Semi-weekly herald., 1910-05-09
MAZE.
(By Miss Leslie Savage, Aurora. New
York; I.

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York; .
A group of firemen was gathered
around the stove in the engine house
smoking and recalling the glories OF
Hose Company. Number One" for the
benefit of a chance visitor. The perils
of fire-fighting and the heroic deeds
OF different flremen had all been dis
| cussed.
| We'll, III tell you who's got as mucn
| sense al fire as anyone In the com.
| pany," drawled the engineer and
| toward one of the stalls in the rear OF
| the engines where the head OF mag
nificent bay horse could be seen, nos
ing over his hay, and pausing now
and then to glance socially toward
| the group around the stove.
Il can remember when he was moth
ing but green country horse, filled
to the brim with skittishness and dev-
| iltry," continued the engineer, "bui il
didn't take him long to get onto the
ropes. Do you remember that fire
down at the ear shops, Bill? Well
sir, MAZE had only been in training
six months when We had that call
The flames had such a start that we
needed every man and there wasn't a
| soul to stay with the horses. Twas
an awful winters night-most as bad
as this one" he added. as the wind
howled around the corner.
yet that horse stood out iiere in
the snow till after midnight Trains
would go roaring by and he would
just tremble with fright, but he never
moved an inch from his tracks till We
came 10 hitch him on again. Since
then he's been our standby. We never
bother to look after the team he's in.
They're dead sure to be right where
we left them, every time. That horse
hasn't missed a fire in three years.
YOu can't keep him in, he's So"
The brazen clamor of the fire gong
broke in upon his speech Instantly
every man was on his feet. Before
The signal had finished striking, each
one was flying TO his place, struggling
into his boots and coat on the way.
As the locks on the stall doors
were thrown back the horses sprang
out. MAZE" was first, his neck arch
ed high and his nostris distended with
excitement. He crashed down the hall
and wheeled into his place in front
of the engine, where he stood fairly
ness was buckled on. Then they whrl-
ed out into the night
A driving blast Of snow and wind
struck them. and the pavement was a
glare of ice beneath the eager hoofs.
The grizzled driver tightened his hold
on the tugging reins. Hope nothin'
happens" he muttered
Before them lay a long down grade
at the end of which burning factory
threw It's glowing flames duly through
the flying snow. The horses We're go
ing at full gallop, their mighty bodies
thrilling with eagerness They were
almost there
Suddenly MAZE slipped. struggled in
vain to keep his footing, and fell with
siekening thud. The other horse
was dragged down with him. instant.
ly the men We're beside the struggling
Team The ntba,. hnrsa gof N hie foot
but MAZE half rose, only to fall back
again. After mighty effort he scram
bled to his feet. He started forward
but one leg hung limp and broken
Before the men could stop him he
struggled ahead, almost groaning with
pain, yet his eyes fixed on the blazing
fire beyond. Hobbling and slipping
he battled on for few PAGES and then
fell for the last time. Nothing could
be done save to put him out of his
misery, yet, as he lay on the pavement
fire-that goal he had striven so brave
| ly to reach.
Soon everything was over. The fire
was checked. The half-frozen mer
| were back in the engine house. Bul
they We're strangely silent. The usual
rejoicing over well fought battle was
lacking. One by one they crept up tc
bed, and as they passed each man cast
lonely glance at the empty stall that
had once held the most loyal soldier
Of them all-Maie of Hose Company
Number One"