Year: 1866

And | don't think | ever shall get
to take it as u matter Of course, sir
taking it coOlly is out of the question.
Here we are living about as excited a
life as man can lead-always on duty,
and ready at moment to have a set
to with the worst fire that ever broke
out. No; | shall never get to take
it as matter of course; for it is all
dark, rush and excitement: and [
love it, sir. Flash comes the news to
us by telegraph, most likely; out
comes the horses; there's a light put
to the ready trimmed fire; and then
with train of sparks flying out behind
US, as the fire roars, and the steam's
getting up, away gallop the horses
Ay, it's Hi! hoi hollow and they
clear the road for us. Away We 90
full gallop down the streets, with the
horses hools striking fire, the crowd
shouting, and the running mob in
creasing at every step. There's some
thing in it as warns ones blood; anu
as to the danger-well, Of course, its
dangerous, but when we feel that We
are doing our duty, and know what's
before US, why, somehow we don't
remember the danger. but 60 AT it in
earnest.


Now. there was only last week, sit
ting as / was waiting ior cail-there
it was at last, late on IN the night,
when the streets We're clear, and
away we tore at something like a
pace. Oxford street, Holborn, down
the Hill up Skinner street, and New
gate whoop, and away full gal
lop, while the horses enjoying it, bless
YOU, and lashing out till it's hard to
say whether they didQt make more
sparks than the tire under the boiler.
We want no more Instructions, for
there was the red glow on ahead and
as we cot nearer we could almost see
the SHARKS and at last we did see
them come pouring and rolling along
with the smoke, and being heavy
hot night, hanging like thick star.
spangled cloud just over our heads.


Two engines were there, and as II
happened so late there were not sc
many people as might have been eX
pected: but as soon as | got there
saw as something particular was the
matter and this is what it was. The
fire was in quite a narrow court, where
they conldn't get the escapes, and there


was people burning to death; while
above the shouting of the mob an(
clanking of the engil hard at worl


YOU could hear their awful cries TO


help.


Now don't suppose that I'm prou'


of all this I'm going to 'teIl you, be


cause I'm not. Now, if you were t.
dash in and save any ones lie, why
lno doubt it would be braves and gallant


because you would have done it ou
r oftrue compassion for a suffering lie
low creature; but then with me it
quite different. I'm paid so much
week to save life and property frol
: fire; consequently | only do what
f my duty to do.


Iruns up the court axe in hand, an
. +hn cy4a nf oil tfn1rC In
4 house was in a blaze from top to DO
i tom. and the flames had worked thr
e into the next, and were attacking tt
: one opposite, while, with their cscaI


regularly cut of, there were about ha
s. a dozen people at the upper windov


of the same house and no way Of &C


ting to them. There was no bat


door to the place, being in one


those crowded city places; while tt
c door in front and stair case were nc
81 81 fast getting into state of glow,
st which the water sputtered and strea
S5 n ed without making any impression.
= There was no time for ladders
at anything else but the sheets, and the
is is were got stretched out for the peoE


to jump into, but, poor things! tn


dared not, and what to do | could l
- tell. There was the fire blazing
r, higher, lighting up two of them {
city churches that you see lost do
those old courts, and looking as
10 they'd been put there QUITO the "


because people didn't have any
]E for them now. There they were


up glowing, and the pigeons that lily


up there scared and flying round {