The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-11-02

&s HEg in state upon his co
GTN,-ryySS in the dor1nitory UP
tH2ltSgSllg3s stairs, and Seventy
'VSblNSwsS seven's crew nourne,
unafectedly.
Silence pervaded the engine-hous,
as it had not since a pusillanimou
mayor had long ago insulted ths
courage and spirit Of the crew by
calling them names behind theil
backs, and denying it weakly when
the reckoning came. No man could
speak except Of poor Tom and his
record, and of the heroisrn With which
he went to- his fate. ri
Answering an alarm the evening
before, wftn the streets were a glare
Of ice, and rs rubber-tired wheels
skidded and slipped upon the cobbles
between the Elevated pillars on the
Avenue beside the engine house, Tom
had seen his duty and done it like a
man. Only a few blocks away, when
the three splendid grays were plunging
along at full stride, their necks tight in
the strainirg collars and the engine
banging along behind with sfrieking
whistle and Kissing valves, the most
ireadful sight fireman can see ap-
peared to Morgan.
Called Devil" in affectionate
token Of his disregard for danger in a
thousand desperate encounters, and
or his fire-loving qualities Tom leaned
ar forward from his seat. barehanded
and bareheaded, talking to Jenny and
Bill and Smut. They heard and answered,
orute fashion, with burst Of speed and
power that whipped the three-ton monster
behind them about like toy Tom was
Enjoying it, forgetful Of freezing drizzle and
the danger Of skidding, when a young girI
stepped squarely in front Of the grays and
stopped
ninstant she hung in the wind frantic
ally scrambled to get back went down
with living scream that echoed above the
roar Of engine and passing Elevated train
Not an instant did Devil hesitate.
Throwing ~ iull weight on the of rein, he
sent the grays crashing into the nearest
pillar. ~
Kissing, shrieking ~ shivered with the
impact and toppled over On her side. The
grays screamed in equine terror. fell, strug-
glcd. But Morgan was picked up by
so5bing men WHOSE whiskers were gri1zic3
with ice and tears, and taken back hurriedly
to his cot The doctor shook his head and
pulled up the Sheet silence fell upon the
engine-house and rs men missed then
first FIRE in years,
an The coroner came and went iii silence
and inc crew sat stoIidly about drcadne TO
utter word, until Patrick, young, red
headed, blue-eyed Patrick, could stand the
strain no longer
" He hadn't oughta done itlH he cried
vehemently. !" lie hadn oughta done it ..''
The white-headed old Captain looked at
him bitterly and snaried Shut up. Tom
was better man n anybody here Hc he'd
CUTS. You'll have en-, too, when your
turn comes. Don't 90 sayin he hadn't
oughia done it
4 low chorus q assent rlmbled approval
o. the speech, bht The other men looked
curiously at the substitute driver who
never spoke but to say something. lie vas
on his feet beside the cot, looking down al
the shattered, handsome head
II said be habit oughta done it, he
repeated monotonously He hadn't My
God, be hadn't What's kids lie com
oared with fellcr ike Morgan"
He began to sob ii nuffied tones
a You Iellers remember when | come on
here hrsl just out o the school, an then The
chief he shifts me 10 50 hecause O that
potash tfe7 Morgan, he was The first mar