Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-02-05
NOT USING THE sToVEPlPE.
a Case OF Literal Observance of q Fire
Insncctor'n INSTRUCTIONS.

Inspectors Instructions.
a day or two ago Fire Inspector
Sharp entered shoe shop i'll Brond
street basement for tie purpose of MAX
ing an inspection. Tho owner of tho
shop is al old negro man who has
known Inspector Sharp for many years,
and he was highly delighted at tho
honor bestowed upon him. When he
was informed that the stovepipe was III
such fix that it might set the building
on fire and WIS told not to use 1T any
longer, ho entered no protest and said:
"No, sab, Marso Sharp; she sho
gwinter come down dis day l'
4 few lines OH Inspector Sharp's
notebook told of the condemnation of
the hue, and he went on his way, Civ
ing no further thought TO tais particu-
iar case.
4 short while afterward Il man pass
ing along the street stopped in front of
tho building under which the shop is
located. He smelled something burning,
but passed on, thinking it was smoke
from il locomotive. Then another man
stopped. He saw smoke coming through
the sidewalk grating. He pointed it out
to another, and then crowd gathered.
The smoke increased and was seen lsiu-
ing from the building above the side
walk. Some ono suggested sending an
alarm. Others opposed this, and "a com-
promise was arranged by which Assist
ant Chief Cummings was telephoncd for
and tho crowd made Il committee Of the
whole to investigate the CAUSE CT the
smoke.
They walked down the steps of the
shoeshcp, and when they opened the
door they were almost blinded by the
dense snoke In the middle Of the floor
sat the shoemaker hard at work. In
front of him WAS the i'll fatcd stove. a
hot fire WAS roaring in it, and from all
sides black smoke was issuing. There
was no storepipo to convey the smoke
to the flue. The pipe was lying i'll Il
corner and was bent and broken.
Great Scott. old man !" exclaimed
a committeeman. WHY don you put
your stovcpipo up and let the smoke
out? Here, give no lift and will
help you with it" He started toward
.bo pipe, but tie old negro Jumped in
front of him, exclaining:
don tech dat pipe! For Gawd sake
don't lay er finger on her! hiarse Sharp
say she mus'n' be used, all he knows.
He's got on or blue coat m brass but
tons III wears i! cap jes lux Chief Joy
her. He told me ter take dat pipe
down, an down she come. y
''But Took at that smoke, old man.
You will snicfc cvcrylody in the build
ing out, AID tn, VI! have you arrested,
was urged. Dent you know you cant
, burn fire this way. Do sensible and
put up the pipe.
"No, stree al dc pcrlico in town an
Chief manly icr Loot can make nc put
dat piro up Dent yuu knew 5lerse
SHARP: L wuz raised right lorgside er
him, al sl.o' know Cat when lie say
pail dat Pipe down an don't use it he
know wat he's talllin bout, an down
sho come, IN down sho swnter stay
twcll ne cone an gay put CT Up ergin.
At this juncture Assistant Chief
Cummings AID Inspector Sharp arrived
on tie scene and explained 10 tic old
man that he rli;ss not use his stove rn-
til the firc was micna:cd.
"Now, Mare :.i.arp, explained the
negro, "you k!i9ws you never said
nutlin bout iio stove, an pipo don t
mean stove. -. tlaHia Constitution.