The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-29
But it Wasn't For Fire in
Centre of City.
CAPT. MATTHEW'S SCHEME
II Quickly Put an End TO an Argu-
ment On Theosophy.
A WILD RUSH FROM THE STATION

Police Captain Matthews OF the central
station generally carries mis-. face with the
repose that characterizes a cigar store In
dian, yet he has a merry wit withal.
Probably no manwith In the limits OF the
city loves practical joke better than hs
when its emo is harmless This morning
no went into the back part OF the Foun-
tain street castle and seemed 20 he inter
ested in his wv oodeny" way with
heated debate between Franklin Bryan
ham of Glocester and deputy sheriff in
these plantations and deputy sheriff
sam Gardiner and three reporters of
the daily papers. The question before the
house was the superiority of mind over
matter
Never mind, said Ham. mind
KNOCKS the spots oil matter every time.
I'm theosopbist and firmly telieve that
mind can be distri butt q everywhere. I"
Something's wrong about that, said
Sam" Gardiner and he looked at Ham
as though ne had been badly Handicapped
Whats the matter with you. anyway"
asked SAN, you Il ought To know that
matter is a Whole stack OF chips bettor
than mind. Where would you have
been IL that was net trueY'
Captain Matthews looked at the re-
porters and ventured the remark that
minu mad the pole in the scrap for po-
sition nine times out c. ten. but he was
OF the opinion that matter could come i'm
close second occasionally, and that now
and then when matter was handled right
mind had TO take a hack seat
He suggested that the policemen would
like to get some sleep and that the dis
oussioD. being so interesting. might keep
them awake and they wouldn't have
strength enough to carry their clubs at
night, and Saturday night was generally
hHru session for the men, rs SO many
persons went home late and forgot to lock
their front doors.
Tho hint TO get out did not appear to
work.
A few moments after there was a warn
ing blow on the fire alarm. The reporters
grabbed their coats. The deputy sheriffs
held their breaths.
One, t-w-ol
One, two, three.
Box %
This is O famous box. 1t is one of the
traditions among lremen and newspaper
reporters.
On tnat fearful night OF February l5
1885, this box summoned the firemen and
citizens to one OF the most disastrous
conilagrations ever seen in this city.
Nearly a million dollars worth nj prop
erty was fed To the flames while ther-
mometers registered degrees below zero
abroad. Nearly every one remsmter
the "Aldrioh II ouse ire
From that time to this box % has con-
jured the wild scenes OF that night ana
ever since when that signal has sounded
reporters look forward TO history repeat
ing itself
That was the case this morning as three
fast young men tore out of tho Fountain
street castle for thu corner of Union and
Washington streets. Their coat tails
rsamed out behind from the momentum
gained on the front steps OF the castle
They whisked into Washington street,
but there was no signs of unusual com
motion.
Besides the big bells Of the city were
not ringing. Then the three men Of mind
stopped and admitted that matter had the
best of it.
Captain Matthew had sounded q bogus
alarm on the police station fire gong to
break up the debate. It was a cold day
but it was not so cold ms the day that BOX
20 made its record Gap" has big red
apple coming to him.