WAYNE’S STUFF 81
THERE IS MENTIONED, ON ONE SITE, ABOUT FIRE HORSES
THAT THEIR GRAIN WAS COOKED BY POURING BOILING
WATER ON IT ALONG WITH SALT.. UPON COOLING, IT WAS
FED TO THE HORSES
. THE CHIEF AT ONE STATION CHECKED THEIR FIRE HORSE
FOR CLEANLINESS WITH A WHITE GLOVE
AT TIMES THE MIDDLE HORSE OF A THREE HORSE HITCH
COULD SENSE WHEN ONE OFTHE TWO OUTSIDE HORSES
SLIPPED / STUMBLED AND LEANED IN THE DIRECTION TO
BALANCE THE TEAM.
SOME EARLY FIREHOUSES WAS A COMBINATION FIREHOUSE
& JAIL.
ALL BYSTANDERS WERE SUBJECT TO FIRE DUTY WHEN
ORDER BY A CITY OFFICIAL
WHEN SOME SMALL TOWNS COULDN’T AFFORD A FIRE
DEPARTMENT THEY PUT PRESSURE ON THE INSURANCE
COMPANIES TO START ONE...
FLASH THE FIREMANS STORY
Flash was a white foot sorrel that ran on engine three.
Not much on stable manners-an average horse to see.
Noble in his methods, strong in loves and hates
. Not very much respected or popular amongst his mates.
Dull and moody an sleepy on off and quiet days.
Full of turbulent sour looks and small sarcastic ways.
Scowled and bit his partner and banged the stable floor,
with other tricks to designate life a bore.

But when it is day or nighttime, he heard the alarm bell ring.
He would jump for his place in his harness with a regular tiger’s spring, and watch with nervous shivers, the clasp of buckle and band.
Until it was plainly evident, he would like to give a hand.
And when the word was given, away he would rush and tear,
as if a thousand witches were rumpling up his hair.
And wake his mate up crazy with his majestic charm.
Till every hoof beat sounded a regular fire alarm!
Never a horse a jockey would worship and admire.
Like Flash in front of his engine a racing to the fire
. Never a horse so lazy, so delaying and so slack,
as Flash upon his return to quarters drawing the engine back.
Now when the different horses get tender footed and old, there ain’t much use in our business, so Flash was finally sold to a quite respectful milkman, who found it not so fine
, a hossin one of Gods cre atures outside it’s natural line.
Seems as if I could see Flash a moping along here now,
feeling that he was simply assistant to a cow.
But sometime he would imagine he heard the alarm bell ring.
And jump and rear for a minute before they could hold him in.
And once in spite of his master he strolled amongst us chaps
to talk with other horses of former fires perhaps.
Whereas the milkman kicked him wherefore us boys to please
H e begged that horses pardon upon his bended knees.
But one day for a fire we were making a dash.
Both of the horses we had on somewhat resembling Flash.
Yelling and a ringing and a rushing with excellent voice and heart.
We passed that poor old fellow a tugging away on his cart.
If ever I saw an old horse grow upward into a new.
If ever I saw a driver whose traps behind him flew
It was that old horse a romping and rushing down the track
And that respectable milkman a trying to hold him back.
Away he dashed like a cyclone for the head of number three
He gained the lead and kept it and steered his journey free
. Dodging wagons and horses and still in the keenest silk
.Furnished all the neighborhood with good respectable milk.

Crowds yelling and running and vainly hollering whoa.
Milkman bracing and swearing with never a bit of show.
Firemen laughing and chuckling and hollering Good go in!
Horse a getting down to it and rushing along like sin.
Quickly came to where the fire was halted with a thud.
Sent that respectful milkman head over heels in mud
. Watched till he sees the engine properly working there.
After which he relinquished all interest in the affair.
Moped and wilted and dawdled faded away once more.
Took up his old occupation of voting life a bore.
Laid down in his harness and I am sorry to say
The milkman had drawn there, carried his body away.
Now that’s the whole of my story, I have seen more than once or twice.
That poor dead animal actions is full of human advice.
And if you were to ask me what Flash taught I will simply answer you then,
That poor old horse was a symbol of some intelligent men.
Written by Will Carleton