The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-06-18
THE OLD FIRE-vAMP'S STORY.
BY PELEG ARKwRIGHT.

Yes, yes you've got fine Machines beautiful
machine;
andneat and clean.
Is'pose now, with your horses and your telegraph
| alarms,
hands and arms,
1t amt so hard on flesh ard blood, and like as
| not the fires
Has less to brag of fighting steam that never
| slacks nor tires
But, boy g, them old machines of ours-we love
And liked TO hear the music of the good old fire.
bell.
Yes, thank you, boys, wouldn't mind to sit and
And have pipe and hear you tell about the mod
ern style;
But somehow, boys, 1 don't believe. in these here
You get the same enjoyment from roasting,
roaring blaze
Like what we did in olden times, when through
The watch tower changed the loud alarm. 1t did
the business brown,
And fetched the night-caps out of bed to see the
When was chief of Neptune Five, some thirty
years ago.
feel at home amongst you, boys; it carries me
away
To times when our red shirts and belts was
thought to be quite gay.
And then the girls-poke bonnets, ehs-would
For any gallus fireman. God bless the girls says
l s'pose some of you may have heard about the
little strike
That made my fortune, may say for, although
To take no money for it then, it didn't cCme so
i'll
When twenty Thousand dollars, boys, was left me
in will.
1t happened on a summers night, in eighteen
1orty-two;
fine house on a corner up in Second Avenue
Took fire in the basement, and before the people
woke
The flames were raging down below-the house
When we got there the the people was a-dropping
white with fear,
To the roof Of an extension from second-story
rear.
They were safe but thrilling through US rang q
cry Of wild despair
From out an upper window, and we saw woman
there.
With little child clasped tightly TO her bosom,
was up on the extension in jiffy at the sight,
And climbed in at the window, through the
smoke that rushed out thick,
And groped my way up blindly--not second,
though, too quick,
For the fire was gaining headway fast; and when
found the pair
Too late to save them from below-I saw that
plain enough;
don't know how done it, but 1 got 'em TO the
roof
AS we appeared a cheer broke out from anxious
crowds beneath
But still my chance was mighty slim to save us
all from death.
No ladder could reach upward, through the
smoke and flame there was
The next roof twenty feet away-an awful gap for
usl
Cut Off 1t seemed, from human aid, no means of
Alone between a blazing hell, black and lurid
sky,
Three living souls expecting death-a scene of
And one trembling woman was, and one little
child.
never saw sight like that-the mother kneel-
ing there,
Her arms around the little boy, her face upturned
If ever human agony disturbed the far-off SIX les
Then did the supplication of those piteous,
pleading eyes.
Likely heaven took an interest the little one
to save,
For now they're on tie other roof-my boys 80
prompt and bravel
And now they've hauled ladder up, and now it's
But E' such bridge You'd better b1ieve the thing
was perilous,
The mother saw and shuddered, and cast one
glance around
Upon the gathering horror and heard its sullen
sound.
She kissed the child with clinging lips and held
him out to me;
"Save him, save hins-my precious boy Ny life
is naught," said she.
took him, started; rung by rung stepped the
chasm o'er,
Though sitting gusts the fire sent up with dull
and angry roar;
Till, safe across, the child gave, then turned to
again
To help the mother but saw the peril would
be Valnl
She had watched the dizzy journey with moth
ers eager eye
Until we stood In safety then she heard a little
cry,
And saw her Daby's outstretched arms. Another
look to God:
''Yes, darling mammals coming now-and forth
the woman trOd.
Her feet were bare, her hair was loose and
streaming on the night;
The urid glow lit up her face with red, unearthly
light.
tell you now my nerves were shook performing
of the feat
That that pale woman undertook through fiery
gust OF heat.
No doubt her feet were guided like spirit swift
she came,
While the roof behind her as che left broke into
sweeping flames;
But when the dreadful journey in safety she had
passed,
Her woman's weakness triumphed and went back
on her at last.
And she fell among us fainting; but reckon
As went up on that occasion would a done you
good to hear,
1t was nip and tuck tween life and death for all
of us that night;
But death was euchred. That's all, boys I'd
thank you for light.
NJ NIL,