Birmingham age-herald., 1895-01-30
THE FIRE PUMP.

At last water was running in Tarlan, md the dream of the inhabitants of that town was realized.
 It had taken ten years to raise tho funds, three years to find the spring, four years to discuss tho details of tho scheme, two years to choose the contractor and six months to lay the pipes.
 The gigantic undertaking had been com pleted in 20 years. For such work 20 years was not too much
 Well, as has been said, water was at last running in Tarlan, and. the inhabit- ants-men, women and children-turned the faucets continually to admire the abundance and freshness of the water.
 ''Fire can come now as soon as it wants to, said some of the citizens. Two are quite ready for it.
 Fire was what the Tarlanese most dreaded, and it gave them the greatest joy to think that now, they were safe from this awful foe. Some of them were ready to start a fire just for the sake of seeing tho pump work.
 They needn't have been so anxious, for fire broke out of its own accord at mid night. It gained ground so quickly that the people in the house where it appeared had barely timet escape.
 Suddenly the alarm bells started tho midnight air. As they rubbed their eyes the Tarlanese said, Now the fire is here at last" as if they thought they had caught their enemy in 0 trap.
 Some turned out hastily to watch the triumph of the pump; others got up lazily, saying: Its no business of ours now. The'pump will settle that all right"
 Nobody thought of its being necessary to find the pump and the firemen.
 The first arrivals satisfied themselves by taking upa good position from which they could watch the defeat of the fire, whose progress they regarded indifferently, with their hands in their pockets. They talked loudly and boastingly, as people will who have nothing to do, but they didn't stir finger as they said:
 ''The firemen aren't here yet 'sThe pump must be brought here" "Tbe mayors house isn't far away. If they don't hurry up the fire will be getting hold of that" "They say the mayor has the keys" 'Well, let him bring them" But perhaps he's away at his country seat" tiff he's in Paris, we shall have to wait till he gets here" ''He couldn't know that fire would break out tonight" "The pump belongs to us as well as to him. It ought to Do where 1t can be got at. The flames are mounting. Whats that matter9 Do you think they are going to turn out the pump for little fire which would hardly boil porridgep When it broke out, couple of bucketfuls would have quenched it. What good would pumps be nowP"
 The gendarmes, who were stamping with inpatienco and anger, tried to or ganize chains of men.
 Certainly not" responded the Tarla- nese wrathfully. "Do you think we shall make arrests for you next2 Every man to his trade.
 One house was burned down and two more were in flames when the famous pump finally appeared on the scene.
 'tAh" sighed the Tarlanese, "now tho fire will have something to drink"
 The pump was got into position, and the men began to work it, when, to their disgust, they found that thero was no wa ter to be had. The water had been shut off by order of the authorities.
 The poor frcmen did what they could and what the spectators had already done the whole time-nothing--an the con- flagration gained ground. Seven houses were burned down from ceiling to cellar, and, worst of oil, 0 woman was burned to death. The fire had broken out in the next house, and the woman was going to escape when her husband ridiouled her, saying that the. pump would soon settle the fire. For his S.rt he snapped his fingers at it.
 But syaso the fire broke through tho partition the man said: "Confound itl Something must be wrong with the pumpl" And he escaped by tho window, calling on his wife to follow him. She was so terrified that she could not follow his example The smoke suffocated her, and she fell victim to the flames.
 The famous pump got into action by the time there was nothing moro to burn, but it put out the hot oinders so quickly that tho Tarlanese wero enchanted with it.
 Just watch" they said, how it sends the water out shouldn't like to go un- der there, even if I had an umbrella" .,
 And the good folks were quite satisfied
 The fire would not have consumed more than few chairs and table had the Tar 1anese not counted on the pump. From the French For Romance.