The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-01-29
CONTINUED
FROM PAGE /
OLD JOE IS DEAD:
he DIED RIGHT
IN The HARNESS


hosses-fail. Ask any odd fireman,
and he'll tell you you never can
tell first.off whether n new horse
( IN going to be any good or not He
may be biz and strong and fast
hut II he lacks something else--no
one knows exactly what Il Is
heart 7--"silk" tho first thing
you know. hcrl quit cold when the
work is gruelling.
And the ignominy OF pulling
dirt cart for the street department
Is the lot of the fire horse who
turns gutter.
Joe had that indefinable some
thing which makes n good fire
horse. Between fires. he WAS an
amiable. lovable and loving old
fool He liked TO be petted. He
4 liked 10 nnxxlc his soft nose In the
palm OF your hand. He liked 10
have you bring children To his stan
and lift them 10 his broad back,
five and six at time.
1 Safe as house Joe was between
/ fires
Hut when the gong rang. Joe
/ quivcred and shot through the
doors. and stood trembling at the
pole. waiting for Pat and Mike. And
when the street doors swung out.
Joe hurled himself into hts collar
and tore at the station house floor
with frantic hoofs.
Joe, TO the outward eye. was In
fine fettle Tuesday night. The gong
rang at 2:t2 Wednesday morning
Joe was In his place before the first
man came sliding down the poles
The doors swung out. and Joe
tore at tho floor with frantic hoofs.
30 did Pat and Mike.
Il Benson was driving. He says
Joe never worked bettor. The
night was dark. The psvemenu
/ were slippery. Engine No. 10
\ turned into First ave. and Joe.
Pat and Mike settled 10 their
work - pounding, pounding.
faster and faster.
The fire was beyond Nolyoss
st.-more than . mile. They
/ had 10 make Q longer run the
II nioht before. and Joe had made
nothing Of L. " that run Of the
night before had taken 80" out
i Of Joe, he made no sign.
For now no ran a., perhaps,
/ he had never run before. Pat
Il and Mike seemed on their met
tie, too. They had seven year,
the advantage Of Joe, and seven
Year, 10 . long time In the life
II - |. knras
i TnEv DIDN'T KNOW. AND
/ BENSON DIDN'T KNOW.
THAT OLD JoE's STRENGTH
WAS 0oNg--0oNE UTTERLY
AND THAT THE OLD FOOL
WAS RUNNING ON HIS
NERVE. HE'D SHOW EN-
HOW TO RolLl HE'D SHOW
| THESE YOUNG SMART
ALGcks AND THESE mo
ToRIZCp" TRUCKS.
They ran. perhaps, three
quarters Of the way. Joe laid
HE belly close 10 the pavement
and his Iron hoofs rang 40 they
crashed upon the asphalt
"Mosorizs" No. tof The dirt
cart for old Joel Red show
'em how 10 ROLL
And then HE great heart
stopped.
ss,wesn strides Il stopped
its beating.
BENSON HEARD ONE
SCREAM so HUMAN THAT
| FOR AN INSTANT he
THOUGHT Ne MAD RUN
DOWN SOME ONE IN THE
DARK. THEN he THREW
HIS WEIGHT uPC~ THE
REiNe.
MING. HIS HEAD WAS DOWN
BETWEEN HIS LEGS. HIS
LEGS WERE DRAGGING.
His big body. q moment be-
fore puIsina with life and ire
mendovs action, was inert, held
up by the harness
Pat and Mike were carrying
II him.
They rebelied at having 10 stop.
/ They weren't cutters. They were
enjoying. as they always enjoyed
racing with Joe. Joe had always
beaten them. Now they we're beat.
Ing him. at last They didn't want
to quilt.
Reluctantly they settled back on
their launches and slithered along
the wet pavement 10 a full stop.
Their wonderful lungs pumped
streams OF breath into the frosty
air. Their great bodies steamed
They arched their powerful necks
and looked down. wonderingiy. upon
the body OF Joe. who never would
roll again.