Year: 1866

And.I don't think | ever shall ge


to take it as 4 matter of course, sir


taking the coolly's out of the ques


ton. Here we are living about q:


exciting life as men can lead-al


ways on duty, and ready at a moment
to have 4 set to with the worst fire
that ever broke out. No; / shall
never get to take it as a matter oi
course; for it's all dark, rush and ex-
citement; and l love it, sir. Flash
comes the news to us by telegraph,
most likely; out como the horses;
there's light put to the ready trim
med fire; aud then, with train OF
sparks flying out behind ,us, as the
fire roars, and the steanfs getting
up, away gallOp the horses. Ay, it's
"HI! hoi! hallo!' and they clear the
road for us; and away we 90 full
gallop down the streets, with the
horses hoofs striking fire, the crowd
shouting, and the running mob in.
creasing at every step. There's
something in it as warns ones blood;
and as To the danger-well. of course,
it's dangerous; but when we feel that
we're doing our duty, and know
what's before MS, why, somehow we
don't remember the danger, but go
at it in earnest.


Now, there was only last week,
sitting as l was waiting for 4 call
there it was at last, late On in the
night, when the streets were clear;
and away we tore at something like
a pace. Oxford street, Holborn,
down the Hill, up Skinner street, and
Newgate street-whoop! and away
full gallop, with the horses enjoying
it, bless you, ana lashing out till it's
hard to say whether they didn't
make more sparks than the fire under
the boiler. We wanted ne more iu-
structions, for there was the red glow
on ahead; and as we got nearer we
could almost see the sparks; and at
last we did see them come pouring
and rolling along with the smoke,
and being heavy, hot night, hang
ing like thick star spangled cloud
just over our heads.


Two engines were there, and as it
happened so late there were not so
many people as might have been ex-
pected; but as soon as l 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 couldn't get the escapes,
and there was people burning to
death; while above the shouts of the
mob and clanking of the engine hard
at work, you could hear their awful
cries for help.


Now, don't you suppose that I'm
proud of all this I'm going to tell
you, because I'm not. Now, if you
were to dash in and save any ones
life, why, no doubt it would be brave
and gallant, because you would have
done it cut of true compassion for
suffering fellow creature; but then
with me it's quite different. I'm
paid so much q week to save life and
property from fire; consequently, /
only do what's my duty to do.


/ runs up the court axe in hand,
and soon sees the state Of affairs
One house was in blaze from top to
bottom, and the flames had worked
through into the next, and were at
tacklng the one opposite, while, with
their escape regularly cut off, there
were about half dozen people at
the upper windows of the second
house, and no way of getting to them.
There was no back door to the place,
being in one of these crowded city
places; while the door in front and
stair case were new fast getting into
a state of glow, off which the water
sputtered and steamed without max
ing any impression.


There was no time for ladders or
anything else but the sheets, and
them we got stretched out for the
people to jump into. but, poor things!
they dared not, and what to do /
could not tell. There was the fire
blazing higher and higher, and light
ing up two Of them cid city churches
that yen see lost down those old
courts, and looking as if they had
been put there out O. the way be-