Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1921-12-08
"Bravest Man on
the Force"
BY FREDERICK CLARKE
10, ls2l. western Newspaper Union.l

moned He left the fire station under
the disappearing looks of his corr
panions Nobody spoke to him; that
was far harder than If they had re-
p.oached him ReproacheS are forgot
.en, but they had given him the silence.
The old chief turned round at his
desk
Sit down, Harrlgan,' he said, glar-
ing at him under his bushy eyebrows.
There was a tense silence Harrigan
sat upon the edge OF his chair, finger
ing his cap.
whats this | hear about your be-
ing q coward, John?' asked the CHIEF,
yet so mildly that Harrigan took
courage to glance up at him.
"They say" said Bethany mildly,
that at the fire in Winpole street
last night you hung back instead OF
going up the ladder"
yes, sir said John and began
stammering out his excuses. 1t was
his first big fire and the sight of
that flaming hell had paralyzed his
limbs, although his heart was brave
enough. He had only wanted some
one to lead him. some word of en-
enlargement to do heroic deeds. But
alone, he could not take the initiative.
John Harrigan," said Bethany,
"Tve been on the force for seven and
thirty years When ] was a young
ster | was a coward. AT my first fire
/ hung back. Because of that a wonl-
an died Pve never told anyone but
you, Harrigan, because I've never met
another coward but you. John" he
continued, ego back to your company
and act like man."
The firemen received the news OF
his reinstatement badly.
Harrigan could endure their silence.
He knew HAT if only his chance
came, he could redeem himself. But
Mary Conner, his sweetheart, was
told of the affair by rival She
wrote him a curt little note of dis
missal. Il don't want TO marry
coward" she said Soon he heard that
she was engaged to another.
And his chance never came. That
was the crown of his tragedy. He
was put on detail work, set to copy
ing documents In the sub-chief's office.
He was never allowed out again.
One day he walked into Bethany's
office.
Chief" he said, Il haven't had my
chance | have been doing Il clerks
job Give me my chance TO show
that I'm "a man.
Bethany looked at him, looked I'M
der his beetling eyebrows clear into
his heart.
You'll have your chance now. Re
port back for duty
For whole year he had seen moth
ing of Mary Somebody told him
that she was married.
His chance did come, about three
months after his talk with Bethany.
1t was little fire at first. but 1t
spread swiftly, and by the time that
the call came to his company, from
the other end of the town, whole
block of tenement buildings was
ablaze.
The hose was playing upon the fire;
il might as well have been a childs
squirtgun for all the effect it had.
Above him--far ahoye-he saw white
faces of women at the windows. He
heard their cries family in his ears
A ladder was being raised. Harri-
gan sprang forward and began to as
cend. He heard shouts beneath him.
Tbe captain was ordering him down.
This was not for him; he, was COW
ard and this was no towards work.
He swung from the ladder to the
narrow coping, just out of the reach
of the flames. He did not dare look
down. Above him--only one story
above, he Saw those women's faces.
Even as he looked two disappeared
They had run back into the room,
seeking madly for an outlet. one, i'm
mediately above, looked down He
choked II was Mary.
Now he had no more fear In an
other moment he was on the ledge by
Mary's side He clasped her in his
arms
They chung together on the ledge,
fire over and under them, one min
ute of life remained.
'Alary-my love" he whispered.
pressing his lips to her cold cheek.
She opened her eyes. "JohnH' shs
answered. smiling,
you are married, deart'
mo. John. l waiting, she
answered.
"For mef" he cried
"To show that You were a man.
John. Ana YOU have shown me-
shouts came to him. The men were
hrncing ladders An elongated snake
of wood cravled up the side of the
wall. The fiery tongues beneath were
auenched. John fclt for the ladder
ton with his feet and found IT, Fe
placed his feet upon the topmoSt
run.. supporting Mary in his arms.
and tainted IN the arms of the man
who had climbed to save him
"Well done. John Harrlgan a
voice was muunuring far away. He
listened in amusement. What was
the voice : saying "Brayest man on
o. FIRE forceY7 He opened his eyes
lie looked into the keen blue eyes