The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-05-18
FIREMEN'S TOURNAMENT.
oH4RzEsroN IN nHo11DAT,A9rIRE.
The Charleston Fire Department-Thc
Observation-Disclosures of Men and
Notwithstanding for the Prize
Time and Observation-Disclosures, &c.

One OF the most prominent features OF the
nineteenth ceLJlry is the wide spread enthusiasm
for benevolent Institutions Indeed, philanthropy
has become the spirit OF the age. The whole
world Is doing honor to WiiberIorce, Howard,
Elizabeth Fry and Florence Nightingale. Great Is
the fame of the members OF the Humane Society,
OF The tender hearts banded together for the sup
preston OF cruelty to animals. Missionaries to
foreign lands, and the pr ,moters OF education:
morality or religion, receive their full meed O.
praise. Father Matthew and his enthusiastic fol-
lowers have had their day Of glory. vaccination
and chloroform have shed neYer.dylng lustre on
the names Of Jenner and Morton. The victorious
soldier, the brave mariner, the adventurous trav'
eller, the ingeri'us mechanic, the sublime poet
the erudte philosopher, all find their claims read
lily acknowledged and receive well merlted re-
ward.
But there Is one class OF philanthropists, to
whom the world has not accorded the high place
they so richly deserve; and ye: are they tile oene
factors Of their race in far truer and more prac
tical sense than your agtators for universal SUI
frage, women's rights OF whatever ism happen
70 be Fashionable. at the time being. From our
earliest childhood we have been so accustomed TO
rely on the forti:ude and self-sacrfce Of the fire.
man. that we are too prone to regard his heroic
labors. perls and surerings, as matter OF
course; and this very familiarity often makes US
lose sight Of hi' worth, and underrate his no
BILE exertions for the preservation Of life and pro.
perty This band OF heroes is Z be found in every
civilized land. They form q universal brother.
hood-one IN their aims and instincts, their mo.
tiyes and actions. The fire bell Is the given sig
nal, and the burning homestead their trysting
place.
Have you eS.r considered, gentle reader, when
In the small hours of the night, you heard the
dread tocsns dolefut toll, perhaps rose from your
comfortable couch. and locked out Into the dark
night, TO view where the ireking held his reck-
less rout, and no: seeing the blaze, or perceving
1t at considerable distance from your home or
place of business. you let down the sash aud re-
turned to your luxurious rest; we ask, at such
times, do you ever think Of the freman-how
very differently the same toosln's ring strikes on
his tutored ear? The 1rst fell sound OF its iron
tongue rouses him from sleep profound; he
springs from his bed instnctvely, dohs his fire.
SCARED hat and coat, and, In large aud rapid
strides, hies him to the engine house.
Oft In days gone By. ere our fair city had be-
come ruin, and dire war orphaned her bellries,
in the dead OF night have we been awakened to
the fullest realization OF Edgar Poe's inimitable
lines:
"Rear the loud alarum bells
Brazen bells!
What tale OF terror their turbuency tells
In the Startled ear OF night
How they scream out their alright
Too much horrihed to speak,
They can only Shrek, shrek,
Out OF tune
In clamorous appealing to the mercy OF the fire,
In mad eXpostClatlon with the deaf and frantic
hre.n
"0h the bells, bells; bells
What 8 tale tleir terror tells
or despair
How they clang, and clash, and roar
What horror they outpour
On the bosom Of the palpitaJug air
Yet the ear it fully Knows
By Che twangiug
And the changing
How the danger ebbS and dowS.'