Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-11-25

He s,oung do,on to the eoilling arms
stretched out to recetUe hsn.
nothing. 1t is not as If there was an
other girl in the case. You always
have been and always will be the only
girl to me. 1t is just that you can't un-
derstand the fascination the fire de-
partment has for me- When I see
Bunce, forget everything else but the
fact that there is a fire worth going to,
and
"Yes; that's just itr' she cried pa
thetically, raising flushed and tear
stained face from the pile of cushions.
"You forget all about me-e," with a
little sob. "and we have been engaged
a month, and
Rob caught her in his arms. He
never could resist her tears and now
made peace ignominiously, promising
never to offend again.
But remember, Rob-" Marjorie said
firmly when quiet had been restored,
.'if you ever rush off to fire again and
forget about me I shall never Forgive
you
But Rob vowed there should be no
next time.
Carter was what is known in fire
circles MS buffalo, or, more tersely,
buff. !" A buffalo is a student of the
fire fighting system who by courtesy ia
permitted to enter the fire lines and
have private stable connection with
the fire alarm telegraph system.
From boy Carter had been enthusi-
astic over fires. AT college he was the
captain of the student volunteer fire
brigade. On his entrance into the easy,
| aimless life of man of leisure he
spared neither pains nor money till he
was granted the privilege Of serving
as buff" In one corner of his stable
were speedy mare and a light buggy
always ready to go out when second
alarm indicated that the fire was of
sufficient Importance to call out q
chief His driver, Bunce, always knew
where to find him. His engagement to
Marjorie had put new interests into
his life, but they could not entirely
sapplant his old love.
But matters went smoothly, partly
through luck and partly through man
agement, till the night of tho Clarendon
dance. Rob was hurrying through the
lower hall to claim promised dance
from Marjorie when his eye fell on
Bunce all excitement.
"Come quick!" shouted the driver.
cts the Clapham House, and they!
rang the third alarm"
Wild excitement over q third alarm
fire swallowed up all thought of the
dance or his promise. He dashed
down the steps after Bunce, and while
the latter skillfully guided the sway.
ing buggy got into the rough coat that
| was always carried under the seat.
| The Chapman was fashionable res
tdential hotel and occupied IN entire
block. Smoke and flame were already
pouring out Of its lower stories when
Carter dashed up. ne was q man OFFS
exceptional physique and had already
made several noted savings. Dawson,
the chief, hailed him with relief.
"Oh, Carter, we're short a chiefii
Can't you take twelve truck around to /
the rear?" Il
Carter saluted and ut once took COM !,
mand Of the rear Of the building. Most
Oh the guests OF the upper floors had
taken refuge there, as the flames were
less fierce But the wind was shifting,
driving the fire rearward, SO that there
was no time to raise the ladders. The
nets We're spread, and one by one the
threatened people jumped, all save one
old lady, whose face was SO distorted
by fear that Carter failed to recognize
her. He only saw that she was too!
frightened to jump.
Selling scaling ladder, he went up
1t. Another man passed him a second,
and he placed it in the window above.
With the swtftness of long practice he |
was on the first ladder hanging to the
third window and placing the second
ladder to the fourth story window.
This brought him next the window |
where the woman was watching the
flames in state of collapse. With
swing he got over to the window.
The woman gave scream It wass