Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1883-10-13

The True story OF AN Unfortunate Rupture
in a Pike County Fire Department.

Ell. Mott tells this funny story in the
New York Sua:-Thc County Clerk has
resigned as member Of the Milford
Fire Department. of which he, together
with tiity-toot hook and ladder truck
and the ex-Disf-ict Attorney, had long
been an important appurtenance. He
was led to sever his connection with the
department by what he alleges was
piece Of deception o.. the part os the ex-
District Attorney, by which deception
his usefulness and two panels of board
fence were simultaneously impaired.
and Ifs dignity as citizen, O man, and
grandfather greatly injured.
According to the accepted account Of
the affair, it seems that at q session Of
7the boys at the Crissman House the
athletic exercise came up for discussion,
and much difference Of opinion was found
to exsist as to the individual merits cf
certain pedestrians. This discussion
grew warm. and the ex-Dlstrict Attorney
was finally prompted to remark tha,
when 1t came right down to powers Of
endurance as a pedestrian, he felt that
he himself would never be called upon
to take back seat for any one, where
upon the County Clerk, who had fuiled
to agree with the esDistrict Attorney
on any point during the evening, ejacu-
lated rather contemptuously that some
people could do more wonderful things
with their mouths in ten minutes than
they could perform with their hands ana
feet In SIX months. This was taken hy
the eXDlRrlct Attorney Us a direct per
sonal allnsion, and he obtained the
floor to remark that if some people.
whom he might mention would mix
more water with what they drank they
would probably be better qualified for
steady pedestrian exercises themselves.
The County Clerk replied with som.
heat that, water or no water he would
bet So with the cx-District Attorney. ii
the latter thought he could borrow the
money to pat up, that he (the Count,
Clerk would walk the shoes off of him
| (the exDlstrict Attorney the best da,
he ever saw, and do it easy. The ex
District Attorney said that was all right
aud if the County Clerk wanted to get
mad he could get mad and be blamed to
him; and rs for money, he could show
Just as much as any one in the crowd
The County Clerk said if that was the
case it might not be bad idea for tn,
cx-District Attorney to show a little. Is
they had been sitting there all the even
ing and he hadn't seemed to be serv
anxious to sling much around. 1t i no,
known what the cx-District Attorney III
tended to reply, or what the result o,
this bandying of pleasantries might have
BEEN for Just then Jake Schorr, the
stage driver, who was returning from !.
late train at Port Jervis, came dashlne
down the road, with his team and CRYING
Fire y Fire = at the top of his lungs
Then there was a hurrving to and Fl,
among the boys The hook and ladd,l
truck was housed in the Crssman Hous.
barn. The County Clerk and the cx
District Attorney rushed for it at once
The former seized hold of it at the rear
while the latter handled the tongue
The night was very dark. The truck
WAS quickly taken out, and the Count
Clerk shouted:
Now lie. her 60, boys I'll push be-
behind and you handle the tongue.
Then he added to himself: "Ill see how
much pedestrianism there is in that Dis
trlct Attorney, now, you bet. He's 60:
to he good one if do,.'t wind him be-
fore this run Is over.
4 Away they went The fire was up
town, three quarters of a mile away
Before they had gone half block the
County Clerk was clearing ten feet OF
ground at every step.
Sweet Christmas :" thought he, "what
an internal gait them boys have struck.
II they keep that up the District At
torney'll be dead before he gets there.
and I'll bet on it.
Bv this time the County Clerk feet
barely mad time to touch the ground at
all His hat was gone, and he swung
along behind the truck like kite tail In
the wind.
"If he amt runner, I'm blowed -
he said. IF tLev don't get to that fire
blame soon, or if he don't fall dead, m
| a goner.
A still greater hurst of speed on the
part of the truck lifted the County Clerk
off his feet. and he struck out behind the
machine as straight as coupling pole
An instant he hung poised Then he
lost his grip. He shut his eyes and
went right on He rushed through
space fer fifty feet. Then he met a
board fence. He took two panels Of il
with him rs he went through it. As he
lrested in the middle Of five-acre potato
ra,ch he said:
well. I've hearl Of good running.
but ii that do,lt rather knock the sp ''s
off Of ANYTHING ever done. n three
legged pot.
So, when the County Clerk Learned
that he had been following that trncl
with Jake Schorr's lrsrses hltche,l Ia tn
tongue and taking !, over the ground Il
twenty miles an hour. and that the *
District Attorney had roo.lv ridden ol
/. every step II the way II the IRE, Il
felt hurt. H. sail that II they wantt'
, 10 run Fire Department on such prin
clples they could, but as for him. nc
And he resigned
! THE most an Arctlc explorer can {:
sow Is 10 follow in the tracks II ,hos
D aho went bt fore him, freeze his feet al
!. write a book.