Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-07-26
WEDDING
BELLS, FIRE
BELLS
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20 by d. j. Walsh.)


wv 7 HEN Dave Harris pushed his
N way through the revolving
w door of the Dennis Jewelry
company, he felt that all
eyes were upon him. Not that this
young man of twenty-elght had con.
scious makeup or was particularly no.
tceable from any other handsome man
OF his age-but, nevertheless, when he
stepped up to the counter and rather
diffidently whispered he would like to
see something In engagement rings no
was absolutely convinced that hun
dred eyes were peering at him.
Dave was II private in ladder com
pany b, city fire department, fIe had
entered the state agricultural college
with the intention of taking charge of :
his fathers farm, but cattle and corn
and harness and hay had no appeal
to him, and not being particularly fit
ted to sell bonds he Joined the fire de.
partment.
And the first thing he did to dstln-
guish himself was to become engaged
to be married.
Dawes choice was Dolly Mason,
pretty and sprlghtly and the belle Of
the nelghborhood. Her wavy hair and
sparkling blue eyes and cheerful dis
position endeared her to all those with
whom she came in contact. 1t was no
wonder that company B considered
Dave the luckiest fellow In the world.
Dolly had often told her sweetheart
that while she was decidedly strong
for wedding bells she was equally op
posed to fire bells as far as Dave was
concerned. She wanted him to go In.
to business, some undertaking more
substantial and less risky.
"HOw about my selling ice cream
freezers at the North pole2" jokIngly
remarked Dave one afternoon. "0r
selling foot-warmers to the Fillplnos."
"Davie, do be serious" replied Dolly.
"YOu know how downright In earnest
| am about It," ....
"0f course you are, dear, but you
must be practical. If there Is one
thing | am fitted for II Is the fire de-
partment, and with the fire department
stick" His jaw became set, and
whenever this happened Dolly knew
there was no use'argulng any further.
But Dave had persuaded Dolly to
marry him Notwithstanding his chos.
en- work, and as he departed from the
jewelry store with the diamond soil
taire safely I'm his pocket he whlstled
gayly and made Decline to D0lly's
boarding house. lie found her at the
piano lazily running her fingers over
the keys.
She struck final note on the plano
and looked up smlllngly. Hello, Da
VIE" she said. working hard today?'
81 should say So" he replied. Been
q terribly strenuous day."
"Many OF those awful fires?" she In.
quired reproachfully.
"Not a one" the young man replied.
'But I've been shopping. And not aft
er collars and ties, either"
"Been buying some shoes or a haiti"
"Wrong again, honey, but look at
this!" and excltedly he removed the
top OF little box. The sparkle Of
the precious stone caught DOlly's eyes
and she gasped In amazement. "And
It's for you. darling-the future Mrs.
David Harris"
Dolly glanced at the ring and then
at Dave and then again at the ring
Tears came TO her eyes. She arose
from the piano and went to the win
dow. Tears were now streaming down
her face and she gazed at the little
garden with Its many-c0lOred flowers,
but everything was blur Dave, In
his establishment, lifted himself from
the piano bench and went to DOlly's
side and reached for her hand She
drew 1t away and burst out crying.
~ can't" she s0bbed. ~ can't. Oh
= do love you, Dave, but you won't lis.
ten to me. You know how do want
you to go into some business
And then Dave realized fully for the
first time the seriousness OF the stu.
alton. Nothing In the world he'd ratll-
er do than be with the fire department,
and yet he could not lose Dolly. Per.
haps after all he had been unreasOn.
able. DOlly's uncle would be only too
glad to have him with him In the renl
estate business and at present busl.
ness was booming. lie would doubt.
less earn considerable amount OF
money and II would result In little
bungalow and everything else that
went with It. Why, the problem was
very simple after all. He'd send In
his resignation to the chief and things
would be happily settled.
Dolly covered her face with her
hands and cried convulslyely. Dave
strOked her head and wondered how
he could do anything to hurt her.
"Ioney." he said softly, and was
about to continue when he abruptly
paused. He drew himself up with
start, turned his head quickly and lis
tened with tenseness. or In the dis
lance he heard the peal Of fire bells
And Dolly heard them also. She stood
up and they stared at one another.
And simultaneously through each their
minds ran the same question: Would
II be wedding bells or fire bells2 There
was intense quiet all about them. And
Dave detected the G-1S6 alarm.
"My God" he cried In n whisper.
it's in the tenement district"
Dolly's face was pale and the cor
ners Of her mouth qulvered In her Of
fort to spcnk. The handsome young
man before her was for the first time
IN his life NJ II loss what to do In his
Imagination he saw smoke tlled rooms
filled with children with Outslrdched
arms. lie could see mothers frantic
with fenr nnG flll"rs helpless Ia save
The OEes they ,"ycd At llr sans TING