Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1874-02-26
s SOUTH gs7A.

we y be the the messengers, sir, bawled all
IN chorus. ~ a'ihSa7E 2Fht' l'lt -
II brought'a doctor, said the first; he
is coming up the steps. g iia2l I''i'a'2a,
brought a midwife screamed thet
second. !" e''1A ''i y tS.'sil .ts'Alji1 !tsts /,
want to know as to Where / am to 90
beloved tho third. hiasa ,l''o4 ae.f7 i
! And while I stared III speechless won
der, a fifth 1unatic came tearing up the
steps with a metallic knapsacki on his
back, and a hose and pipe in his hand.
Tell me where's the fire, said he. Then
snuffing the air, he Shouted. 1 smell il
here! and bursting open the parlor door,
4 he played a stream Of Stale soda water on on
the piano from his knapsack. ~ '14 .li1t
The policeman began to regard me
with spcechless wonder, and would have
demanded an explanation Or an apology
had no more policemen arrived with
handcnfis and rcvolvers. - Z" z S
My neighbors to the right and left of
me came in armed with bed-posts, in the
hurry of alarm wrenched off. Eour men
who dwell across the street came with
shot guns, base. ball clubs, billiard cues
and feather brush; and to hcighten the
din, steam fire engine cane laundering
up'to the door, scrceching like locomo
tive with n bad cold and close behind
clattercd the insurance patrol wagon,
which no sooner came TO halt than two
men leaped from it with great roll of
tarpaulin, with which they ran into the(
parlor and unrolled itover the sofa..snd
center table. Surrounded On o.>ry SIDE,
my house rendered Il b,dI-m' sought
out the scrsunt of ,-,:cc, and humbly
asked what il al llrheant.
WHY, you~..ec, Mr.. Gimmcl. said he,
your dii..nct alarm-box struck so lierccly
for police, messengers, and fire, that in
duty bound we ali came to sec what could |
be done in the premises. 4
Ny wife set the magic a.goins, said T.
al!sl.tllsa slsasssaaa y VIZ 10
to seek my spouse, whom l found leaning.
out Of our back chamber window, iatcnts
ly regarding the yard. She was support
fed, in flank and rear, by my ncighbors,
armed with guns, bats and cues.
| tcllyou the robbers arc down there,
and didn't ring for fire; ut least | didn't
| intend to- @
Madam. shouted the policeman at the
back stoop, in II voice not TO be contra
dicicd, there are, no robbers here.
! But head them with my own ears,
presisted my undaunted wife; l heard
them trying to cliIab up the tin water
spout.
| That was it, WAS it ? asked the ccrulcan
guardian Of the peace.
Yes, just! 'lctcrminelly snapped out
Mrs. Gimmel.zs
Loud, and' long, and hearty laughed
that policeman. and between his resonant
gutiaws he gulpcd out
1t was-ha ho lia-a-he! he! hc-a
cat !-ho! hoi ho--a playing wilh---ha! |!
ha! ha-an empty tin tomato can-ha |!
ha-which itare rolling around this here
blessed yard for you all to see! Ha! ha!
ha!
My wife began to weep. the ncigllbors
to laugh, the patrolmcn to condemn their
owncycs, the iircncn to smell the battle,
and the threemcsscngcrs to dance triple
jig in the hallway. Did ] comfort my
solitary wiic?No; | left her to the tender
mergies of the police sergeant, and con-
solcd- the crowd with the al.bcr.colorcd
contents Of tlccanter
Jim Welf and tho Tom Cats.