Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
. and many came running from all
HAPPY DAYS
IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
“A boy will stand and hold a kite
From early morn till night,
never tire at all.
But, oh! it gives him bitter pain
To stand and hold his mother’s skein
The while she winds the ball,
A man will walk a score of miles
Upon the hardest kind of tiles
About a billiard table.
But, oh! it nearly takes his life
To do an errand for his wife
Between the house and stable.
* girl wiil gladly sit and play
With half a dozen dolls all day,
And call it jolly fun.
But, oh! it makes her sick and sour
To ‘tend the baby half an hour,
Although it’s only one.
A woman will—but never mind!
My wife is Standing close behind,
reading o’er my shoulder.
Some other time, perhaps I m
Take up the theme of voman’s way.
When I am feeling bolder.
Fire-Alarm Fred,
The Hook and Ladder Boy .
BY ROBERT LENNOX.
CHAPTER I.
THE LEAP FOR LIFE.
Ding-dong! Ding-d
It was the startling. ing of the alarm
bell in the tower of Hopedale.
“Fire! Fire!” -yelled a man,
Tushed down Main street.
The hour was midnight, and a raw March
wind was blowing through the silent
town when that dismal cry pealed out.
People peered out windows and doors,
irec-
tions, Excited voices asked eagerly where
the fire was.
Clouds of dense smoke and an angry red
glow rose from the mansion of Hiram Dav-
enport, the rich owner of the Eagle Knit-
ting Mills on the suburbs.
‘As the crowd rushed toward the scene,
there suddenly sounded the jangle a
clang of a bell, and down the street Hook
and Ladder truck No. 1 came tearing along,
pulled by a score of young firemen.
© boys were volunteers, and were led
by Fire Alarm Fred, their capta’ in
as he
He was a strong, healthy fellow of seven. |*
teen, clad in a uniform and helmet, and
, carried a speaking-trumpet in his hand.
was running at the top of his
speed, his-dark eyes flashing, and his hand-
some face aglow with excitement. .
“Clear the. road there!” he shouted, and
the crowd swept right and left to let the
truck pass; then he added, turning to his
friends, who were pulling the engine by a
“Ahead with you, boys! Faster!
Faster! There may. be people in that burn-
ing house who need these ladders!
pp! Hitit up!”
Hit it
‘mured . response came from the |
A
gallant young firemen and they spurted
ahead, the bell on the truck ringing with
every jolt, and clouds of dust flying up
aie under the wheels.
People they passed gazed pamniringly at
the plucky hook and ladder
He had been left an nen in 2 childhood,
and a poor widow named Martha Green
had cared for him until he was old enough
to work at odd jobs, and thus aid her to
support their cottage home,
Joining the volunteer hook and ladder
company, be had risen to the position of
chief by his pluck, energy, and ambition.
Every one called him “Fire Alarm Fred,”
- on account of his having discovered the
beginning of many conflagrations and
“raised the firs:
arm.
Up the street dashed Fred, and after him
rumbled the big t:
As the machine yas, going down a steep
grade the boys had the utmost difficulty to
hold it in check, as its weight was carrying
it forward rapidly.
Just. as they reached a corner a little
child about three years of age got away
from its mother, who stood among the
epestators at the curb,
t into the middle of the street toddled
ine ‘baby, directly in the path of the on-
rushing hook and ladder truck, and a
hoarse shout of horror escaped the specta-
tors,
“Oh, my baby!” screamed _ the | frantic
mother, rushing forward.
man seized and estrained her.
“Don't let the truck run over you, too,”
“be gasped in tones of alarm,
Fred saw. the little one’s dan, He
reslized that the truck could not be ‘stopped
in time to prevent it from running over
the white-clad little figu
Leaping forward, Fred ‘Histanced his com-
rades, a and snatching the little one up in
he kept on running with her!
Me “tremendous cheer from the onlookers
greeted this cool explo’
A few yards further on ‘ered darted aside,
handed the child to a woman, and rushing
to the head of his brigade again, he led
them on once niore,
The scene of the fire soon burst on their
view, and Fred led his men into the hand-
some grounds surrounding the stately Dav-
enport mansion.
All the lower part of the building was in
flames, and a huge cloud “of dark smoke
rose in the sky.
“Swing her around on the grassplot,
boys!” cried Fred, in ringing tones. “Stand
clear of that private fire-plug to give the
engine men a.show when they get here.
Now,. then, out with those ladders as fast
as you can!”
Around swept the truck, and before it
had fairly paused the boys were hauling off
the ladders, arming themselves with scal-
ing. hooks, -axes, crowbars, and asbestos
ropes. .
Fred shouted his orders in clear, concise
tones, and the young firemen. worked with
method and system that came of careful
Grilling.
Over to Fred flocked-the terrified ser-
vants who escaped from the house.
“Is every. one out?” shouted. Fred to
them, as they rushed up to him.
Instead of answering, the panic-stricken
crowd began to beg him to save the house,
and secure their own personal property.
At this moment a horse and buggy came
dashing up, and Hiram Davenport alighted,
his portly figure clad in a long coat, a silk
hat on his bald head, and a deep pallor
showing on his face where it was not con-
cealed by. his gray mustache and side-
whiskers,
“My daughter!” he shouted, wildly, as
he rushed’ toward Fred.. “My daughter
Jennie! Did she set out? Has she es-
caped?”
A dark look of anger | stole over Fred’s
an.
exclaimed in
hard, metallic tones, “we have only just
arrived.. I do not know if she is safe or
not.”
“Ah!” growled Davenport, recolling as
he reeognized the boy. “It's you, is it?
I'm sorry I spoke to you!” and be turned
away abruptly.
Fred and this purse-proud man were bit-
ter enemies,
At this moment one of the upper win-
dows flew open, and a beautiful girl of six-
teen appeared in the opening.
“ ! ave me!” she shrieked,
frantically, as she held out her arms to-
ward the crowd below.
Her voice sent a thriti of herror through
Fred, for he secretly admired the beautiful
girl, despite his enmity to her father.
Mr. Davenport gave a groan of anguish,
and broke into a cold sweat.
. Turning to the boy in desperation, he
gasped in pleading tones:
“Can’t you do anything “tor her, Fred
Raymond?”
“Not for your sake,” replied the boy.
“But for her sake I'll risk my life. Hiram
Davenport, your daughter shall not perish
in that fire.”
And as the boy spoke he yelled at his
men through the trump
“Run up those ladders—quick!”:
. He snatched an ax from the truck, ran
upon the piazza, and swinging the imple-
ment around, he smashed in the door, -
“Help! Help!” shrieked the girl.
“Don’t jump out!” shouted Fred. “TH
help you!”
she heard him, ana it seemed to allay her
alarm.
Just then ate foreman of thé track
grasped his
“Hold on there, Fred,” he cried. “‘Where
are you going
“Up tne the hall to save that girl,
Tom.”
“You'll smother in there.”
“Nonsense, Tom. Let go my arm.
“Wait an we try the ladders——”
“Let go of my arm, I tell you!” and h
wrenched himself free, and dashed into the
smoke-filled . of
In a moment he was blindly groping
his way forward in a search for the stairs.
“ll find my-way,” he kept muttering.
“I was born in this house, and I know
every inch of the w
The heat made him Sweat, and the hand-
kerchief he held over his nostrils scarcely
prevented him from inhaling the smoke as
he reached the stairs and sped up two at
a time.
There was a frightful cracking and roar-
ing of the flames off in the right wing, and
the Whole house. was filled with the dense
Dat ‘be plunged on and dashed into the!
upper front bedro
Upon the for “laid Jennie Davenport, |
overcome by the smoke, the heat, and the |
awful strain upon her nerves.
Snatching a quilt from the bed, he
wrapped - her in it, and as
caught view of an open safe.
he arose he,
j
to it dashed the boy.
There was a bundle of documents in one
of the pigeon-holes, which he drew out an
put in his pocket, and leaving the books °
saw in another compartment, he shut an
sore ene ers may be valuable to Dav-
enport,” he reflected, “oyut'T can't carry the
toate to the girl he sprang,’
Back to the girl he 5 A
her limp aie i his arms, he rushed to
he window.
A. wild yell burst: from the “spectators
when they saw him with the girl in his
arms, and he glanced around. for heip.
The engine had arrived, and was con-
nected with a fire plug in the yard, and the
hook and ladder crew were Jashing two
ladders togethe
The ladders must be too short!’ "he mut-
re
ered! “Fred!” yelled | Tom, the foreman.
“Wait'and we'll get y!
But‘as he spoke vast tongues of flame
burst out of the windows below the boy,
and licked upward, causing him to recoil
with his hair and eyebrows singed.
“They can’t reach me now,” he gasped.
“The fire below would burn the ladders.
And there isn’t anything in this room to
make a rope long enough to let us slide
down to the ground, I'll try to get out the
way I came up.”
Back to. ‘the hall he carried the girl, but
here he found the stairs all ablaze and his
retreat completely cut-off.
For an instant the brave boy lost cour-
age; then an idea flashed across his mind,
and he found the attic stairs and carried
Jennie up to the roof, where he flung oft
the quilt,
Here the air, although hot, was fresher,
and she revive
“Oh!” she cried, as she recognized him.
“It's Fire Alarm Fred!”
“Don’t get nervous, Jennie,” he replicd.
“f an going to save you.”
he had risen and burst into tears, but
she had confidence in him.
“See there—the whole house is enveloped
in flames now. They are" shooting up on
all sides.”
She made no error, and the boy saw that }
his friends could never get the ladders up
to were her stood.
“We can't remain here,” he exclaimed.
“In five. minutes this roof will be a regu-
lar furnace. How is your courage?”
.“I~ think I can do anything you say,”
bravely answered the girl. .
“The s only one chance to ‘save our
lives!) =
5 one Fred, this. is dreadful!
we
copake a olesperate risk. We must leap
rom the ri
“That ist Stre death.” . ¢
“No! We can jump for the old apple tree
standing a dozen feet away. ru hold you.
Your courage, may fa’
The roaring flames grew flercer, and the
girl made a brave effort to prepare for the
leap for life, but suddenly collapsed.
Overcome with horror, she fainted, and
was falling with a low moan when the boy
caught her in his arms.
“Swooned,”. he muttered.
for her that it is so.
or
What can
“It is better
I must run the risk
arms, he rushed over the roof, reached the
cornice, and sprang off.
In the lurid glare of the flames the crowd
saw him make the Gesperate leap for life,
and a tremendous shout arose, and people
turned away, sickened and pale with hor-
ror.
CHAPTER II.
_ THE BUNDLE OF DOCUMENTS. ~
ool and calculating as if he were
éoing nothing unusual, the brave hook and
ladder boy had selected the spot on which
land. .
It was a huge limb with spreading
branches a dozen feet below the eaves of
‘and lifting |
lence below; then, when the crowd say
him and his burden in the tree, safe trom
the dames, a wild, deafening cheer escaped
Some of the hook and ladder boys came
rushing over with a ladder and held it py
to the limb, expecting to find the boy and
the girl mangl
Tom Drew, the “foreman, climbed up, and
ho was astonished to find the boy trying to
arise, and the girl recovering her senses,
Predt Fred!. Are you injured?” he
shouted, »
owe ‘@ bone broken,” cheerily answered
boy. “I’ve got a few scratches. But
Miss Davenport 4s perfectly unhurt.”
“The thunder you say!’ Y, Man, wa
thought you had both met your finish. Let
me help you down. Give me the girl.”
“No, thank you, Tom. 1 can manage
alone, if you'll just steady me until T eet '
on the second rung of the ladde 4
“Your escape Was marvelous.” cok
“My dear boy, I had-to run the risk
purn to death, so I chose the lesser of the
two ovis end come out mighty lucky,”
“Ob “Davenport has revived,
anal! “Fred!” the shuddering girl
asped, as she clung to him.
’ “There, there, little- one,” he replied,
soothing. “Don’t worry. You are safe.”
h, thank heaven for that, Where are
we aw
“In the tree, Come, rl get you down to
your anxious fathe: .
’ They descended the ladder, Fred carrying © {
the girl.
‘All the crowd had rushed to the spot, and
foremost among them was Hiram Daven-
port, a look of deep concern on his pale
face.
“Oh, my poor Jennic!” he cried, as Fred
reached the ground, and he rushed for-.
ward with his arms outstretched.
“She is here—safe and sound,”
quietly, “I told you I’d save her.
vey child! My child!” exclaimed the
mill owner, as the girl rushed into his open
aid Fred,
“Papa! 8i It was Fire Alarm
Fred who did it; heaven bless him! He is
the bravest boy in Hdpedale!” .
rousing cheer burst from the crowd
upon hearing this, and the boy was caught
p by many eager hands, and was carried
oft en the shoulders of his admire:
Mr. Davenport and his daughter “grove
away in the buggy.
‘When the boy escaped from the crowd he
made a careful examination of his injuries,
and finding nothing serious, he went right
back into the fire lines and took command
of his men.
The engine company had got the flames
under control by that time, and the hook
and ladder crew got into the building and
found that the major portion of it could-
easily be saved.
No effort was made to rescue the contents
of the house, but all their energies were
put forth to chop and break away the
burned and charred roan to prevent
the flames from spreading.
It was owing to the hard work of these
brave fellows that the old. mansion was
saved from complete destruction.
About four o'clock in the morning the
fire was ou
There was considerable damage by water
as well as by flames, and the firemen had
been compelled to demotish windows and
woodwork.
e insurance adjusters were on the spot
before daylight, and an cfort was made to
find out how the fire origina
Fred was standing near the burned wing
of the building when Mr, Baker, the insur-
ance man, questioned the servants.
When he came to the butler and asked
him, “Do you know what started the fire?”
the man answered:
“Yes, I It was a firebug.
“What!” exclaimed the wartied agent.
“How do you know?”
“Because I saw him.”
“Explain yourself.”
“Well, sir, I couldn’t sleep, and sat at
the house, which, he hoped, would break
his fall,
Tightly clutching the frail form of ihe
senseless girl in his arms, Fred shot
{hrough the air, and instantly began to
all
Crash! went his body in the tree, legs
foremost, the next moment.
He went over upon his back, the crack-
ling and snapping branches giving way
like straws beneath his weight.
thousand pains chot through him as
his legs were wrenched, his back stricken
a heavy blow, and a score of cuts and
bruises were inflicted.
For an instant the terrific shock made
him see s!
His clothing was torn, and he was aching
all over; but his descent was checked on
the swaying branches, and the girl had
{ come down on top of him, thereby escaping
with no injury except the shoc'
great wall of fire flashed up between
him and the house, and the beat was so in-
tense that it caused him a,
“or an instant there was. mE “deathly si-
my bedroom window a little before mid-
night. When I looked down in the garden
the yard and climb in a window of the
wing. I went downstairs and opened the
sitting-room door, There was a rovgh-
Jooking man with a black mask on his face
in the room lighting a big bundle of paper
and oil-soaked rags. grappled and
fought, and he knocked me senseless.
When I came to he was gone, and the room
was in flames. I aroused the servants, and
all got out. The smoke prevented me from
going up to Miss Jennie’s room, so I ran
to the clectric fire alarm and turned it
on. The firemen then came, and you know
how Miss Jennie was Be ote ”
“Th a remarkable story,. my good
man, and it shall be suretatiy investigated.
pase 8s else? Can you describe the fire-
UL
“No, sir. He was a total stranger to me. ,
Besides, he was masked
“What could have been his motive?”
don’t know anything more about It,
r.” . Y 2 af ,