned. He advised sending her at once to the hospital, and still yawning, the young lady was placed under the influence of ether and her jaws were snapped back into place.

50 years ago, 1959

Mrs. Shirley Davis Schneider, for many years the Auburn health officer, was re-elected to a new three-year term last night by the Auburn City Council. She was nominated by Councilman L. Damon Scales Jr., Ward One, and was unanimously elected.

Mrs. Schneider has now been with the Auburn health office for 34 years. She was last re-elected health officer on March 5, 1956.

25 years ago, 1984

Charging a customer extra for using a credit card “is a good way to lose a sale – real quick,” says Dan Dostie, son of jeweler Jules Dostie of Lewiston.

He’s not alone in that view.

“This is a day and age of what they call plastic (money),” said Morris Silverman, owner of The Brass Rail, Barefoot Trader, Boy’s & Girl’s Factory Outlet and Louie’s, all located in downtown Lewiston.

For most of the last 10 years, federal law has banned surcharges on credit transactions.

That ban expired at midnight Monday, however, when Congress failed to pass legislation to extend it.

As a result, businesses can begin charging more for credit-card transactions to cover their costs. But even though they could, merchants contacted said they do not plan to levy surcharges.