Fighting the FlamesBallantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)
General
Fighting the Flames
Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)
Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Fire fighters -- Juvenile fiction; London Fire Brigade -- Juvenile fiction
Close to these stood a group of stalwart men in blue coats and leathern
belts, and with sailor-like caps in their hands. These men appeared to
take a lively interest in what was going forward, and evidently found it
difficult to restrain a cheer when Frank took Emma's hand. Once or
twice during the service one or two other men of similar appearance
looked into the church as if in haste, nodded to their comrades, and
went out again, while one of them appeared in the organ loft with a
helmet hanging on his arm and his visage begrimed with charcoal, as if
he were returning from a recent fire. This man, feeling, no doubt, that
he was not very presentable, evidently wished to see without being seen.
He was very tall and stout, and was overheard to observe, in very Irish
tones, that "it was a purty sight intirely."
When the carriage afterwards started from the door, this man--who bore a
strong resemblance to Joe Corney--sprang forward and called for three
cheers, which call was responded to heartily by all, but especially by
the blue-coated and belted fellows with sailor-like caps, who cheered
their old comrade and his blooming bride with those deep and thrilling
tones which can be produced in perfection only by the lungs and throats
of true-blue British tars!
Now, it must not be supposed that this was the end of Frank's career.
In truth, it was only the beginning of it, for Frank Willders was one of
those men who know how to make a good use of money.
His first proceeding after the honeymoon was to take a small farm in the
suburbs of London. He had a tendency for farming, and he resolved at
least to play at it if he could make nothing by it. There was a small
cottage on the farm, not far from the dwelling-house. This was rented
by Willie, and into it he afterwards introduced Ziza Cattley as Mrs
William Willders. The widow inhabited another small cottage not a
hundred yards distant from it, but she saw little of her own home except
at night, being constrained to spend most of her days with one or other
of her "boys."
As the farm was near a railway station, Willie went to town every
morning to business--Saturdays and Sundays excepted--and returned every
evening. His business prospered and so did Mr Tippet's. That
eccentric old gentleman had, like Mr Auberly, been ruined by the great
fire, but he did not care--so he said--because the _other_ business kept
him going! He was not aware that Willie's engineering powers turned in
all the money of that other business, and Willie took care never to
enlighten him, but helped him as of old in planning, inventing, and
discovering, to the end of his days.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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