The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-17
Il TEIE SoJEEE.
LOCKED OUT.
4 10 toll

Ghe woman WHO Was Locked Out and
How She Got In.
One morning Mrs. Benedict stepped
out into the hall to say goodby to a
caller, and left the door of her fat wide
open behind her. AS she was waiting q
few messages over the balusters, a strong
gust Of wind seized the door and
slammed it to-and Mrs. Benedict was
locked cut, for she had methodically
placed the key in the side pocket Of her
little leather shopping bag, which lay,
at that moment, in the LETT hand corner
of the top bureau drawer.
Mrs. Benedict'found herself in q very
unpleasant position. She was without
q girl, and there was no one in the fiat.
1t was only 12 o'clock, and her husband
did not come homo until g. What could
she do in the meantime? She could not
even go shopping, for she was hatless as
well us moneyless. And she had some
thing cooking in the oven besides.
She called to the janitor for assist
ance. He made his appearance and
tried the door. Then he shook his head
obviously.
"Oi'll get the engineer; maybe he'll
have some keys"
The engineer came. He did have
some keys, about q hundred of different
sizes and shapes in n more or less rusty
condition; but none of them would fit
the lock.
"Oi might be after havin Jimmy haul
me up in the dumb waiter" suggested
the janitor. But the dumb waiter had
always brought grave intimations Of
of burglarious possibilities to Mrs. Bene.
diets mind, and she was sure that the
door which separated it from the apart.
ment was locked too.
"O'H go up on the fire escape and
climb in the winder," volunteered the
janitor, with an eye to Christmas. But
Mrs. Benedict said she knew the win
dow was fastened.
perhaps can pry back the catch with
q thin knife. Come on, Dennis" said
the engineer, and the two men left to
to try the forlorn hope.
1t was Mt this moment that young
Puffer had filled his big meerschaum
with dark, moist mixture of his own
invention. 1t consisted of perique, cut
plug and cavendish, with few odds
and ends he happened to have in the
house. 1t produced huge volumes of
smoke-though his friends fought shy
Of 1t.
The absence of other buildings per-
mitted an unobstructed view of the fiat
from the street in the rear, and SO Of
course the first passer by who noticed
the two men on the fire escape and the
clouds of smoke pouring from Puffer's
window jumped at conclusion and
turned in an alarm.
Soon the sound of the engines tearing
over the stone pavements attracted Puff
fer's attention; he rose and laid his pipe
on the table, where 1t quietly went out
He stuck his head out Of the window.
A fireman was coming up the iron lad
der. AK in hand.
The rescuer reached the balcony where
the engineer and janitor were struggling
with the window fastening. Without
waiting for any explanation he pushed
them aside, and raising his ak de-
molished both sashes and the two panes
of glass with one stalwart blow. Then
he rushed through the fiat looking for
fire. He came to the hall door and
opened it.
"Oh, thank you," said Mrs. Benedict
gratefully.
Fer what, mumf"
"For letting me in. I was locked
outy
"Is that what all this rumpus is
abont?" asked the angry and astonished
fireman.
"I-I guess So" she faltered.
well, num-" said the fireman i'm
pressvely, 1.-The next time You get
caught that way, don't call on three en-
gines an hose cart, an hook IN ladder,
an water tower. Just send for me
and III come around quietly with my
ak and let you n."-Exchange.