The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-10-19
FLASH.
THE FIREMAN's STORY.

THE FIREMAN's STORY.
lash vas white foot sorrel, an run on mo. 3;
Not much stable manners.-an average horse to
see;
Notional in his methods strong in loves an
Not very much respected, or popular mongst his
mates.:
Dull. Jam moody, an sleepy on "of'' an quiet
days;
Full of turbulent sour looks, an small sarcastic
ways;
Scowled an bit at his partner, and banged the
stable floor
With other tricks intended to designate life
bore.
But when, bet it day or night time, he heard the
alarm bell ring,
He'd rush for his place in the harness with
regular tiger spring;
| An watch with nervous shivers the clasp of
buckle an band,
| Until it was plainly evident he'd like to lend
hand.
An when the word was given, away he would
rush an tear,
i ASH a thousan witches were rumpln' up his
hair,
: An wake his mate up crazy with its magnetic
For every hoof-beat sounded a regular fire.
alarm!
Never horse jockey would worship an, admire
Z Like Flash in front of his engine racin' with
fire;
4Never a horse so lazy, so dawdlin', an so slack
q AS Flash upon his return trip a-drawin' the en-
q CINE back.
Nov, when the different horses gets tender-foot-
ed an old
They amt no use in our business; 50 Flash was
III 4 finally sold
&T1auite a respectable milkman; who found 1t
81 not so fine
-bossln' of Gods creature outside O. their reg
H lar line.
Seems as if could see Flash moopin' along
81 here now,
IA feelin' that he was simply ASST tant to COW;
B at sometimes he'd imagine he heard the alarm
III BELLS din,
2An jump an rear for minute before they could
81 hold him in;
An once, in spite O. his master, he strolled in
III 'monst us chaps,
TO talk with the other horses, of former fires,
I'll perhaps;
Whereat the mlkman kicked him; wherefor, us
IA boysto please,
He begged the horses pardon upon his Bonded
N knees.
(, But one day, for big fire we were maxim
81 dash,
Y Both O. the horses we bad on somewhat resem-
u bin Flash,
q Yelln' an rinrin' an rushin', with excellent
voice and heart,
q We passed the poor old fellow, a-tuggin away at
his cart.
z II ever see an old horse grow upwards into
If ever see driver whose traps behind him
flew,
Twas that old horse, rompin' an rushin
: down the track,
{ A. that respectable milkman atryn' to hold
= him back
Away he dashed like Cyclone for the head of
No. 3,
Gained the lead an kept it, an seered his jour
ney free;
/ Dodgin the wheels an horses. an still on the
keenest "silk,"
And furnishn' all that district with good ie-
spectacle milk.
Crowd a-yellin an runnin and vainly, holer-
"Whoa p
Milkman bracin' an sawin', with never bit
ofshow;
Fremen laughin and chucklin, an hollerin',
"Good Go IMP
Hoss a-gettin' down to it. an sweepin' along
like sin.
Finally come where the fire was, halted with
'thud,"
Sent the respectable milkman heels over head in
mud:
Watched till he see the engine properly workin'
After which he relinquished all interest in
the affair
Mooped an wilted an dawdled-fa6ed away
once more;
Took up his old OCCUPATION of yotin' life bore;
Laid down in his harness, and am to
say
The milkman he had drawn there drew his
dead body away.
That's the whole O. my story; I've seen, morn
once or twice
That poor dumb animals actions are full OF hui
man advice
Az if you ask what Flash taught, l simply an
swer you. then,
That poor old horse was symbol OF some intel
ligent men
Twill Carleton, in Harpers Magazine for
October.