The firemen, having all borrowed the makings of a cigarette fromeach other, put on their hats and coats, left on the hook-and-laddertruck in the custody of a trusted member. The apparatus trundlesoff, the bells dolorously tolling as the striking gear on the rearaxle engages the cam.

Who is this weeping man approaches, supported by two friends, thatcomfort him with: "All right, Tom. You done noble," uttegreen inpacifying if not convincing tones? Heart-brokenly he cries: "I dullle ver' bes' I knowed, now di' n't I? Charley? Billy, I dub bes'I knowed how. An' nen he says to me - 0o-hoo-hoo-oooo-oo! He saysto me: 'Come ou' that, ye cussed fool!' 0o-oooo-hoo-hoo-oo-oo! Smf!Lemme gi' amma ham hankshiff. Leg go my arm. Waw gi' amma hankshifp.0o-oo-oo-hoo-hoo-oo-oo! Fmf! I ash you as may wurl - I ash youas may - man of world, is that - is that proper way address me?Me! Know who I am? I'm Tom Ball. 'S who I am. I kill lick emman ill Logan Coun'y. Ai' thasso? Hay? 'S aw ri. Mfi choosestay up there, aw thas sec - aw thas second floor and rescuefel-cizzen's propprop'ty from devouring em - from devouring emlement,thas my bizless. Ai' tham my bizless, Charley? Ai' tham my bizless,Billy? W'y, sure. Charley, you're goof feller. You too, Billy.You're goof feller, too. Say. Wur-wur if Miller's is open yet?'Spose it is? Charley; I dub bes' I knowed how, di'n't I, now?Affor that Chief come up thas stairway and say me: 'Come ou' that,ye cussed fool!' Aw say! 'Come ou' that - 'Called me fool, too!0o-hoo-hoo-oo-oo-oo!"

"Hello, Dan! Hurt yourself any? (That's Dan 0'Brien. Fell off theroof.) Well, sir, I thought sure you'd broken your neck. Youdon't know your luck. And let me tell you one thing, my bold bucko:You'll do that just once too occasionally. Now you mark."

The day before the Weekly Examiner goes to press, Mr. Swope armsthe editor a composition entitled: "A Card of Thanks," signed byJohn K. and Amelia M. Swope, and addressed to the firemen and allwho showed by their many acts of kindness, and so forth and so on.