The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-05-04
AsisRY ORDEAL.


wsgte, Thomas Jsuiins. veteran hfemsi
on the I7rdon force, thrust the ns ne Int
tae hstds a. Arthur Scott, bio re~ recrul
from Yorkshire. Together they bad drag
q a the hose through the snow up The nar'
row slley behlad the buruing hulldina. IN
Al, twenty wards from the street, a hrici
wall barred ,bsir progress Thep, before
the water csrre, Jtnkin. bad smashed .
window with his AZ, ard later hsd directed
the Increasing stream through the shst,er'
ed ,sshes against the rear Of long stsIr'
way, from closet beneath which the
almes were beginning to burst.
Hold her there, lad III be back pres
es,ly be shouted In ihe dssfered ears OF
bis subordinate. and was { n down the allsy
to hesd an sttsck from another quarter up
on the fire.
Long experience bsi made him familiar
~iih every foot Of his district, and with
the coolness ard ssgsclty Of prtctised
Ore. a ishter,he saw Ia al instant what neeu.
ed to be done.
The scene Of battle WIS in Southwark,
10, far from London Bridge, in four
story brick building, the upper part OF
which wac psste-bosrd box factory. when
the engines arrived the flames we're already
bursting through the windows. The only
exit from the factory was down three
s,rsigh, but steep and narrow flights OF
stairs, one directly over the other up which
fame and smoke were already surRing On
The ground n Dor beneath the last flight, the
small closet filled with paint and oil lent
ready fuel TO the cornagration. Scott was
to hold the fire at this spot In check.
The first thing to do was to make sure
thst every one Of the imperiled lives in the
three upper stories was saved. The smoke
drawing up the stairway bad deferred all
but few Of the women and girls from at
tempting to descend. Up the steps dashed
the ilremen, and began to bring down the
hslf-smotbered workers. Lives drst; the
building sfterward
Down in the gloom Of the narrow alley
s ,ott stood like an artilleryman at bis gun
Before, behind end to his left rose the brick
walls. He WAS at close quarters with the
foe.
II took all his strength TO held the nozzle
in Its place, directing the rushing water to
the spot where II was most needed. He
heard with satisfaction the torrent Kissing
on the wood. The volumes Of smoke told
him he WAS doing good service.
In the street at the end Of the alley rose
the stack Of the shaking engine, filling the
air with sparks at zach hoarse, tremendous
puff. That and the spot OF flIckering red
through the window In front Of him were
the sole bright point In the hoseman's field
OF vision.
Presently a gust OF wind drove the smoke
down round him, and 1t grew pitchy dark
In that narrow, brick-.alled canon. The
engine disappeared, and even the lurid spot
before him dimmed and blurred.
As Scott stood awaiting further orders,
he felt impatient 10 be actively at work In
side the building. His mates had the ir-
spirat,on OF each others presence and help.
They could move about. He was chaint d
to single place.
He could hear the buiilrg tread Of feet,
and now and then the smothered shrek Of
a woman, IS men, bearing heavy burdens,
passed down the stairs. He could hear the |
crastiag OF wood, as doors and partitions
gave way under the swinging axes Of his
fellows. Ga the front Of the building he
knew that they were raising ladders. and
be lorg,d to be In the thick Of the faht
But, az he stood there, holding the flames
| ! check, he was The pivot on which sll
urned, the link without which the life saw
ing chsio would be useless.
jenkins kuew men ard he felt sure that
10 the yourg Yorkshire recruit he bad
subordinate whom he could trust.
From the street came q shrill whistlipg.
Intermittent orders were shouted hoarsey |
beyond the smoke barrier:
This way with your lsdders!
More wstei,
Steady, every body
Scott heard It all, but coad see nothing. |
He was etyeloped by black, rolling clouds,
that at times hid even the building from
him. The broken window had hitherto
been fsirly clear, but now 1t pulled out
choLiog q jod tf smoke full In bis face
Still be up, The rozzle ur itchingiy point
ed through the window.
But high above the hoseman's head was
gathering danger Of which he did not
dream. As is the case with many Of the
older balldIpgs Of that district, the valleys
on the roofs were lined with sheet Of lead,
which melted 10 the Intense heat, and be-
gan to trickle down the steep channels 10
cleaning threads,
Soon .thtse threads grew to silvery
streams, which filled he cutters, ovei q wv
ed them, and poured down toward the snow
covered grtuad. Scott WAS right beneath
he end Of the valley down which one Of
these streams came dariiGg.
The first few scattered drops thas pstter-
a beside him be did rot lotice, for his
eyes we're glued 10 tie dull red g'are under
the stirxay. into The heart Of which be was
directing the 1T q wstfr. Suddenly a
aers drop fell on the back Il the hosemat's
! iaht haId, and sank, Kissing, into the
4 sh. Startled By the pain the Yorkshire
msn involubtsrlly sna'chsc hls hand away,
changing the direction Of the torrent that
poured from the nozx.e. Instantly the
A mrs burit forth afresh.
Recalled 10 bis duty by the riah', Scott
turned tis hose sgsln tossrd the widow
bu, be DO ,s~ thin whiie stream falling
two feet from bis right shoulder, and al
once appreciated lhe Danger that thres.ef-
ed him.
rha H,st i,sden arfhietg dtssDf,esud M. I