Tombstone epitaph., 1915-09-19

The sun shone hot in Hamburg that day: and nowhere was the heat more intense than in the wharf districts of Hamburg
 Christopher Poe sauntered along the strip of street. stopping now and then to inspect with fond eyes the striking lines of some fast freighter. CT to scan one or another of the huge warehouses lining the other side of the street. He had skipped away from his banking duties in New York. an was touring through parts Of the world as familiar 10 him as Fifth Avenue, or the Bow cry.
 At length. as he neared a great wharf, where no ship rode at anchor and on which huge iron bound ware house stood. the rear square against the water, he stopped and strained for ward listening
 There developed. as he listened. a wild mingling Of noises. chorusing up in pSrfect bab5le.
 There was strange throng quickly collecting in front of the warehouse. Poe read in a flash the German sign stretching along the front of the build ing:
 HAGGERUP & co.
 Dealers in
 WILD ANIMALS.
 4 huge plate glass window in front. barred with heavy iron rods five inches apart. was belching forth smoke. through which the burning sun shone fully. Illuminating q smashed plate glass tank right in front, with thou sand strange fish Tapping and flashing on the floor amid the smoke and con fusion.
 "Feuer, Feuer'" screamed the ex- cited mob of sailors and lonEshore- men. The huge iron-bound door had evidently been burst open from with in 4t the first alarm. and men went p,urging through the cayernous open ing with hastily snatched pals of wa. ter, and other men came struggling out, dropping. almost overcome with smoke
 Then the fire wagon changed up Amid that hell Of noise there came an instantaneous lull. Christopher Poe, on the edge Of the crowd and near the long side of the building eX- tending back to the water. felt that he heard a far-off splash as though some huge animal, maddened by the flames. had plunged into the water somewhere in the rear of the building. But duller and less watchEl ears would not have caught the so6n1 al all. Tor an>instant later the hubbub had broken out afresh, even more multisonorous. There came sudden metallic ring amid the vociferation; the heavy noz- gle of the fire hose had already been rushed into service. and had changed against an iron shield to the big door
 It was all over in an astonishingly short time.
 Something possessed Poe; he chafed under the yoke of inaction. Seizing an extra helmet from the wagon near by. he dashed into the building fearlesssly,
 once within, Poe engaged. amid the clearing smoke and stifiing steam. in a hand-to-hand conflict with several Mona monkeys. Sooty Mangabeys and Patas. which, in the excitement, had huge vivarium where they had been caged together as peaceful mates.
 When some order had been finally restored and the firemen were leav- ing. Poe joined the three frightened animal keepers, who were counting the recaptured monkeys. lemurs and msrmosets.
 Thank Cod" cried one in German. None of the larger beasts had got loose If Babo. the ape. or that tiger there had got out. Mein Cott, What a scene, What a scene there would have been,"
 One of the keepers dashed of at that moment toward the crocodile pond. enclosed by lew wire fence. The crocodiles were still in commo- tion, doubtless due to the heating of the water in their pond and the cement which cropped out dry near the rail ing. where they sometimes lay. half out of water.
 A cry came from him as he stopped before a single cage, the door flung open, swinging useless.
 "Babo," he screamed. "Babo did escape. Where is he?"
 The appalled, keepers were dumb founded; one rushed to the front door to see if he had gone that way; an other ran to the rear. and the third euddenly chased of toward a gallery at the side, where a huge Hamadryas taboon. who had so far escaped no tice. chung to a wall support. uttering explosive. ear-cracking cries. The teasts had by no means become quiet A sweat-dripping rhinoceros beiched forth an occasional roar that made the taiidinE trembie: and two huge croco c;,es in tke tank were flashing the!! tails and beating about in frenzy.
 Christopher Poe. aroused by the strange actions of these reptiles. step ped to the wired enclosure; one Of the huge pairs of jaws snapped at him as ne approached and tte wicked little eyes. set bulgingiy at the sides of the head. gleamed cruelty. Warned back Poe stood at a slight distance. looking
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