The Washington times., 1906-02-04

glow or rec uanHet SnlrtS
floated from the windows
OF Firemen's Hall at Dope
Springs. An annual event
long to be remembered in our midst
was moving blithelY onward in the
preliminary stages, It WIS yet too
early in the evening for fried onions
cooked ia the bali room. yet the
chivalry and beauty of this happy
community did not repine Who
cares tor oyster g1Imbo before the
dance has well started? None but
the truly sora.d. who desire 10 eat
all the tine
The sranG masquerade ball under
the ,uspices Of our To-The-Rescu
tlamc fighters is, indeed, an event. In
most small towns the volunteer fire
men top the political and social fab
ric. The men in red shirts and tin
hats lead. While others follow in all
the dOings worth while That coudi-
tiOn obtains here, 7 am happy TO
state. Our gallant firemen are the
whole works, and one of them, Ship
mate Downing, used to be the Whole
Cheese. so he said their social func-
lions are unanimously attended, and
so are the hres. for that matter
When the lurid flames break out.
everybody gees TO 1uger ar the
scene until the ashes are cold and
the furniture carried into q new resi-
dence selected on The spur Of the
moment.
And so with the dance We all
are there. and for pure, unstinted
JOY the doings cant De beat. Every
thing is reai-nothing shoddy or ar
Jificial. as a the efforts Of more
pretenious society. Ftremen's Hall
is the biggest structure In town, and,
what Is more the firemen own the
Iu.lding. PICTURES and records Of
departed members adorn the side
walls of the dancing pavilion. At
one end is a stage; at the other, in
a series Of aicoyes. repose the fire
apparatus and the charcoal furnace,
on which the succulent gumbo, with
onions, is prepared. All these things
the ball patron may observe without
extra charge. There IS a hook and
ladder truck inscribed TO the Res
cue" on either side OF the frame: an
up-to-date chemical: hose carts. axes
and an engine which resembles an
adult coffin with the pumping gear
Of a hand car screwed to the lid.
This description Is not a rap at
that valued and worthy asset. Far
from It. In the days Of old New York
the firemen ran with just such a ma
- chine, and they handed the flames a
knockout punch, too. That hand
engine is still preserved. a revered
relic OF the past, to be trotJed out on
big civic occasions fov the inhabi-
tants to enthuse and cheer ever.
Some time, perhaps. when Dope
Springs grows a little more, our
quaint old engine shall take her
place in parade and evoke the pIau-
dts of the multitude. Meanwhile,
the box with the hand-car handles
on il produces the squirt sufficient to
smother blazes in our midst. and we
ask for nothing better. Old Niagara
No l IS a peach.
BY s o'clock the hall is pretty well
stocked with masRers, flremen in
uniform, committees, families,
friends, and invited strangers. Non
participants sit ranged along the
walls, and seek To fathom the cos
tunes which conceal the form and
features Of those who have safely
passed the Wrist Committee. IN
little canvas booth near the entrance
the Wrist Committee gets busy as
soon as the door opens. All mask
ers, male and female. are invited TO
enter the booth and fash a section
of white wrist Skin Of any other
color is barred, and properly so.
Unlimited power is vested I'm the
Wrist Committee. That body may lift
a mask and inspect an entire face
at will Objectionable characters
have the time of their life sneaking
past the Wrist Committee. None but
the right kind Of people may trip
the l.. +. toe in our hall.
II isn't the hardest job in world
to tip of the merry revelers, despite