St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-09-26
Just then the fire engines rushed /

L
down the nearby avenue. Ordinarily
Mickey would have dashed wildly il
pursuit. Now he was too crushed
| to even walk fast. Fires? What wa,
| the use in running to them? 1ney
| were common. But recognition by
kid" Evans? And Mickey felt the
iron of the worlds injustice burr
into his soul.
But the fire engines and hose carts
continued to rush to the fire. Their
the reserves from the neighboring
precinct station left the station
house on the run. Mickey knew ex
actly to which districts the reserves
from every station on that side OF
the city responded. The present fire
must be a big one, or this particular
force of reserves would not respond
Then he overheard one of the hurry.
ing patrolmen say something about 8
/ fourth alarm
IA fourth alarm!'' That meant a
big blaze.
DE fourth alarm. fellows! De
fourth alarm" he called wildly to
the boys who were hurrying from the
school house. de bigges' fire in
years." ~
And momentarily forgetful of the
honors which had been showered on
his, rival he dashed at full speed to-
wards the avenue.
BY this time the police had cleared
the avenue and from all the fire
houses in that section of the city en-
gines. hose carts and big hook and
ladder trucks were hurrying. When
response is made to fourth alarm
there is no holding back of the great
horses, no waiting to see it teams
and people are out of the way. The
trucks and engines come with a ter
rife rush which means destruction
to any tardy wagon or reckless Pc
destrian, who does not look out for
himself. Down the avenue Hose Z
and Truck 4, which carried the big
expansion ladder, were dashing as
fast as their powerful galloping
teams could take them. The side
walks were crowded and in his hurry
to arrive at the big fire Mickey
darted out into the street and began
to run in the direction takea by the
fire engines.
Suddenly shout told him of his
danger, Hose 2, with its big grays,
was almost on him. It was impossi-
BILE for Mickey to reach the side.
walk. Terrified, he ran farther out
into the street. And this brought
him directly in the path of the big
hook and ladder truck.
But it was the very bigness and
length of the truck which saved
Mickey. By cunning little swerve,
possible only to trained driver of
fire horses, the front wheels turned
a little to the right. Mickey was safe
from them. But he could not turn
back, and a second later he would
be struck by the rear wheels of the
big machine.
Then. before the boy realized what
was happening. one Of the firemen
clinging to the side steps of the
truck reached down, grabbed Mickey
by the collar and with powerful
jerk fairly hurled him out of harm
and up on the body of the truck.
There was no possibility of stopping.
And half lying, half held by the fire.
men, Mickey Flynt went to the fire,
not running along the sidewalks as
common boys did, but carried on the
swaying, jouncing top of Truck 4. the
biggest truck in the city.
When Mickey reached the school
yard the next morning his bearing
was that of conquering hero. Not
only had he enjoyed the honor of rid
ing to the great fire on Truck 4, but
his name had been in the papers,
even in big type in the headlines.
Mickey wondered how much bliss a
boy could stand and live. In front
of the school house Charlie Hastings
was proudly holding forth to group
of, admirers.
.HAnd kid Evans, the champeen,
patted me on the head and says, run
along, you'se amt hurt, and gives me
a quarter" And he exhibited the |
quarter, the badge of honor. far too
precious to be lightly squandered.
But Mickey only looked with
amused scorn at his late rival, now
left far behind in the race for glory.
He himself had reached such heights |
he could be magnanimous.
"Dat's right" he assented. Evans"
n patronizing tones, ALWAYS is good
to little fellows. And it's a nice
Thing for Charlie here dat he spoke
10 him. Course, though it amt in
he same class with riding to fires ON
he trucks, especially on big
Truck A. rs