The Washington herald., 1907-05-11
Nothing Extinguished Save
Ambitions of Inventor.
AND THEY GO UP IN SMOKE
Even barney and the Chemical Are
Diseomhted, and the Bonfire Biazes
MerriIy Until Old Potomac Arrives
ON the seene-"stung." says Agent
as He Departs sadder and Wiser.

agent Of a new patent fire exiingulsnef 10
the superintendent Of the State. War. and
Navy Building yesterday, this ist the
cheese. Within this little cylindrical tube
reposes powder OF such potent powers
that we're my employers cruel enough 10
wish TO deprive the peasants in the
neighboThood of Pompeii Of their fine
tourist trade we could quench the abysmal
fires Of old Vesuye with one pinch Of this
fiaky compound. Had ! beer in balloon
over Frisco a year ago with a couple OF
these distinguished distinguishes along.
with wave Of my hand I could have
'doused the glim that brought such havoc
upon the city with the golden gate. We're
] to expatiate upon the powers Of this
substance"
you'd. give me the 'willies, inter
rupted Capt Poole. with a touch Of peev-
ishness
sure" chimed IN Bartholomew Diggins,
captain Of the watch your talk is the
goods. but doubt me II your goods are.
Leave US give it a trial"
"Aye, Aye" Says the Captain.
Let US. repeated Capt Peele. with
grammatical exaetness.
Right you are assented the gentle
manly agent Bring on your best assort-
ment Of fiery flames. Build your pyre to
mountainous proportions. heap upon Il
material the most inhammable, souse it
with kerosene, gasoline, benzine, and
Latin temperament he with my trusty
little powder can w!lI do the rest"
Leave Us HE TO the courtyard" cried
bartholomew Diggins. the captain Of the
watch What. hol varlets, bring on the
dryest wood in the house. This is on me. -
The trusted huskies thus appealed to
sought among the caverns Of the cellar
and carried into the courtyard vast heaps
or rags. paper, and broken packing boxes.
Them boxes" said Barney the hus-
kiest husky. 10 the captain OF the watch.
"sre the dryest IN the house. They oncet
/ contained gov'ment reports"
Proceed with yon pyre," admonished
the agent
''Pire." said Barney scornfuliy. Cant
( yer say ire2'
Heap High the Pile.
IN a few moments the material lay
beaped into a pile some six feet in
/ diameter and seven feet in height. A few
/ odd gallons OF gasoline were removed
7 from the tank Of a Outstanding autOmo-
/ bile, the chauffeur Of which lay asleep on
the sparkling plug. and sprinkled gener-
ously over the pyre. Capt. Poole attached
match 10 a window pole, struck light,
and gingerly applied it at the base Of the
/ pile. With & puff and roar. the flames
shot outward and upward, slightly SINCE
( ing the gentlemaniy agents eyebrows,
.Now's your chance" said Capt Bar
lthoiomew Dizgins. Leave US discover II
Ian the hot air around here comes from
Iyonder blaze.
With the grace OF parlor magician. the
agent advanced TO the combat, waving
one OF his tin tubes Of powder Ike a
baton As he drew near the blaze he
flung his arm around with a sweeping mo
ton. and the white chemical poured out OF
the tube into the unoHendlng atmosphere
Some OF Il landed on the flames. but the
greater portion found lOdgment in tho
agents hair and on his lovely spring
clothes.
/ Nothing daunted, he secured another
tube and succeeded IN throwing a goOdly
portion OF its contents upon the roaring
thames. said flames turned from yellow q
pink and green, but roared on as merrily
as ever.
Leap Higher and Higher.
A third tube brought but additional dis
thgurement to the agents costume, and
had no appreeiable effect upon the leapins
tongues OF fame that were soaring higher
and higher as though in derision Of mans
Ipuny efforts.
Again and again the fearless quenehei
Of Yesuv!an volcanic fires attacked the
enemy with a new cylinder OF ''extin'
gusher." until six in ali had been used
and he was whiter than snow-and th'
flames laughed merrily on.
Bring out the chemical" commanded
Capt. Bartholomew Diggins.
Beney dashed into the building and
reappeared with a brass instrument tina
looked Ike the projeetile of an eight-inci
gun. only it had a cute little rubber tub
and nozzle attached.
Use it," Capt. Bartholomew Diggins
Of the watch, commanded of Barney.
Barney looked the instrument over
carried it TO within pace Of the fiame
1 and setting Il down, ggavely stood on hi
head, his feet waving gently in tbs
breeze.
What the-why the-how the-and wha
in the blank is that monkey business
for?" demanded the captain Of the watch
in aggrleved accents; "stand up"
He Follows Orders.
"Them's the directions, suIlenly re
Piled Barney. as he arose 10 his feet
look at en-" He pointed at the glisten
ing brass instrument.
The captain OF the watch picked up tn
extinguisher and read aloud in stentoriai
tones. Garry 20 the fire and turn bot
tom end Up.
Barney having been exonerated Of tn
charge OF stupidity, the extinguisher ant
several more of its brethren were Du
merrily to work, but the flames showe'
no signs Of abating.
I'm tired of this, quoth Capt Bar
tholomew Digsins, disgustedly. Boys
man the forward pipe line and slush he
out"
Within two minutes Barney and his as
sociates came out, dragging she '0iis .
the big hose behind them, and Capt. Zig
gins let In the Potomac. ''Siz-z-z." hisse'
the flames as they went down for tn
third time a second or TWO later.