Show eyd T J I ADVENTURERS' ADVENTURERS CLUB tf J f t H HEADLINES E A D L I N E S FRO FROM M THE LIVES L I V E S OF PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF At Terrors Terror's Door r rH 99 O I ELLO EVERYBODY H HELLO Another good way to find adventure is to go around ringing ring ring- ringing ringing ring ring- ing doorbells looking for it And who rings more doorbells than thana a to house-to-house canvasser Olga McComic of Astoria N. N Y can tell you all about that On a day in April 1936 when the wolf was howling around the door and there weren't any other jobs to be had Olga tried her hand at canvassing and for a week she went around pushing bell buttons receiving some pleasant greetings some scowls some angry outbursts and having a good many doors in her face Monday was the toughest day of the whole bunch she says Well- Well Monday always seems to be a bad day People are arc usually cross on the blue day after the week-end week and this morning was no exception In two whole blocks Olga hadn't taken a single order Discouragement was taking hold of her She walked into a block where only one house stood shaded by rows of trees and surrounded by patches of growing vegetables Disregarded Beware of Dog Sign That house looked inviting Olga was sure shed she'd get an order there Disregarding a sign that said Beware of the dog she opened the gate went down clown a board walk and finally came to the front door There was no doorbell in sight Olga knocked No answer But canvassers know that No answer doesn't always mean noone no noone noone one is home Olga knocked again again and and when that didn't bring any reply she reached over and tapped lightly on the window pane Suddenly a gruff voice came from within What do you want a man growled V i a r j T i He lie looked more like a gorilla than a human At the same time Olga heard heavy footsteps walking toward the door But before they reached it before it-before before the door opened she opened she heard hearda a low throaty snarl behind her and felt something tugging at her skirt and coat Huge Beast Was Vas Ready to Spring Olga turned turned and and almost let out a scream At her side pulling pulling pulling pull pull- ing at her clothing was a dog almost as big as herself It bared its fangs and snapped at her and then crouched as if getting ready to spring That sign reading Beware of the dog hadn't been the idle bluff Olga had taken it for Olga's eyes eJes turned toward the door of the house in frantic appeal Would it open Would the owner come out before his dog had torn her to pieces It seemed to Olga as though hed he'd never get there The dog let out another growl and crouched lower Then the door did open open and and Olga didn't know which she was more afraid of the man or the dog The man was big and frightful with dark whiskers a stubbly growth of hair on his jowls and the dirtiest clothes Olga had ever seen in her life Olga says he looked more like a gorilla than a human being buthe but buthe buthe he snapped at the dog and the dog slunk away to the rear of the house Olga looked down at nt her clothes Her coat and dress were were both torn Her sample case was on the ground and samples of soap lotions and perfumes were strewn right and left With shaking hands she started to pick them up The man glared at her and bellowed Well Vell what are you selling anyway Gave Her a Big Bib Order Olga told him in a voice that trembled Then she got her second big shock of the day The man sat down and ordered four dollars' dollars worth of her goods the goods the biggest order she had had yet Olga's coat and dress were torn and shed she'd had a terrible fright fright but but she had an order too too and and a good start for the day She heaved a contented sigh and started down the wooden path toward the gate She had just dust reached the gate when she met a woman her arms loaded with bundles coming in The woman gave her a hard hostile loo look Well Vell what do you want here she asked Olga did her best to smile Good morning maam ma'am maam ma'am she be be- gan Im selling selling- Never mind what youre you're selling the woman snapped I dont don't want any of it She brushed past Olga and started forthe for forthe forthe the house but half way up the walk she stopped and called back Say were you at the door Olga thought shed she'd better not mention the order the man had given her The woman was apparently the old fellows fellow's wife and she might change his mind about all nIl that soap and perfume he had bought So Soshe Soshe Soshe she said Yes I was at the door door and and that dog of yours almost scared me to death Man Ian Was Vas Stark Crazy The woman sniffed Humph she said Its a wonder you wouldn't pay some ome attention to th that t sign weve we've weve got posted And not only the dog but its it's a n wonder you didn't gei get killed by that madman Hes He's off his mind stark mind stark I just lust called the store crazy on drug telephone for an nn ambulance Olga could feel fecI her legs getting weak under her The dog had been the least of her troubles She had been sitting and talking talking talking talk talk- ing to a man who if his mood snood had changed might have murdered murdered murdered mur mur- dered her And what about the goods she had sold him From the back of her memory came the thought that a contract signed by an insane person w was s void Was her prize sale sale her her first sale of the day going day going to turn out to be a dud She looked at the woman But he just gave me an order she stammered Oh he did did he snapped the woman Well if you want to deliver deliver de de- liver that order you'll have to take it to Bellevue or the Island because that's where hes he's going And with that the woman turned and stamped into the house So if youre you're looking for adventure boys and girls get a job as a canvasser You might even make a bit of money at it too But you wont won't if all your customers are like the one Olga McComic ran into in the little tree-shaded tree house at the end of the board walk down the block Copyright Service |