Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-14

Fire! There's a big fire up in the
you can see. They're ringing the
schoolhouse bell. Don't you hear it?"
The captain, wide awake enough by
this time, jumped out Of bed, carrying
the blankets with him, and ran to the
window. Opening it. he thrust out his
head. The wind had changed to the
eastward, and a thick fog had come
In with it. The house was surrounded
by wet, black wall, but off to the
west red glow shone through it, now
brighter and now fainter The school
house bell was turning somersaults in
its excitement. Whoever the ringer
might be, he was ringing as though it
was his only hope for life, and the bell
swung back and forth without pause.
The red glow in the fog frightened
again as the captain gazed at it.
Captain Jerry came tumbling up the
stairs, GREATNESS and half dressed.
Where do you make it out to be2"
he painted.
"Somewheres nigh the postof1ce.
Looks s if it might be Weeks store.
Where's Perez?"
Captain Fri had lighted lamp and
was pulling on his boots as he spoke.
Here 1 bev' shouted the missing
member Of the trio from the dining
room below. I'm all ready. Hurry
up, Eriv'
captain EFT jumped INTO mrs trousers,
slipped into a faded pea jacket and
clattered downstairs, followed by the
wildly excited Jerry.
Good land, Perez" he cried as he
came into the dining room, II thought
you said you was all ready!'
Captain Perez paused in the vain at
tempt to make Captain Jerry's hat COW
er his own Uranium and replied indig-
nantly, "Well, am, amt II"
Seems to me I'd put somethin' on
my feet besides them socks if was
you. You might catch cold"
Perez glanced down at his blue yarn
extremities in blank establishment.
"Well, now" he exclaimed, "if hain't
forgot my boots!'
"Well, git 'em on, and be quick.
There's your hat Give Jerry his"
The excited Perez vanished through
the door of his chamber, and Captain
Fri glanced at the chronometer. The
time was quarter after 2.
They hurried out of the door and
through the yard, passed the lily pond
where the frogs had long since ad
journed their concert and gone to bed
lodged through the yard Of the tightly
shattered summer hotel and came out
at the corner Of the road, having saved
some distance by the short cut.
"That amt Weeks store" declared
Captain Perez, who was in the lead
cts Web Saunders place. That's wha1
it is"
Captain Fri paused and looked ovel
to the left in the direction Of the Bax
ter homestead. The light in the win
dow was still burning.
They turned into the main road at {
dog trot and became part Of crowd o.
oddly dressed people, all running In The
same direction.
"Webs place, amt it?" asked Fri o.
Seth Wingate, who was numbering
along with wooden bucket in one
hand and the pitcher Of his wife's bes
washstand set in the other
eyes," breathlessly answered Mr.
| Wingate. "and it's goner, they tel
| me. Every mans got to do his part
they're going to save it. 1 alters sait
we ought to have fire department II
this town.
Considering that Seth had for tn
! past eight years persistently opposed
in town meeting any attempt to pur
chase hand engine, this was rathe
surprising speech, but no one paid an,
attention to it then.
The fire was in the billiard saloon
sure enough, and tina back portion o
the building was in blaze when the
reached it. Ladders were place,
against the caves, and line Of me-
with buckets We're pouring water o.
the roof. The line extended to tn
town pump, where two energeti
youths in their shirt sleeves wer
working the handle with might an,
main. The houses near at hand wer
brilliantly Illuminated, and men an,
women were bringing water fror
them In buckets. tin pals, wash boiler
and even coal scuttles.
! Meanwhile another ak party had al
4 tached an anchor to. the opposite sid
and were making good progress. L
due time the shed yawned away fror
the saloon, tottered and collapsed in
shower of sparks. A deluge of waite
soon extinguished these. Then ever
one turned to the main building, an
as the fire had not yet taken fri
hold of this they soon had it under col
troll.
Captain Fri worked with the res
until he saw that the worst was owe
Then he began the search that ha
been in his mind since he first saw til
blaze. He found Captain jerry an
Captain Perez perspiringly passin
buckets of water fromShand to hand
the line, and, calling them to one sid