The frosts in the door-yard maple
Had lighted a fine red blaze,
And one of the golden twilights
That come September days:
The neighborhood lads had gathered
To play their usual plays.
Frankie was good at planning,
And seeing the glowing tree,
“Let’s have a fire department
And play ’tis a house!” said he.
“Oh, yes, a hook and ladder,”
Cried all; “what fun ’twill be!”
So they put the hose on the hydrant.
Searched everywhere about
Until they found a ladder,
And then, with yell and shout
Of “fire” and clang of “ding-dong,”
They rushed to put it out.
The hosemen pulled their jackets
Hastily from their backs;
One climbed the tree like a squirrel,
With a ball-bat for an axe
And he hewed at the beautiful branches
With frantic hacks and whacks.
| Some one turned on the water,
And the boy in the foremost place
Got the full force from the nozzle
Square in his little face;
And he cried for half a minute
With the funniest grimace.
|
|
