Evening journal., 1912-08-31
When Red Hill
Glorihed
By N. QUAD
Copyright is12 By Associated Lit
erary Press.

hoad. II had no telephones. IL had
birth or a funeral at long intervals.
lightning had never struck anything
here. and a hurricane had never been
heard OF. There was no politics. dog
sights nor lawsuits.
Red Hill just went right along with
put any man breaking a suspender as
be climbed a fence or any housewife
burning her bread In the oven as she
EoSsiped at the gate. but her day was
nming.
ON the morning OF certain day
Abraham Green's old bull got out OF
the pasture and charged the town and
ripped open three barrels OF salt and
upset a buggy. At high noon mad
dog ran through the streets and bit a
hog. At g o'clock IN the evening as
Moses Hepburn was milking his COW
by candlelight she kicked the lantern
over and set Orc to the barn. The
flames were extinguished after doing
30 cents worth OF damage. but Moses
didn't stop there The next evening
he electrified the postoiiice crowd by
suggesting town fire department
There were two or three old conserva
tives who solemnly shook their heads
and declared that conhagrations we're
the handiwork OF Providence and
shouldn't be squlrted out. but the town
IN general received the idea with en-.
thuslasm and wondered that 1t had
not been broached before.
Inside OF half 40 honr forty men had
put down their names as firemen. and
the town trustees had named a com
mittee to go 70 New York and look at
q hand Ore engine and report on the
cost IL was only after the report had
been made and public spirit worked
up to the boiling point that a cloud OF
trouble sailed over the horizon All
OF sudden everybody remembered
that fire department must have
foreman. and everybody felt that he
was just the man for the place. It
was Absalom Jones who made the first
break by rising up and saying:
Il am not the man. as you all know.
60 thrust myself forward. but on this
occasion l arise to say that am will
ling to make sacrifices and become the
boss OF the fire company. All | ask in
return. In case | perish while doing my
duty. Is that you will visit by grave
now and then and cherish my mem
ory"
Then Hiram Smallman got up Hi.
ram had once assisted 10 put out FIRE
In grocery store In Syracuse and be
considered himself FIRE veteran.
There was no doubt IN his mind that
whoever was elected foreman would
sooner or later tumble or the roof OF q
burning house and break his neck. but
when duty called be was not the man
10 hang hack lie had but one neck.
but he wonld gladly break that and his
back to boot snatching widows and or.
nhans from the grasp OF the FIRE nend
There were faint cheers MS he sat down
with moisieped brow. but the applause
didn't discourage Deacon Spooner
"SoDs Of freedom" he began as he
rose up. "iherc should be no strife or
jealousy over this matter. What we
FIRST want Is an engine 60 squirt out
fires. what we next want Is a compe
tent man TO direct the squirting As
you are nll aware. have been In the
pump business for the last fifteen years
and | ought TO know something about
water and squirting I will take the
place Of boss and do my best. and no
man can do more. may perish in my
frst confiagration. but n 30 you will
remember me as one who did his whole
euty~
As the deacon was sixty years old
nearsighted and deaf In the starhonrd
ear. his offer to sacrifice himself didn't
create any great enthusiasm. When h,
saw this he sat down with jar. anC
phnetus Iohnson took his place. liz
admitted that his experience with con
nagrntions had only extended to 4
burning haystack and a blaze In :
woodbox behind the stove, but he wa'
willing TO learn-not only that. bu
willing TO peril life and limb IN th'
learning 10 case Of death he woul'
leave widow and seven children an'
two cows 10 mourn his loss. but tn
town would erect stone 20 his mem
ory. and on IL would be craven tn
words. Here lies a man"
For two or three minutes after Phile
lNc sat UNWn ~ ioJhtu ~ "a hN W'h'
reach the pinnacle OF fame. but ther
were Others waiting to have their say.
The last speech OF the evening wa
made by Lawyer Tompkins. thoug
only bali nnished. He started out {
tell OF the burning OF Rome. and hoS
the nre could have been squirted on
at the beginning by the right sort OF
man in command OF the fire depart
ment. and had gradually worked dow
10 Washington crossing the Delawar
when the impatient audience howle'
him down and proceeded TO a ballot
The ballot showed that there were foI
ty-two fremen present and that ever
one wanted TO be foreman The chaii
man raped for order and asked ther
20 remember that the eyes OF tn
whole world were upon them and this
one having the true interests OF IN
people at heart would willingly Civ
way. but the second and third ballot
showed the same result Then JudR
Harmon arose and appealed TO the pi
triotism OF the audience. saying thI
General Jackson always stood ready
take a back seat. but another ball'
showed no change When the resu
was announced there was a deep Z
ssnce for minute. and then somebod
ksoved to adjourn. and II was carrie
and the crowd flied slowly and 81