The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-01-14
A TRAMP F,2E-fIGHTER
Sy IDA ALEXANDER

Oee!i nghtlng lre WIN tle 0tner ure-
fighters. Why he had done So he
hardly knew The pay WAS not
large and the risk was He had been
almost cornered again and again At
times, escape had seemed impossible,
but he had raced his way to safety,
while his blistered feet and smoke
clogged lungs protested But he had
ALWAYS wont out. Now he had dis
tanced the fire once again, and lay
stretched in the shade, genuinely
weary. sincerely sick of if all
Let the owners fight" he said. half
aloud. Later on they'll run me out
from the shade of the very trees l
help to save. amt go:n' back"
The resolution had come suddenly.
He had fully intended to return after
snatching an hour or SO OF well.
earned rest
1t was in the early forenoon that
he had laid down II seemed hours
before his tired eyes closed. and but
q W -
ened Men were pulling at him:
men were shouting in his ear The
words at last penetrated drowsily
into his mind
Get up. Bill. Get UP for Gods sake.
It's comm this way"
He sat up at last. sulkily and halt
awake. Il don't give "a
The faces OF the men were black
ened and bleeding.
jerks an Bert's lost" said one.
We'll. didn't find en- said the
tramp.
| God, find them" said the other
reverently. They've burned to
death"
lie heard the news callously There
had been so man! that the shock was
quite gone from the tale 1t was only
when enacted before the eye. In al
its grewsome details. tina, it had pow
er even partially to shcch
He settled back again 4 amt goin
to get up"
The others stood ready to go. Tn,
man half turned, but paused bill
once more, will We come It's hittin
now for place whore there's LITTLE
children-little children, mind We, with
out any idee what danger means"
Bill raised his lank figure till HI
stood an inch above the others. 1T
come" he said
backward now they turned with tn
quick step of men who knew tina
time meant life. All trace Of listlesi
ness had vanished from Bills face an
figure. He was the alert fire fighter
untiring. unafraid.
All day they fought each with tn
courage and the strength Of ten.
was night before they acknowledge
that their efforts had been withou
avail.
Bill threw down his AK, and pointe
his lean finger Some one ought
tell EN-" he said And then. as Il
one spoke, I'll 60"
It was trackless way through II
forest and thick underbrush. but 81
raced on, hurried by the roaring
the fire. handicapped by his veal
ness, harricd by the fear that he mig
not be In time.
The people Of the village we,
awake, clustered around In group
watching the light that hung like
menace in the sky There were I
men among them The men we
away, battling with the danger tn
threatened their homes. So 1t fell
Bill to pr, pare and urge forward Il
hurried fight II was he who remel
bered everything meat and drin
warm clothes for the wide-eyed Oh
drpn. He hurneSsod ard made read
Throw CIT ever thing, if you all
maxim a coed getaway he ca
toned, then gave The word, and t
heavily laden 70; ms r0ved off.
You, You Yen amt comm
the women shrl'ed back to him.
After a bit You're loaded enoue
I'll be along fore loLg."
Already the flames were sendi
forth their spying sparks. Present
the enemy would throw caution to t
winds. and advance upon him.
ANY other place could a burn
? and been darned fore Id a done
= But this. ! couldn't never forget III
little shaver as wanted to 81 me !
pie-all OF it. jest had to do It. '
And Bill, fire-nghter and tramp. 8
n tied comfortably back. with his ey
i on the approaching fire. and
l strange smile still shadowing
mouth with q beauty that would hs
made his mother glad.