Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-03-31

"but 1t makes my head swim. Myi Wha,
was that2"
1t looked like red streak in the air
1t was the crimson-bodied buggy of the
fire chief tearing by, with the bay horse
at a dead run and every muscle in his
clean body working like an electrical
engine.
The clamor Of the gongs is now inces-
SAINT. The street is a blockade. Tbs po-
lice are marking out the fire lines, and
the mob presses them hard. A black
fog, pungent with the odor of soft coal
and burning wood, hangs over the street.
Out of the window of big iron building
tips q slender and misunderstanding
tongue of fame. A roar breaks from
the crowd, and the engines Of which we
can only see the furnace-holes blinking
through the smoke, commence to ham
mer and thump, like giants in bondage
striving to rend their chains. A white
streak cuts the smoke-fog, like long
steel blade, and the crowd yells "Hur-
rah!n
As IL the first touch of water mad
dened 1t, the fire bursts from dozen
windows, blowing a shower of broken
glass before 1t. The air above the house
top begins to redden. The windows of
adjoining houses take on sullen and
angry color, such as one may note in the
eyes of wild beast crouchiug in its
cage. A cataract OF water is washing the
iron front and beating the fame into
writing fragments. There is g heavy
crash and an eruption of fire spouts
above the hcuse-top and fans cloud of
sparks high into the air. The roof has
been blown apart. The crowd catches
its breath and says "Ah!"
Against the roaring blaze black figures
are silnonetted, perched upon adjoining
walls. One man, standing on the metal
cornice, yields an axe with great, strong
strokes. A stealthy streak of fame
sinks up toward his feet, withdraws,
sinks up again, and once more draws
back. The axe falls steadily. In an in
slant there Is big coiling leap of fire at
him, the cornice crumbles under his feet
like paper-and strong arms are hauling
him up 70 safety, while he still clutches
the axe.
A plump, elderly gentleman, who has
been forgetting all about his bank, where
the board meeting is waiting for its pres
ideDt, throws up his hand and shouts
"Hurrahi" The mob repeats the cry in
a wild, gustv roar. The engines So IA to
take it up with their whir and clatter lost
In smoke, and oven the crash OF the
falling eornice is almost lost In it.
while it is still lingering among the
noises of the scene, shout OF laughter
buries it. The crowd opens into circle,
In the middle OF which = burstsd hose
spouts a fountain of freezing water in
half dozen jets. No one has noticed
how cold it is until now, yet the icicies
hang in huge festoons among the flames,
and the spray of the mounting streams
of water falls like hail.
ssMy!' says the pretty girl in the
plush raglan, who is scarcely less pretty
with her nose as red as her lips should
be, and her lips as blue as her eyes, 81
pity those poor fellows"
A young man, with fancy neck-tie
and diamond pin, remarks that they
are used TO 1t, and elicits the open dis
approval OF the by'-standers. II Is not a
tudicious moment to depreciate the fire.
man and his trade. Fortunately for the
young man, moro gongs announce q re-
enforcement OF engines aud apparatus.
The policeman guarding the line tells US
that 1.-THE three skies have been sent
out, and oders to wager his saccharine
existence against some alternative he
fails to mention that the fire Is 'sgcod for
two millions. if it's good for cent"
An excited young man comes running
up and lodges under the policeman's
warning arm. Before the menacing
club eau fall, he shows, under the lapel
of his coat, an embossed metal badge,
at the sight of which the representative
of civic order lowers the staff of Office,
grumbling, however, something to the
eiiect that you Sc fellows is nuisances. !"
The crowd views the iuterlude with an
ad miration not unmixed with respect
and envy, and red-nosed man, who
has twice tried to wheedie passage be-
yond the forbidden boundary, makes a
third attempt, and gets well punched in
the ribs with the officer club for his
persistency. Other reporters come up
and plunge into the smoke. so do men
who do not look like reporters, but who
wear tho same badges. Aoas - tssse