Year: 1874

Yes, yes you've got fine Machines beautiful
machine;
andneat and clean.
Is'pose now, with your horses and your telegraph
| alarms,
hands and arms,
1t amt so hard on flesh ard blood, and like as
| not the fires
Has less to brag of fighting steam that never
| slacks nor tires
But, boy g, them old machines of ours-we love
And liked TO hear the music of the good old fire.
bell.
Yes, thank you, boys, wouldn't mind to sit and
And have pipe and hear you tell about the mod
ern style;
But somehow, boys, 1 don't believe. in these here
You get the same enjoyment from roasting,
roaring blaze
Like what we did in olden times, when through
The watch tower changed the loud alarm. 1t did
the business brown,
And fetched the night-caps out of bed to see the
When was chief of Neptune Five, some thirty
years ago.
feel at home amongst you, boys; it carries me
away
To times when our red shirts and belts was
thought to be quite gay.
And then the girls-poke bonnets, ehs-would
For any gallus fireman. God bless the girls says
l s'pose some of you may have heard about the


little strike
That made my fortune, may say for, although
To take no money for it then, it didn't cCme so
i'll
When twenty Thousand dollars, boys, was left me


in will.
1t happened on a summers night, in eighteen


1orty-two;
fine house on a corner up in Second Avenue
Took fire in the basement, and before the people


woke
The flames were raging down below-the house
When we got there the the people was a-dropping


white with fear,
To the roof Of an extension from second-story


rear.
They were safe but thrilling through US rang q


cry Of wild despair
From out an upper window, and we saw woman


there.
With little child clasped tightly TO her bosom,
was up on the extension in jiffy at the sight,
And climbed in at the window, through the


smoke that rushed out thick,
And groped my way up blindly--not second,


though, too quick,
For the fire was gaining headway fast; and when


found the pair
Too late to save them from below-I saw that


plain enough;
don't know how done it, but 1 got 'em TO the


roof
AS we appeared a cheer broke out from anxious


crowds beneath
But still my chance was mighty slim to save us


all from death.
No ladder could reach upward, through the


smoke and flame there was
The next roof twenty feet away-an awful gap for


usl
Cut Off 1t seemed, from human aid, no means of
Alone between a blazing hell, black and lurid


sky,
Three living souls expecting death-a scene of
And one trembling woman was, and one little


child.
never saw sight like that-the mother kneel-


ing there,
Her arms around the little boy, her face upturned
If ever human agony disturbed the far-off SIX les
Then did the supplication of those piteous,


pleading eyes.
Likely heaven took an interest the little one


to save,
For now they're on tie other roof-my boys 80


prompt and bravel
And now they've hauled ladder up, and now it's
But E' such bridge You'd better b1ieve the thing


was perilous,
The mother saw and shuddered, and cast one


glance around
Upon the gathering horror and heard its sullen


sound.
She kissed the child with clinging lips and held


him out to me;
"Save him, save hins-my precious boy Ny life


is naught," said she.
took him, started; rung by rung stepped the


chasm o'er,
Though sitting gusts the fire sent up with dull


and angry roar;
Till, safe across, the child gave, then turned to


again
To help the mother but saw the peril would


be Valnl
She had watched the dizzy journey with moth


ers eager eye
Until we stood In safety then she heard a little


cry,
And saw her Daby's outstretched arms. Another


look to God:
''Yes, darling mammals coming now-and forth


the woman trOd.
Her feet were bare, her hair was loose and


streaming on the night;
The urid glow lit up her face with red, unearthly


light.
tell you now my nerves were shook performing


of the feat
That that pale woman undertook through fiery


gust OF heat.
No doubt her feet were guided like spirit swift


she came,
While the roof behind her as che left broke into


sweeping flames;
But when the dreadful journey in safety she had


passed,
Her woman's weakness triumphed and went back


on her at last.
And she fell among us fainting; but reckon
As went up on that occasion would a done you


good to hear,
1t was nip and tuck tween life and death for all


of us that night;
But death was euchred. That's all, boys I'd


thank you for light.


NJ NIL,