The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-10-16
THE STORY OF A HERO.

And don't think | ever shall get to
take it as a matter of course, sir-taking it
coolly's out Of the question. Here we are
living about as an excited life as men can
lead-always on duty, and ready at a mo-
ment to have a set-to with the worst fire
that ever broke out. No, | shall never get
to take it as a matter of course, for it's all
dark, rush and excitement, and | love it,
sir Flash comes the news to US by tele-
graph, most likely; cut GENES the horses
ther 5 tight put to the read dy-trimmed
fire, and ti,en, with a train of sparks flying
out behind up, as the fire roars, and the
steara's getting up away gollop the horses.
Aye, it's ali! no! hillo!" and they clear
the road for us; and away we go on q full
gallon down the streets, with the horse
hoots striking fire, the Gro d shouting, and
the running mob increasing at every step.
There re'ssomething N itas warns one blood /;
and as to the danger-well of course, it's
dangerous; but when we feel that we're
doing our duty, and know whats before us
Why, somehow we don't remember the dan
ger, Out 60 at IL IN earnest.
Now, there was only last week k,sitting as
| Eas waiting for a calI-there it was at
last, late on in the night, when the streets
We're clear; and away we tore at something
like pace. Oxford street; Holborn, down
the Hill, up Skinner street, Newgate street
-whoop. and away full gallon, with the
horses enjoying it, bless you, and lashing
out till It's hard to say whether they didn't
make more sparks than the fire under the
boiler. We wanted no more instructions,
for there was the red glow on ahead; and
as we got nearer we could almost see the
sparks; and at last we did see them come
pouring and rolling along with the smoke,
and being a heavy, hot night hanging like
a thick star-spangled cloud just over our
heads.
Two engines were there, and as it hap
pened so late, there were not so many peo-
pie as might have been expected; but as
soon as | got there [ saw something par
tlcular was the matter, and this is what it
s:-The fire was in quite narrow court
where they couldn't get the escapes, and
there was people burning to death; while
above the shouting of the mob and the
clanking of the engines hard at work, you
could hear their awful cries for help.
Now, don't you suppose, that I'm proud
of all this I'm going to tell you because
I'm not. Now, if you were to dash in and
save any ones life, why, no doubt it would
be brave and gallant because you would
have done it out of true compassion for a
fellow creature; but then with me
it's quite different, I'm paid SO much
week to save life and property from fire;
consequently, only do what's my dety TO
do.
| runs up the court axe in hand, and
soon sees the state of affairs. One house
Was in blaze from top to bottom, and
the flames had worked through into the
next, and were attacking the one opposite,
while with their escape regularly cut of,
there were abont half dozen people at
the upper windows of the second house and
no way Of getting to them. There was no
back door to the place, being in one of
those crowded city places; while the door
IN front and staircase were now fast getting
into state Of glow, off which the water
sputteFed and steamed without making any
impression.
There was no time for ladders or any