The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-01-04

fieih VIC h'ht Nnitn ne nub'bs ~ ihi
an tho district covered by Engine
Company No. 90. Light AS "A cork.
he was kept bobblng along by tho
human tide. the crudcst atom In all
tho silt OF the stream that cmptied
into the reservoir OF Liberty.
While crossing Third ave he
slowed his steps. enhanced by the
thunder OF tho elevated trains above
MIN and the soothing crash Of the
wheels on the cobhlea. And then
there was a new. delightful chord In
tho uproar musical changing Of
a gong and "A great. shining jugger'
naut bclching fire and smoke. that
people were hurrying TO see.
This beautiful thing. enhancing Ia
the eye. dashed past. and the proto'
plaSnic immigrant stepped into the
wake of II with his broad. enrap.
tured. uncomprehending grin And
so stepping. stepped into the path OF
No. es's flying hose cart. with John
ByrnoH gripping. with arms Of steel,
the rcins over the plunging backs OF
Erebus and Joe.
Tho unwritten constitutional code
Of the fireman has no exceptions or
amendments. 1t ~ simple thing
as simple an tho ruie OF three. There
was the needless unit In the right OF
way. there was the hose cart and the
Iron pillar Of the elevated railroad.
John Byrnen swung all his weight
and muscles on tho left rein. The
team and cart swerved that way and
crashed like a torpedo into the pillar
The men on the cart went flying like
siittlcs. The drivers strap burst.
the pillar rang with the shock. and
John Byrncs fell on tho car track
with broken shoulder 20 feet away.
while Erebus--beautiful rnvcn.b black
bentl loved Erebua--iay whickering In
his harness with a broken leg.
In consideration for the feelings Of
Engine Company No 90 the details
will be lightly touched The company
does not like 20 be reminded 81 that
day. Their. was a great crowd. and
hurry calls were sent In: and while
the ambulance gong was clearing the
way the men OF No. 30 heard the
crack of the & T.. c. a. agents pts
tot and turned their heads away. no,
daring 60 look toward Ercbur again.
when the firemon got back 90 the
engine house they found that one Of
them was dragging by tho collar the
cause OF their dosolation and grief
They set II IN the middle OF the floor
and gathered frimiy about Thru it,
whiskerp the oalamitous object chat.
tered cffcrvesccutiy and waved It's
hands.
Sounds like a seidii,x powder. :"
said Mike Bowling. disgussediy. land
IL makes me slcker than one. Call
that a man'-that boss was worth
steamer fun Of such twoiegKed AMI.
mails. It's n inmiErant-that's what
Il ia
Look at the doctors chalk mark
on It's coat" said Reilly. tho desk
man. tits Just landed I, mus, be
a kind Of Dago or a Hun or one Of
them FInns. guess. That's the
kind OF truck that Europe unioads
onto u.s.
Think Of thing rNe that get
ting in the way and laying John IN
IN hospital and spelling tho best fire
team tn the city" rroaned another
fireman. 1T ought 20 be taken down
to the dock and drowned"
Somebody go around and set Sio
ylski." suggested the engine driver.
-and let's see what nation IN respon'
sihle for this congiomsrn,on OF hair
and head nolsca."
sioviski kept a deiicatesssn store
around tho corner on Third ave. and
the odorp OF many kinds Of meats
upon him.
Take a whiri a, this importation
with your jawhreakers. Sloviski." re
questrd Mike Downing. we can't
quite figure out whether he's from
the Iiackcnsack bottoms or Hong
Kong on-the GanRcs."
sioviski addressed the stranger In
several dialects. that ranged In
rhythm and cadence from the sounds
produced by a tonslliiis garglc to the
opening OF n can of tomatoes with n
pair Of scissors. The immigrant re.
pied I'm accents resembling the un
corking OF bottle Of ginger ale.
Il have you his name" reported
slovisli. you shall not pronounce
Il. Writing OF 4, In paper is better. "
They gave him paper. and he wrote.
"Dcmetre svangvpk
Looks like short hand" said the
desk man.
"Hc speaks some language" con.
tinued the interpreter, wiping his
forehead. "of Austria and mixed with
a little Turkish. And. den. he have
some Magyar words and a Polish or
two. and many like the Rumanian.
but not without talk OF one tribe In
Bessarabia. ! do not him quite un-
dcrstand'
Would you call him Dago or a
Polockcr. or what7' asked Mike.
frowning at the polyglot description.
He IL a"-r-answered Sloviski--"he
is al dink he come FROM dink he
IL a fool" he concluded, impatient at
his linguistic failure. "and IL you
pleases / will go back at mine delica.
lessen"
Whatever he is. he's n bird" said
MINI lfDNlNks yNh W
watch him fly"
Taking by the wing the alien fowl
that had flutttred into the nest OF
Liberty. ME- led him 10 the door of
the engine house and bestowed upon
him "a kick hearty enough to convey
the entire animus OF Company 30.
Dometro SvanRvsk hustled away
down the sidewalk. turning once TO
show his ineradlcable grin to the DIX.
grievcd firemen.
In three weeks John Byrnes was
back at his post from the hospital.
With great gusto he proceeded to
bring his war map up 10 date. My
money on the Japs every time" he
declared why. look at them Rus
nothing but wolves.
Wipe 'em out. / say--and the little
old jiu. jitsu gang are Just the cherry
blossoms to do the trick. and don't
you forget iti'
The second day after Byrnes' reap