Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-01-25

was on his feet A moment later. he
was equipped and Harvesting the
| horses.
Big Jim was a born fireman. There
was nothing so delightful &c his ear
as the clang Of the alarm. The mo.
| ment he heard 1t his spirits rose, the
blood coursed more rapidly through
his veins, and all else was forgotten.
So 1t happened that, strapped to his
seat on the engine, the big driver dash
ed down the street without single
thought of the small piece of black hui
mainly he had bundled up so carefully
few hours before.
mo. 20" was the first engine to
reach the fire. A large manufacturing
building was blazing furiously and
threatening to consume everything IN
the block. Crowds of people were
iocking from all directions.
Jim had just refined In the foamlng,
ouiyering horses beside water plug,
and was hastily dismounting from his
perch, when a little. barefooted figure
came painting up
.'Ts got awful blowed, boss, but dun
keen behind the ingine's well as l
could" And not till then did Jim rec
ollect the admiring little friend he had
left in the engine-house.
Before he could say anything there
was a great shout from the multitude,
and looking up Jim beheld three men
standing at one of the upper windows,
surrounded by the raging flames and
cut of from all means of escape. An
exclamation of horror fell from his lips
"a he realized the peril OF the unfortu-
nate men.
.srhey are LOST" he muttered. In
Voluntarily. THE ladders have not
We. arrived, and nothing on earth can
save them now
with mouth and eyes wide open. and
horror expressed in every feature. Pete
pazed in CONSERVATION at the appall-
ing situation of the poor wretches.
Then an inspiration seemed suddenly
to seize him, and. quick as thought. he
snatched small ak from truck near
by. and darted of through the crowd.
For several minutes Jim continued
to gaze pityingly upon the imperiled
men. At last he turned sadly away,
and then he beheld Pete scrambling
nimbly but laboriously up high tele-
graph pole on the opposite side OF the
street. Even at that distance the heat
was intense, and Pete had all he could
do to retain his desperate clutch and
work himself up.
He reached the cross pieces, and
perching himself securely raised his ak
in both hands and struck furious
blow, which was followed Immediately
by a scraping buzz. as the wire he had
severed slid over to the beams and
fell to the ground.
Then It was that Jim recognized the
shrewdness and utility Of Pete's act.
for the other end of the wire was fas-
tened to the roof of the burning build
ing directly above the window at
which the imperiled men stood. and as
soon as 1t was severed 1t fell within
their reach.
A great cry of Joy vent up from the
vast throng below as the men grasped
their improvised ire-escape and de-
scended in turn: but above It rose a
shrill wall of mortal agony.
Help. boss. help! Is dun goin' to
fall"
The flames had burst through one of
the windows. and we're darting far
across the street and beating upon
poor Pete In his defenceless position.
He could not move nor attempt to de
scend. Ii was all he was able to do to
keep his hold upon the hot beams.
Realizing that his nerveless fingers
would soon be powerless to sustain
him. he cried aloud In his anguish to
the only being in that great crowd up
on whom he could CALI
AS that desperate. appealing cry
reached his ears. Bib jim deserted his
beloved No. 20" aGa sprang toward
Pete's lofty perch. Right and left the
big fireman e.howed his way through
! the crowd. knocking gaping men hith.
er and thither like so many tenpins.
But he was too late, Poor Pete hung
on as long as he could. and then. with
slight CULVER OF the body. the scorch-
ed and hlistered fingers relaxed their
hold. and the little hero fell to the
| pavement
Jim raised the limp form tenderiy
in his strong arms.
Pete Pete. my brave little IRE
mani" he murmured. choklngly, as lie
pressed his lips TO The black face.
At the word fireman" coupled with
his own name by the gruff and tender
voice whose owner had given Black
Pete the only friendship he had ever
known. the boys eyes opened dreamily
and rested for 8 moment on his big
| friend. a smile OF recognition flashed
over his features
so deg won't take no cullud dri.
vahs. boss" he muttered. a9sently.
We'll. Is done de best I could. any.