East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1920-06-19
HAVE often wondered Just what
would do in case I were awak-

would do in case I were awak-
ened at night, and heard foot
Steps.in the room, and suddenly found
myself looking into the cold muzzle of
q revolverl What would / dor
have often wondered.
The other night had chance to
s=swer my own question! I actually
looked into the masked face of burg
lar, and into the. barrel OF his gum
What did was absolutely. the last
thing that I would have thought
would do. I--well, that is the storyl
Ny wife has been away for couple
OF weeks, visiting the home folks, and
have been baching It I have stayed
down town at the club little later
Than usual. rather dreading returning
to the empty house and going up
stairs and turning In alone.
Night before last returned home
at about IL o'clock, and Immediately
went to bed. Everything was all right
and was asleep in no time.
1t was probably about o'clock in
the morning when was awakened by
voices-two men whispering in the
darkness. I opened my eyes and tried
70 locate them. but the room was dark
and couldn't even make out their
shadows In another instant a light
flashed into my face, and then I felt
a revolver pressed against my fore
headi
Keep your damn mouth shut, and
lay still" growled a mans voice out
OF the darkness.
For the first few seconds was bad
ly frightened, terribly frightened, and
then, for some unknown reason. lost
every vestige of nervousness and was
as cool as I am this minute! OF
course, I realized my helplessness, but
that didn't seem to worry me in the
least.
saw the humorous side of the whole
thing. Here were two men in my
room, one holding a revolver to my
head-and everybody knows that am
as good-natured a fellow as is to be
found in the city-and another. ran
sacking my wife's bureau and prin-
SSGo VI CcSCA AbI 6Adb 4 eO64dAA
inc! remembered that had less than
IS in cash in my vest pocket, and my
wife had taken her two diamond rings
and what little jewelry she owned with
her. The situation struck me as
funny. ridiculously funnyi 1 wanted
to laugh, but had sense enough to re-
frain. / felt sorry for the fellows
going to all this trouble and wasting
a perfectly good night for burglars
operations, here in my bungalow clear
out in the Oak Ridge "additionl" And
further. I remember that even felt
complimented to think that these pro-
fessional housebrealzers had chosen
my place instead of Williamson's next
door. He was much better fixed than
J. and my wife has always envied Mrs.
Williamson her diamonds and pearls.
Well, the fellow continued to hold
the gun close to my head. while his
pal poked around with a fashlight. !
surely felt sorry for them. Here they
were in here, spending a couple of
hours for nothing, and 1t was a cold
winter night and It seemed shame
to let them go away empty-handed and
without anything to warm their hearts
and stomach.
Say. friends" I finally managed TO
remark, would you fellers-er-like
q little good 'Hootch,' the kind that's
worth about SIS a quart just now7"
The man standing at my bed
dropped his gun, and his mate came
rushing over TO me and turned the
nashlight straight into my face, blind
ing me.
Whisky" exclaimed the men IN
chorus. 'Did you say it-whisky?"
"Surei" said; "the real stuff"
"Where Is IT." one of them asked.
'well. / don't think you could find
It. My wine cellar is camounaged
from necessity these days. But-er-
I'll go with you and give you a quart
apiece II you'll agree TO cut out this
burglarizing and leave my wife's
manicure set and things unmolested."
tits a contract" said one of the
fellows. "You get up and dress and
lead us TO that there wine celiarl
That sounds good 10 usi"'
obeyeds Jumping out OF bed
started TO press the button to turn on
the lights mot necessary. pard!"
said the fellow holding the revolver.
THAT amt needed. We've got a fash
light here and that's enough"
I then quietly slipped on my bath
robe and slippers and led the way out
into the hall. down the stairs. through
the dining-room. and then down into
the cellar.
Like a lot OF other real epicures in
this country of the free and land Of the
brave. 1 had put in a pretty satisfac-
tory stock OF whisky and wines 10 car
~ me through the prohibition dry
spell. It cost me a lot of money. but
had figured It was worth it.
Reaching the cellar. I opened a cam
.ue.~os snor ncar the furnace lust off