The Washington times., 1918-07-21
- ny
vi

@'A stopped, and picked It up. She
glanced at It to see that It was loaded.
I'm going to yell for the help" she
said, backing to the door. IF you move.
you're dead. You're worth just as much
space to me dead as alive. and maybe
more. You keep your hands where they
are!"
Il thought I knowed. you." said the
burglar.
Myrtle May put her left hand on the
door-knob.
How do you mean. knew me?" she
asked, turning the knob.
when I turned the light on you" said
the burglar. Il thought you looked like
somebody I'd seen. There amt no doubt,
after that bent-knee throw you gave me.
You're Myrtle May all right"
Vow do you mean that?" she asked
why, seen you at Louisville, and
again at Cincinnati, and here in New York
a couple of times" said the burglar q
thought you was good, but your act wasn't
much. You was what kept 1t in big time.
That guy you used to kick up in the air
was no good"
Marty Bench?"
'Yes, him." said the burglar I'VE used
to have a clown with Ringing that was
worth twenty Of him in an act like yours"
"Slim Simmons" said Myrtle May. but
she kept the revolver pointed toward the
burglar. Listen. you amt Mug Mertz, are
your"
Sure! I'm Mug How did you guess
it?" he grinned.
We'll, l ought to have known, the way
you caught yourself with that knee-grip
when save you the bent-knee push I've
heard often enough you we're the homeliest
man in the business. Say, that would be
a great stunt. If the bed-bar was up three
feet higher, and when you we're choking
me gave you the bent-knee and sIung you
up therei Then you would do a double
turn or two on the bar and come back at
me, and the next time gave you the knee
you'd light on the bar on your feet, and
then we'd"-
Me in Just about this make-up-huhg
said Mug eagerly. WED have the stage
all set with gold furniture and fluffy stuff
like this, and you logged out in them fancy
things
mo, me in plain, pale-pink pajamas."
said Myrtle May. "Say-start in with the
stage dark-no, I'd be reading in bed
no, I'd be getting into bed, and then I'd try.
to read. and yawn. and put out the light
Dim light on the window while you break
in. Dim light on the room while you come
to the dresser. with your torch like it was
tonight. Then sit up in bed and scream
You put the light on me and show I'm in
terror. You jump on me and choke me-
like you did tonight
only not gouging your pipe like l did"
said the burglar politely.
But going through the motions. until
the danes in the audience feel their blood
curdle," said Myrtle May. eagerly. Real
tragedy stuff-that's the idea. Then
plenty of light give you the bent-knee
and send you to the bar, and you catch by
the knees and do the whirI and come back
at me, and"-
I'VE can have two bars at the foot Of
the bed" said the burglar excitedly. 81
can do this kind of fall did tonight on
the lower one. That will get a laugh. sure.
And say, how about having the lower end
Of the bed spring board, under the covers.
so I can light on it and start bouncing and
not be able to stop?"
That's the ideal" said Myrtle Nav.
Laugh stuff all the way through after the
tragedy stuff. The comeback after their
horror Will throw the front into screaming
Mysteries. And well keep it all quick ac.
Iion, rapid-fre! With that face of yours
we'll be good for big time for a couple of
thousand years."
"Just what I been wanting for three
years!" said the burglar with happy sigh.
Plain acrobatic stuff don't go any more"
He laughed. 81 wouldn't be cracking
bureaus if it did. And say. well end lust
ike this. Wen have this bar just a little
higher, so I can do rapid knee-whirI on
Il, and you tie me up with pink tights like
hese. and"-
Those are union suits" said Myrtle
May
"All right, end with fall that knocks
ny head against the foot-board of the bed
md knocks me out. You get the pink
hings and tie me up this way with them
L will be scream! Then you go front
o bow the curtain down, and I come to
md whirl around and around on this bar