Show 4 d adventurers CLUB HEADLINES FROM THE LIVES OF PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF 11 death by proxy by FLOYD FLOTD GIBBONS famous headline hunter H HELLO ELLO theres EVERYBODY only one thing I 1 know less profitable than being a burglar and just posing as one and distinguished adventurer willard G stanton of bloomfield N J ought to agree with me there once e upon a time when bill was a youngster of sixteen he tried that little stunt not purposely of course bills intentions were perfectly 0 K X but it make any difference what your intentions are if you look like a burglar or if you act like a burglar first thing you know somebody is going to think you ARE a burglar and treat you accordingly back in 1907 when this adventure happened to bill he lived in an old fashioned apartment house in brooklyn at least it would look old fashioned today at that time it was probably the last word in apartment houses it had a stairway running up the center of the building and there were two apartments to the floor the doors of the living rooms opened on the stair landing and the outer doors were fitted with ground glass lass panels the glass was opaque you exactly see through it but when you were on the inside looking out you could tell when someone was at the door because you could see a shadow of a human figure a against ga dinst the glass remember those panels got a lot to do with the story burglars alarmed the old ladies bills family had an apartment on the fourth and top floor of that building across the hall lived two old ladies retired school teachers one of whom was slightly deal remember that deaf old lady too f bullets whizzed over bius bills head between her and the glass panels old lady adventure managed to cook up quite a thrill for bill stanton about three one november morning bill was awakened out of a sound sleep by a loud insistent pounding As he came out 0 of f a half doze he realized that the pounding came from the wall on the other tide side of which the two old ladies slept something was wrong in their apartments bill jumped out of bed and went into his own living room then he saw what the trouble was on the ground glass panels of the door leading to the hall he could see eee two shadowy figures V they were over by the door of the olda ladies apartment and they seemed to be trying to jimmy the lock so that was etl burglars trying to get in next door dhori the old ladies had heard them and pounded on the wall to attract bills attention bill called out chos there and began rattling the door knob the two figures moved noiselessly to the stairs and becan to descend bill was sixteen and impetuous he ran out of his bis apartment and started to follow the be two men down the stairs right there he says asis is where my adventuring career started bill was in a tight place bill followed the crooks down two flights of stairs but they were too fast for him he was in pajamas and he very well dash out into the street after them anyway not on a cold night in november he turned around and went slowly back up the stairs bill got to the top and put his hand on the doorknob the door was locked in his haste to follow the two men he had slammed it behind him in his pajamas and without a key in his pocket it looked as if he be was going to have some trouble getting back in he stood for a moment considering his plight and then suddenly he heard a voice coming from the next apartment it was one of the old ladies the deaf one and her tone was ominous if you dont go away she yelled ill shoot all A 11 at once bill realized what a tight situation he was in the old lady could see his shadow through the glass door and thought he was one ID of f the departed burglars he knew she kept a gun in her apartment and have any doubt that she would do just what she threatened to do shot at by a deaf woman 1 I thought I 1 had a good pair of lungs says bill and I 1 screamed back dont shoot its me 9 but I 1 count counton on that old lady being deaf before I 1 had bad a chance to get in another word I 1 heard a loud report and a bullet came crashing through the door it was followed by two more then I 1 dropped flat on an the floor and while I 1 lay there three r nore more shots imbed ded themselves in the wall over my head the shots stopped then but bill lay right where he stir eair lest the was afraid afra id to inside slightest motion bring more of that hot lead his way then his own apartment he heard his mother open a window and start screaming for the police still bill stayed where he was is courage one thing but when a panic stricken old lady starts blazing and left with a revolver away right there shoot at any sense in giving her a mark to bill lay right where he was until the police came then again he looked looker himself he go got t up over and was relieved to ind find f that he been hit by any of those wild bullets but he found an ominous hole in the sleeve little of his pajamas that showed just how close he had come to having a funeral instead of just an adventure and says bill 69 when there is any burglar hunting to be nowadays it by telephone 90 done I 1 do copyright anu service |