The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-10-04
THE STORY OF A HERO.
BY GEORGE MANvILLR FEM.

And don't think | ever shall get to take
it as matter of course, sir-taking it cool
ly's out of the question. Here we are liv
ing about as exciting life as men can live
always on duty, and ready at a moment
to have a set to with the worst fire thai
ever broke out No, | shall never get tt
take it as matter of course, for it's al
dark, rush and excitement, and | love it
sir Flash comes the news to US by tele
graph, most likely out comes the horses
there's light put to the ready.trimped
fire, and then, with train of sparks q yine
out behind us, as the fire roars, and the
steams getting up, away gallop the horses
Ay, it's stAi! no hollo" and they clear
the road for US; and away we go on full
gallop down the streets, with the horses
hoofs striking fire. the crowd shouting, and
the running mob increasing at every step
There's something in it as warns ones
blood and as to the danger-wel, of course
it's dangerous (; but when we feel that we're
doing our duty, and know what's before US,
why, somehow we don't remember the
danger, but go at it in earnest.
Now, there was only last week, sitting as
I was waiting for call-there it was at
last, late on in the night when the streets
were clear and away we tore at something
like pace. Oxford street, Holborn, down
the Hill, up Skinner street. and Newgate
street-whoop and away full galiop, with
the horses enjoying it, bless you, and lash
ing out till it's hard to say whether they
didn't make more sparks than the fire I'M
der the boiler. We wanted no more in
structious, for there was the red glow on
ahead; and as we got nearer, we could al
most see the sparks and at last we did see
them come pouring and rolling along with
the smoke, and being heavy. hot night,
hanging like thick star-spangled cloud
Just over our heads.
Two engines were there there, and as it
happened so late, there were not 80 many
people as might have been expected but
as soon as | got there | saw as something
particular was the matter, and this is what
it was 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
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 Pm 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 suffering fell
low creature butt then with ME it's quite
different. Pm paid SO much a week to
save life and property from fire consequent
ly, only do what's my duty 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
fam es had worked through into the next,
and were attacking the one opposite, while,
with their escape regularly cut off, there
were about 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, on which the water
sputtered and steamed without making any
impression.
There was no time for ladders or any
thing else but the sheets, and them we got
stretched out for the people to jump into,
but, poor things they dared not, and what
to do / could not tell. There was the lire
blazing up higher and higher, and lighting
up two of them old city churches that you
see lost down those old courts, and looking
as if they'd been put there out O. the way
because people didn't have any use for them
now. These they were lit up and glowing,
and the pigeons that lived up there scared
and flying round and round the fire there
was the rush and roar of the wind along
the court as it set towards the fire; and
there were the flames leaping up, the clouds
ofsparks rising, the clouds of smoke rolling
away, and the cracking sputter of the
states as they flew with the heat, and then
slid rattlIng off into the court beneath,
smash upon the pavement. Every now
and then came a louder roar and crash as a
rafter or beam fell in, and sent the sparks
up in a whirlwind And there all that time
were those poor creatures uttering the wild
est piercing shrieks for help you ever heard
Now, I've heard so much of that sort of
thing that you'd expect shouldn't mind it.
but do, though, aud as said about fires
don't think | ever shall get to take it as {
matter of course; for there is something
very awful in seeing fellow-creatures, strone
and hearty, and yet dying before your eyes
and you not able to save them.
But wasn't idle all this time not bill
of it, for every minutes worth something
at fire, and if you give 1T too much time
it will beat you Under the circumstances
the first thing was to save life, aud willis
them that had the branches did their bes
to keep the fire back from them at the tnir
floor window, l got hold of rope, and ii
at the house opposite, and made my way u
stairs to the third floor, which, like the res
of the place, was used as a warehouse, anC
crammed full of packages.
Being a strange house, it wasn't easy t.
find your way, but got up at last, and op
posite to the room where the poor thing
were all now huddled together at one win