The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-03-22
THE HERO OF THE BRIGADE.
BY FRANCISCO.

Mike was the pet of the fire brigade
men. He was only ten, quite little boy
in fact, but he liked to be considered a
man. His father had belonged to the
fire brigade, and he died from wounds in
ficted while endeavoring to save the in
mates Of burning house. His mother
had died from the shock, and had left
behind her little baby boy, Mike, when he
was only few days old
Another ireman's wife had taken the
tiny fellow to nurse with her own children,
and he had been called Michael, after his
father. As he grew up he loved to go to
drill with the brigade men, and to watch
them cleaning the brass Of the big fire en-
gines and escapes. He would run, fetch
and carry for the reward of hearing some
story about people rescued from burning
houses, and so on. If any boy were liable
to be spoilt, that boy would have been
Mike, but it seemed impossible to spoil.
He was always obedient to the foster
parents and teachers, and unsel6sh toward
the children when he played with them.
Nike ambition was to 60 on the fire
engines with the men when they were
called to action. He had often pleaded to
be allowed to go, but in vain.
One night as he lay dreaming, strange
light seemed to fill the room through the
window from outside. Then the cries and
shouts of men and women from the street
below filled his eyes. Something was on
fire! For moment his brain grew dizzy,
and he felt afraid, for he knew that the
fire must be near Then he jumped up
and looked out of the window.
The fire station was built with two great
wings from the main building and between
them was large courtyard. In this court
yard Mike could see throng of people
looking up toward the house, their faces
lit by some light which came from above
whence he could not tell With trem-
bling hands he pushed up the window and
looked up. The flames came from the
roof of the very building he was in. The
fire was quite close to him!
When the people saw Mike at the win
dow they gave great shout.
The little fellow looked down on the
great seething mass of faces and then
above and around at the huge flames leap
ing and jumping higher and higher. They
seemed to be closing in all around him.
He wondered how it was he had been left
there alone, when child's cry of fear
made him turn around to see little Willie,
child of three, come through his bedroom
door. As the door was opened volume
of dense smoke poured in, and beyond
Mike could see the angry red flames that
curled up and up. For moment the
smoke blinded him, then he rushed forward
and slammed the door to, clasping the lit
tie, sobbing boy in his arms.
"I' Sc so frightened" Willie whim-
pered.
"Hush! hushr' said Mike soothingly
to the little fellow, who was motherless
like himself and great favorite. "Mike
will take care of you.
This he said with great courage, but
feeling as if he were telling story, for he
was perplexed and bewildered and saw no
way of escape.
He took Willie to the window and called
and shouted to the people below. They
called and shouted in return, and in the
din and roar of voices Mike could scarcely
hear what they said. 1t seemed as if they
were bidding him have courage, that the
fire escapes were all in use on the other
wing of the building, and that help was
coming.
He tried to be brave for Willie's sake,
who was quite happy now he was 40 longer
alone. He clapped his hands with glee as
he saw the flames leaping up and laughed
in childish mirth as he watched the people
below.
s;What are they all doing, Mike % he
asked
And Mike, who saw the smoke slowly
creeping in under the bed-ro door and
heard the kissing and cracking of the burn,
ing wood, laughed, too, watching all the
time for the promised help to come.
Then he saw. the fremen take large
blanket and hold it under the window
where hestood, and which was three stories
high. He knew what that meant well
enough; he had not lived in fire station
all his life for nothing. 1t meant that he
was to leap from the window into the blank
et which would be lowed as he reached it.
For himself be was not afraid, but fol-
Willie. He was such little chap, and
could never be persuaded to jump. He
could not throw him into the blanket, for
he was but small himself, and he knew in
stinctively that his strength would not be
equal to the task of aiming straight.
With a cry, almost of agony, and a
Tightening of his arms around Willie's baby
form, he hurled himself into the space
below.
Cheer after cheer arose from the anx.
ious spectators, but Mike needed them
not, for he was quite stunned by the fall.
When he came to it was to find himself
and Willie in warm room and cosy fire,
while his foster mother was bending ovel
him and trying to get him to drink some
cordial.
''Brave boyr' she whispered; and
Mikes heart leaped at the words.
Then she explained to him how he had
been left behind in the hurry and confu
sion of the fire alarm. She had taken her
two children away, meaning to return fol-
him and Willie. But the fire had gained
ground SO rapidly that she had been unable
to do as she wished.
"But you are safe now, my darling
and little Willie, too. You saved his life
Mike r
"Oh, no p cried Mike, flushing al
over.
EYES," she returned; eff you had no
carried him in your arms he would hav'
dropped to the ground through fright, ant
been dashed to pieces, and you risked you
life by carrying him, too. Every ont
says so.