The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-07-01
NUMBER ONE.
Officer GossaGe and Bob Yopst
Going to the Fire Wednes-
day Night.

While going to the fire "Wednesday
night, the reporter was startled by hearing
a report, as if some one had fired pistol
Immediately followed by the words, "Gee
there, Centipede % He FASTENED around tc
the corner of Second street and Washing
ton avenue, and found Jim Gossage seated
on the East Sedalia fire engine, driving q
yoke of oxen, who were doing their best to
"git thar, Eli"
Jim had short-handled whip, with q
ffIeer-foot lash, In his hand, which he
swung around his head and touched the of
OK with In q manner which in
formed his oxship that he was not going
as fast as the daring fireman desired.
As the engine went by the reporter at
lightning speed he thought he detected a
dark object on the back part, and immedi-
ately mounted his mothers ten-toed colt TO
ascertain what it was. As the engine
came TO halt at the corner of Second and
Massachusetts, streets, Jim alighted from
his seat to sponge off his fiery, untamed
team, and the "Injun" caught up with him
just in time to hear him say:
"Why don't you FIRE up"
II was very evident that he was speaking
TO some one, and as the reporter was not
fireman he looked around to see who was
Jim's companion. Going around to the
back part of the engine he found Bob
Yopst with his coat and vest of, his sleeves
rolled up and his head inside the Gr-box,
yainly trying to discover a chunck OF coal.
There isn't drop of water in the boiler
and not piece of coal as big as a straw
berry" said Bob.
You haven't got a cigar about your old
clothes, have you ?" asked Jim.
"No, havn't got cigar, but have a
match" said Bob. "But what in the name
OF common sense do you want with CT
gar"
Il want to smoke, of course. Look out,
there
But the warning came too late, and Bob
went through the air like he was shot out
of q cannon, and landed in a barrel, where
he stuck fast, nor could the combined ef-
forts of the newsmonger and Jim extricate
him from his anything but pleasant posi-
ton. Here, then, was q chance to display
some brain work.
The reporter suggested to Bob that
be condense himself sufficiently to
allow himself to roll out, but this was
found to be impracticable.
Jim suggested that the barrel be carried |
to the middle of the street and the engine |
run over it.
After considerable talk the hoops were
finally removed, when lol the stoves all |
fell to pieces and Bob was once more free.
A good deal of valuable time had been
lost here, and the three fastened to the en-
CINE, where to their dismay they found that
Centipede had in some manner slipped his
harness and escaped. Here indeed was a
dilemma. How was that engine to be got
to the fire, and the building was in flames
About this time boy knee-nigh to a
came around the corner and
Bob that the fire was out and
that their assistance would not be needed
But now Jim was missing nor could he
be found any place, until gentleman
rane up and informed Bob that some one
was in his cherry tree and he wished to
have him arrested. The reporter drew his
sword and Bob shouldered his gun and the
trio preceded to make the arrest. Arriv-
ing under the tree they found Jim sitting
'traddle limb composedly munching the &,
delicious fruit and smacking his lips
louder than he had cracked the whip a
hort time previous. He could not be per-
uaded to come down, and not until the
limb on which he was seated was sawed off
md permitted to drop to the ground, was
he unseated, and even then he carried the U
limb to the street and placed 1t on the en-
zine for future use. He probably ate the 4
caves.
The next thing In order was to get the
ngine back to East Sedslia, and, as Of I
icers Prentiss and Golden happened along
bout this time, they were harnessed in
jentipede's stead and the procession moved L
inward
The engine was safely housed without
urther accident, unless the fact that Jim Il
1T himself on the nose with the whip be q
oted, and the boys came up town and put 4
q the rest of the night telling the neigh
ors how they had (?) gene TO the fire and b
that noble work the OK team had done. :,
Is an OK driver Jim is bird and as an :,
Dgineer Bob can't be beat
For Jefferson City. 3