Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-06-25
How TIE JAPANESE FIGHT FIRE. -Ooe

writing about the transit of Venus irom Nagas
aki, tells, 10 passing, how oddly they mis- man
age FIRE 10 that county, as follows We arriv-
ed at the FIRE evidently some time after it had
begun, and found the streets tul of people with
lanterns. Here all persons arc required 10 car
ry lanterns at night, having painted on the out
side, al the bottom, the bearers business. For
instance, this is indicated tor the navy by one
zig-zag line, tor the army two; 10 the middle
the crest. aud at the top the rank indicated by
the number OF horizontal stripes. The narrow
streets were full OF women looking at the fire,
but not moving. We happened to be near one
OF their peculiar fire engines. They are made
throughout of wood, the main part being an OBJ
loug, heavy box. Running parallel with the
length Of this, Is beam worked up aud down,
carrying on each side of its central support the
plunger ota pump.
Those pumps are connected with bamboo
D, Zzle abuut five feet long, which is fastened
by rude universal joint, SO that it may be
turned 10 any direction. This machine is
brought on wheels, and put down 10 con-
vcnieut place; buckets Of water are brought
and poured into this box, and five or six men
work the beam while another stands Oh the box
aud directs the nGzzle The houses are all low,
about one and half story, aud made OF wood,
except the heavy, tiled roof. When We first saw
the fire. they had one Of these squlrts, but no
water so We joined the crowd iu yelling init
zee Finally some was brought in large buck
cts and poured into the box of the apparatus,
and they began 10 pump but, being too far
from the FIRE, did not do much With their water.
So three of US persuaded them by very ener-
getc gestures to move nearer. This they did;
but as soon as it became a little warm, they
withdrew and again played from distance.
We next tried TO get them to use axes and cut
through the posts Of the houses.
This they did to some extent, but did not
begin sufficiently far from the fire, aud were
too late. About this time some Russian sailors
appeared with ropes and buckets. The ropes
We tied to beams. and number of men pull
lpg on these drew down sume OF the houses
which had been partly cut away. For few
minutes we stopped active work, and | tried to
make some of the Japanese who we're there 10
uniform understand the advantages OF cutting
down the houses in front of the fire. l took
one of them, who | found after the IRE was
the Chief Engineer, by the arm, and walked
him up ladder to the top of the house, and
tried to poiut out TO him the advsabllity Of
leveling some Of the houses lu certain dircc-
tion.
He took all Of il very quietly, and seemed to
like the plan. We next Iassed up buckets ol
water aud threw them on the fire, there hap
There appeared at this moment small iron
force pump. which had on it about forty feet OF
hose The nozzle OF this was passed up, and l
played fireman by directing it. Before long We
had checked the fire in one direction, and re-
tired to another part, where we found the Rus-
sian sailors bed the fire nearly under control.
Went home at a. ~. tired aud wet through.
Iu case OF fire The man who lives in the house
where the fire originates must pay tor that
house. If too poor to do so, he has to 60 to
prison and work until it is paid for.
MoopYs MANNER. The sermon that fol-
lows is simply the story of the closaug scenes 10
the Saviours hts beginning with the ga her
ing of the little company OF thirteen at the
Last Supper 1t ls told in the Photographic
way of one who has stuuied 1t so luteDIly that
the whole scene stands out 10 clear detail aid
intensely real before him. Aud he makes it
seem very real and present to his auiIeoce.
There are Moodyish touches to the plc'ufc'
here and there, that are Very characteristic
and effective. Judas made great professions.
He got near enough to the Son OF Gnd TO Kiss
him. But he went to damuat0n. HIS voice
seems to have been overstrained, and is not as
plcasant as it used to be. His words tumble
over each other often in the haste OF his utter
a.cs. He has surprising faculty Tor such
grammatical mistakes and iliteracies as Them
Jews" 1.-The Spirit done it, " "TaiDt no use,
.'3it right no, He come to him, etc. But
these minor blemishes sink out of notice IN the
tremendous earnestness with which he speaks.
That is the pre- eminent characteristic OF tue
discourse. The noiseess, rapt attention OF Inc
vast congregation is wonderful. Hundreds are
10 tears. -
In the very midst Of the discourse and the
height of its interest two or three quickly >uc
frnnn cp
audience. MIR. Moody stopped as II 1t we're
signal shot from Satau's line. and with SherI,
dan-Gke promptncss said, "Well stand up and
sine Rock of ages, cleft for me, and the ush'
ers w, pIease help that srlend out OF the nall.
She's hvstericaI There we're no more ''hys-
terical' demonstrations during the evening,
and the congregation scarcely realized that
there had been any interruption during the
service. London Cor Christian Onton.
A. MOTHERS HoME.-The most perfect
home ever saw was n little house, into the
sweet incense of whose fires went DOT cosby
things Six hundred dollars served lor year
Iv,nx Of father, a mother and three chlldreo.
I'm, 1bc mother was a creator of home, and her
r.,a,;ons with her children were the most beau
,;,nl have ever seen Even dull and COM
,nonnlacs man was lifted up aud enabled to DO
wnrE for souls by the atmosphere when TINS
Woman created. Every inmate of her house
;nvonn,ariIy looked into her face for the key
no,e of the day. and it always rang clear, FROM
The rosebud or the clover leaf' which, 10 sp'.e .e
of her housework, she always iouud time to
put by our plates at breakfast, down to tne ne
essay or story she had on hand to oe reaa OF
discussed 10 the evening, there was Nv tuaH, hnoa
mission of ber influence. she always nS' oe1.'
and aiwsys will be, my ideal Of mother, wife
1f,o her Quick brain, loving heart and exqu,-
ate M - tact act had been added the appliance OF wealth
sud s,d tlos .he % euIarseneo. of wider culture. hers
would have been absolutely the ideal home !. AS As
it was it is the best have ever seen 1. mas ;ss
besn more than twenty years since crossed It's
threshold. do DOT know whether she IS ll''GK