The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-11
SOMETHING DID HAPPEN.
But the Boy Spectators Did Not Learn What
Was the Matter Win tho Hydrnnt.

The man with the blue uniform walked down
Park row followed by a crowd Of small boys
lie wore n peaked hGt with the initials Of one
Of the city departments on II, which explained
why he wNN an object " interest to the youths
who crowded IN his wake. His uniform was
So new that it suggested n recent appointment.
hut The importance Of his manner indicated hat
he had been an inspector Of hy dtants all his life
lie had tackled hydrHntS all along the row, let
ting water out Of some and passing others with
a mere superficial examination. II was what
he HAyut do that made him such an object Of
interest to the small boys. When he reached
q hydrant IN front Of a big Park row Office build
INK, hr placed has ear tu II and then a wurned
tooa came over has i"oe immediately the small
boys WhlSprted 10 on" another that something
dreadful had happened. suddenly the man
un5uttuned ms I'm" new ovrrCoat ana from some
where ia its rCeeSes, brought out a wrench two
feet long
Iher was M longer any doubt In the minds
Of the street Arabs that n crisis In the carer
that hydrant had Oru reached, Tor only n httIe
six inch wrench had been used on the other by
drantS. The man unsCn"Wrl the cap through
which the water passes, and then raised the top
II the hydrant hen he made u long and crit
ical examination Of the nut on top Finally he
waved all the small boys away aud fitting the
wrnch 10 tie nut gave q quick turn be small
boys held their breath, but nothing happeued
h" man looked surprised and then gave another
swift turn with the wrench, Sull nothing hap
pannd .
WHATS the matter. boss" timidly ventured
one small hoy.
Tbs man in uniform gave him n severe look.
and the small boy was so axed by 1t that he al
mos, curled up on the spot The man distributed
a few more similar looks, and then went back
TO his work. Three times hn twisted the wrench,
and still nothing happened. Finally he put lis
ear Ia the opening half way down the hydrant
and listened for almost q minute. Then he,
reached up 10 the wrench without removing his
ear from the opening and gave another twist
Surely something would happen now, in the
Judgment II the juvenile spectators,
Something did happen, and II happened with
was a mystery 10 all who Witnessed it There
was a sudden rush u water from the opening
1t was no hahhling brook either but caule gu
as water comes from a fire hose, and In a stream
July five inches In diameter That fine new
hat went dying almost over 90 city Hall PARK,
and its owner Was propelled with great sudden
ness out onto the Third avenue railroad tracks
II looked n ihose who saw the FIRST shock 40 though
the whole top Of the mans head WAS gong to
hv of, and the expression on his face indicated
Of mind came along and gave the wrench a twist
back, which shut Oh the wStcr Then the In
srActor of hydrants, minus a grsat deal II his
dignity, picked himself mp and sort OF waddled
water out u has coa,mils md tucked n handler
chief down under his collar, IN an effort 10 get
comfortable. hen ha put the wrench back
Into his coat pocket, end started 70 walk rwny.
Say mister. y.llci a small boy after him,
what was the matter"
Thc man turned around and cast a look Of
reprOhch al that boy which would have snttened
thu heart Of a nent. But It dIdn t soften this
boy or his legion # friends They followed The
WIS IN" matter" unnl he disappenred n an Office
building on Chlm'ers street where the city o."
p%artnIent Hhh which he l. connected has quarters.