Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-27

and fire in his nostrils and fire Under his hoos as he
stepped. Tossing his head conempuousy, he took his
place of honor between the poles of the engine, the
other horses falling quickly in either side OF him,
looking like ponies in comparison with their big leader
All were harnessed ready to go, before a label could
have been burnt off gasolene No. 10 was kissing
spitefuy and Skinny, the driver settling himself
comfortably upon the box Hector however, had been
paving the ground
Get tip, Hec,o said Skinny; "do you think this is a
funeral2"
Hector tossed his giant head again, and pulled the
engine and the other horses payfully out upon the
street
"All together now" said Skinny persuasively, as he
shook out the long rens
And with that they were off and away, with wild
clatter and ringing, up the long, crowded. startled
thoroughfare
Back of Skinny the men who few moments before
had been peacefully pulling at their corncob pipes ana
swapping stories with their friends the boys OF the
neighborhood were clingng with desperation TO the
ooles of the roaring engine and hosecar TREY ruShed
down the crowded street, rocking around sharp corners
and winding an intricate path the OF their duty
.I wonder what's the matter with Skinny to-day
~ I1''''
on his head Hes driving wide everywhere-acts as
though he was scared of something
"Oh you never can tell about Skinny replied his
companion. He's the crazest kid on the works Some
davs he drives as if there baby under the wheels
all the time Then again he's cippin them Elevated
pillars by fractions OF an inch.
Weaving in and out through the congestion OF the
cys traffic Skinny nevertheless driving his horses
beautifully now ammng down his brakes hard to avoid
an over-mpertnent trolley car that had run past Its
stopping point and again giving Hector and his mates
their heads as they dashed mady down an inviting
stretch of asphalt
Feet braced against the foot-board, sinewy hands
srainng with all their power against the excited horses,
head bare to the rushing wind, eyes set TO the 'front.'
never wavering face stern with the responsibility that
rests upon the man who is guiding brazen comet
through city streets crowded with eager spectators
this Skinny.
Looks like soldier charging the enemy" said one
half to himself
You're right sir, he is a soldier; but with those fe
lows death is all in the days work. and his neghbor
turned again as the battalion chief whired changing by
in his buggy in the wake of tire flying engine
But with Skinny on the drivers it different
to-day To the outsider Skinny the intrepid,
keen-eyed driver who loves show his daring and skill
and devotion to duty. Even lis comrades the fire
house had noticed no marked difference, for he had al
ways been an erratc lad and made few intimate friends
Hector was the only one to whom he had given all
his heart and all his condolences
"Yer safe if ye tell yer secrets to horse he often
said, and then he had half laughed.
But the men knew that Hector more to Skinny
than a child would be TO and they respected
him for it even if they jokcd with him about it,
And to-day with Skinny was different A sense of
calamity had been with him since morning intangible,
undehnable.
"Somethin's going 10 happen, old boy" he had muir
INJURED to Hector when he the big horses stall
in the morning
Hector had shifted At the back of Sknny's head
while le poured the but had youchsacd
swer He was hungry for the oats and paved mpa-
tcnty at the floor.
"Somethins gon happen" he said later and
Hector had turned and whinned to him while he pol
shed the buckles and onts of his horses harness
81 feel just the way Johnny Burns did the day before
that piano factory fell on him. Gee hope amt gon
to lose my nerye-or my horse" thought Skinny.
The alarm had come as welcome relief from this
gloomy foreboding.
Once on the seat Skinny himself again-amost
but as he threaded his way down the long he
found himself going in memory the days since he
and Hector had gone into the department
Away down to n they had met hrst-down in the
skyscraper section Of the cUhe recruit with lots to
learn, and Hector a fine, big outstanding hye-year-old
They had taken each other from the very start,