The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-22
Fire Company A No. ].

Maple street.-the "children's Paradise"
it was called. Some one hearing this,
remarked that II was certainly not
Grown Peoples Paradise" but he had
never lived on Maple street. and so, of
course. knew nothing about it.
There was very little quarreiing among
the small people. They played happily
together from morning until night, and
the bdg people seldom complained. True,
one day when Tom Banks had whistled
After the Balf' steadily for fifteen min
utes. Mrs. Graves had just made up her
mind that she could not stand it no
ment ionger-when the whistling ceased.
for which she was truly thankful, not
only for the quiet, but for quiet obtained
without request that might have prov
ed something of a scolding.
The children ranged through all ages
from the baby who was big enough to cry
put too small TO do anything else, up
TO eight-year-oid Jack, chief of Fire Com
pany A No. 1.
This fire company was the pride and
glory OF the street, composed OF ten mem
6ers selected by Jack Day and Frank
owen, who were. as Jack expressed It,
"f'ellers that could run fast"
FRANK owen was an important member
OF the Company for he owned the little
eXpress-wagOn which served as truck
hose-carriage and fire-engine in one ON
the box sat Freddy Jones, who was too
little TO run but able to guide the horses
his TWO brothers. and wasn't heavy like
the other boys" Underneath the truck
hung tin pail, which though rusty
would hold water If you wanted it too"
and in the cart, o joy! was quite a long
piece Of rubber pipe which Jack Day had
found one day and presented to the Com
pany amid cries Of delight. He knew ii
would work, he explained, for he had
taken ii into the kitchen, fastened it to
the faucet and turned the water on just
Il little
Il could throw the water all around
wherever wanted to- said Jack, and
1t was such fun | forgot all about getting
the floor wet until Mary ran into the
kitchen and-phew! But never mind. fel-
lers, here it is only keep it out Of our
yard to-day"
The Company was now equipped. for
they already possessed a. WORKOUT. door
bell which sounded for all the world like
a fire-bell. 1t was fine sight to see the
horses at the first stroke Of the bell run
into the shafts, or In reality grasp thu
wagon-pole and with Freddy on the box
fourishlng his whip, the hose in plain
view behind. the tin pail swinging franti-
cally beneath, and the eight boys racing
along on either side, so flying down the
street while the bell p"aled continually.
could ever find where the fire was. The
Company would run down the street and
up again. making no pause until they
reached the spot where Jimmie was in
dustriously working the bell handle. But
the bell always ceased ringing when they
arrived, and the firemen sat down to rest
looking so happy and satisfied there could
be no doubt but that the fire, no matter
where ii had been, was surely and safely
out.
This Company however was without n
name until one day when something hap
pened.
On this afternoon the boys were all
over in Jack Days yard They felt more
free To laugh and whistle than usual for
there was no one In the kitchen-it being
Mary's afternoon out. They were having
such a good time playing hde-and-seek
mat littie FREDDY without being noticed
had taken the tin pail from beneath the
truck, dropped a few stones into il, and
seated himself on the porch. Perhaps
playing with the pail made him think OF
fre, Tor all at once he smelled something
queer.
'Moke." said he, II mel 'moke."
Frank. who had just run home without
being caught, turned round. and not I'M
derstanding Freddy's crooked tongue, but
catching sight of the treasured pail filied
with stones, ran up the steps, and would
probably have bounced upon the offender
had not something inside the kitchen
caused him to fiatten his face against the
screen door and stare in.
The boys came hurrying up, and Jack
Day threw open the door and went in. the
rest crowdng after, The range was red
hot The piece of carpet tackled down be-
fore the range had caught fire and one
entire side was burning.
The boys turned pale Even as they
gazed the little flames crept on and out
in every direction.
Pour water on it,
Here's the hoser
Jack. shaking with excitement. pushed
the tube over the faucet and the next
moHent the water came rushing out in