,illustration3 ,fighting the ,fire ,,firebrands ,,by ,,frank ,e4 ,,martin ,,and ,,george ,m4 ,,davis1 ,m4,d4 ,,with ,,illustrations ,,from ,,photographs ,school ,edition ,,boston ,,little1 ,,brown1 ,,and ,,company #aiab ,copyright1 #aiaa1 ,,by ,,little1 ,,brown1 ,,and ,,company4 ,all rights reserved ,printers ,s4 ,j4 ,,parkhill ,,co41 ,,boston1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a4 ,,preface ,every year fire destroys an enormous amount of property in the ,united ,states4 ,of this great loss by which our country is made just so much poorer1 for property destroyed by fire is gone forever and cannot be replaced1 a large proportion is due to carelessness1 thoughtlessness1 and ignorance4 ,nor is it a property loss only4 ,every fire endangers human life1 and the number of lives lost in this way in one year is truly appalling4 ,it has been estimated that if all the buildings burned in one year were placed close together on both sides of a street1 they would make an avenue of desolation reaching from ,chicago to ,new ,york ,city4 ,at each thousand feet there would be a building from which a severely injured person had been rescued1 and every three-quarters of a mile would stand the blackened ruins of a house in which some one had been burned to death4 ,children are allowed to burn dry leaves in the fall1 and their clothing catches fire from the flames2 women pour kerosene on the fire in their kitchen stoves1 or cleanse clothing with gasoline near an open blaze2 thoughtless men toss lighted cigars and cigarettes into a heap of rubbish1 or drop them from an upper window into an awning2 the head of a parlor match flies into muslin draperies2 a ,christmas-tree is set on fire with lighted candles1 or a careless hunter starts a forest fire which burns for days and destroys valuable timber lands4 ,there are hundreds of different ways in which fires are set4 ,the majority of these fires1 which cause great loss of life and property and untold suffering1 are preventable by ordinary precaution4 ,this little book has been written for the special purpose of teaching children how to avoid setting a fire1 how to extinguish one1 or how to hold one in check until the arrival of help4 ,each story tells how a fire was started1 how it should have been avoided1 and how it was put out3 ,mr4 ,brown ,rat builds his nest with matches which were left around the house2 ,careless ,joe pours hot ashes into a wooden box2 or boys light a bonfire and leave the hot embers1 and then old ,north ,wind comes along and has a bonfire himself4 ,at the end of each lesson there are instructions regarding the fire in question4 ,there are also chapters on such subjects as our loss by forest fires1 the work of our firemen1 common safeguards against fire1 how to act in case the house is on fire1 and first aid to those who are injured by fire1--how to treat scalds and burns1 how to revive persons who are suffocated by smoke1 etc4 ,a thoughtful reading of this book should make the present generation a more careful and less destructive people1 and the entire country richer and more prosperous4 ,,contents ,,page ,,preface v ,,brownie',s ,,misfortune #a ,,careless ,,joe #i ,,may ,,day #ah ,,camping ,,out #cj ,,thelma',s ,,birthday #db ,,the ,e4 ,v4 ,i4 ,s4 #eb ,,forest ,,fires #fa ,,pinch ,,and ,,teddy #fg ,,the ,,busy ,,bees #gg ,,the ,,county ,,fair #hf ,,little ,,faults #ih ,,ten ,,young ,,rats #aje ,,how ,,not ,,to ,,have ,,fires4 ,i #aaf ,,the ,,kitchen ,,fire #abc ,,how ,,not ,,to ,,have ,,fires4 ,,ii #acc ,,the ,,sunshine ,,band #adj ,,vacation ,,at ,,grandpa',s #adh ,,the ,,fire ,,drill #aei ,,fighting ,,the ,,fire #afi ,,vernon',s ,,brother #agf ,,the ,,world',s ,,great ,,fires #ahd ,,new ,,year',s ,,eve #ahi ,,christmas ,,candles #bjj ,,what ,,to ,,do ,,in ,,case ,,of ,,fire #baa ,,first ,,aid #baf ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,fighting the ,fire ,frontispiece ,the ,flying ,squadron ,page #dd ,the horses are led away to a place of safety #hh ,the horses gallop madly down the street #ajb ,in the largest cities the firemen find their hardest work #adb ,the water-tower pours a stream into the upper windows #agb ,fire ,drill for the ,firemen #bjb ,fire raging through the deserted streets in ,san ,francisco #baf ,,firebrands ,,brownie',s ,,misfortune ,polly's cage had just been hung out on the back porch1 and she was taking a sun bath4 ,she ruffled up her feathers and spread out her wings and tail4 ,she knew she was pretty1 and as the sun brightened her plumage1 she arched her neck1 and looked down at herself1 saying over and over1 ,pretty ,polly6 ,polly6 ,pretty ,polly6 ,then she threw back her head and laughed one of those jolly1 contagious chuckles that made everyone laugh with her4 ,while she sat there1 talking and laughing1 a big brown rat came creeping up the steps4 ,polly had often seen him before1 for he came to the house every day to find something to eat2 and as he always stopped to have a chat1 the two had become good friends4 ,good morning1 ,polly1 said ,mr4 ,brown ,rat4 ,you seem very happy this morning4 ,why shouldn't ,i be happy8 replied ,polly4 ,see how pretty ,i am4 ,besides1 ,i have nothing to do all day but sit here and eat crackers and watch the people4 ,by the way1 ,brownie1 run into the house and get me a cracker now4 ,i can't get any more crackers1 ,polly1 replied the rat4 ,the last time ,i went to the pantry the crackers were in a stone jar that had a heavy cover4 ,polly ruffled up her feathers1 and spread out her wings so that they would shine in the sun4 ,you are very pretty1 ,polly1 said ,mr4 ,brown ,rat1 but you haven't such a fine long tail as ,i have2 and he spread it out on the piazza and twisted his head to look at it4 ,ha1 ha6 you wait until the cat gets hold of it and it won't be very long1 replied ,polly4 ,why don't you shave off your whiskers1 ,brownie8 ,i couldn't smell any cheese if ,i lost my whiskers1 said ,brownie4 ,and1 besides1 they make me look dignified with my family4 ,polly1 ,i am going to build a new house1 he added4 ,i am tired of living in barns and stone walls1 and ,i want my family together where it is warm and comfortable4 ,do you happen to know where ,i can find some matches8 ,why1 yes1 replied ,polly1 my master is very careless with his matches4 ,he leaves them around loose wherever he goes4 ,you see1 he doesn't use the matches that have to be struck on a box1 and every time he lights his pipe he scratches the matches on anything that is handy4 ,they are snapping and cracking all day long4 ,sometimes they break off and fly away1 all on fire4 ,you can find them almost anywhere in the house4 ,but what do you want to do with matches1 ,brownie8 ,well1 you see1 ,polly1 the little sticks make a good framework for my house4 ,the wood is good to chew and can be made soft for lining the nest2 and the bits of flint in the head of the match are fine for sharpening and filing my teeth4 ,you and your family won't be able to file out of the house if you light one of those matches while you are filing your teeth1 said ,polly1 and she gave another of her famous chuckles4 ,i'll look out for that1 replied ,mr4 ,brown ,rat1 as he scampered across the piazza4 ,don't you dare to build a nest with matches in my house1 ,polly screamed after him2 but ,brownie slipped through a hole in the clapboards under the kitchen window and didn't make any promises4 ,polly didn't see her friend again for some time and she began to miss him4 ,one day she heard her master say1 ,i wonder what becomes of all my matches8 and this set her to thinking4 ,she sat still on her perch for a long time1 scratching her head with first one foot and then another4 ,i believe ,brownie is really building his nest in this house1 she said to herself at last2 and he is using matches1 too1 after ,i told him not to4 ,then she became very angry4 ,she screamed and bit the bars of her cage with her sharp bill until the cook came out and scolded her for being so cross4 ,two or three days later ,polly was hanging on the back porch again1 and the sun was shining on her feathers4 ,she was spreading out her wings1 and cocking her head on one side1 when1 all of a sudden1 she saw a thin curl of blue smoke creeping out between the clapboards4 ,hello6 ,help6 ,come in6 she screamed4 ,hello6 ,help6 ,fire6 ,fire6 ,some boys who were playing in the street came running up to the house at the cry of fire4 ,get a move on6 cried ,polly1 dancing about in her cage and trying her best to open the door4 ,where's the fire8 asked one of the boys4 ,get busy6 screamed ,polly1 as she pulled herself up to the top of the cage4 ,just then a wagon came tearing down the street4 ,whoa6 cried ,polly1 and1 sure enough1 the horses stopped in front of the house4 ,the driver saw the smoke1 and he went to work in a hurry1 tearing off the clapboards1 and showing the boys where to pour water in between the walls1 until the fire was all out4 ,when the man had gone away1 and everything was quiet1 ,mr4 ,brown ,rat came creeping out of the hole1 wet and bedraggled1 with his whiskers all burned off4 ,polly caught sight of him in a moment4 ,you rascal1 she screamed1 you set that fire4 ,you ought to know better than to build a house with matches4 ,i do now1 and ,i'll never do it again1 never again1 replied ,brownie meekly1 as he went limping away4 ,why did the brown rat come out on the back porch8 ,how did he build his nest8 ,of what material was it constructed8 ,why do rats like matches8 ,why is it dangerous to leave matches scattered around the house8 ,that rats and mice are responsible for many fires is no longer doubted4 ,the evidence has been plainly seen4 ,rats and matches are a dangerous combination4 ,for this reason matches should not be scattered around the house4 ,in most of the ,european countries only safety matches can be used2 this is one reason for the small number of fires in foreign lands as compared with those in the ,united ,states4 ,,careless ,,joe ,i didn't mean to lose my coat1 ,father4 ,we boys were playing ball1 and ,i threw it down on the ground and forgot all about it until ,i got home4 ,then ,i went back for it and it was gone4 ,some thief had stolen it1 ,i suppose4 ,i can't help it now1 can ,i8 ,no1 ,joe1 of course you can't1 his father answered2 but you are always doing something like this1 and ,i want you to learn to be more careful4 ,it is just the same with your work4 ,half of it is forgotten1 and the other half is not well done4 ,i can't trust you to do anything4 ,you are so forgetful and careless that even your school-mates call you ',careless ,joe4' ,it is no wonder that your mother and ,i are discouraged4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,patten were very fond of ,joe1 who was their only son1 and they did everything they could for his happiness2 but the boy had grown so careless and selfish that his father and mother were at their wits' end to know what to do with him4 ,as for ,joe1 he was a pleasant-faced1 good-hearted1 jolly boy2 but his parents knew that this one bad habit of carelessness would soon spoil him if it were not corrected4 ,they had done everything they could to help him overcome his fault1 but he only seemed to grow more careless every day4 ,finally ,mr4 ,patten said to his wife1 ,let's send ,joe to visit ,grandfather ,knight4 ,he knows how to manage boys pretty well4 ,of course ,joe was delighted when he heard of the plan1 for who ever saw a boy who didn't like to visit his grandfather8 ,mrs4 ,patten wrote to ,grandma ,knight about ,joe's bad habit1 which was giving them so much trouble2 and the two old people talked it all over and felt sure that they would know what to do when the time came4 ,i'll keep the boy so busy that he won't have any time to forget1 said his grandfather4 ,there is always plenty of work on a farm for a good boy4 ,he can help me1 too1 added ,grandma4 ,i'll pay him with cookies2 and she hurried out to the kitchen to make a big jarful of the round sugar cookies that ,joe liked best4 ,joe was delighted with everything on the farm1 and for several days he did very well4 ,he isn't such a bad boy after all1 ,grandpa told ,grandma when ,joe had gone upstairs to bed one night4 ,but the very next morning he gave ,joe a bucket of grain to feed the hens1 and in the afternoon he found the bucket in the barn1 still full of grain4 ,when he spoke to ,joe about it1 the boy answered carelessly1 ,oh1 yes1 ,i did forget it2 but it won't matter much1 will it8 ,hens can't tell the time of day4 ,i suppose not1 his grandfather replied2 but ,i don't believe they like to go hungry any better than you do4 ,the next night ,joe went to the pasture to get the cows1 and came home driving nine1 when he knew very well that his grandfather had ten4 ,he never noticed the difference until ,grandpa spoke to him about it1 and then he seemed to care so little that the good old man began to think ,joe one of the most careless boys he ever saw4 ,two or three days later ,mr4 ,knight went to market1 leaving ,joe to feed the horses at noon4 ,when he reached home at night1 the horses had not been fed1 and ,joe said he didn't think they would mind going without one dinner4 ,grandma ,knight heard this remark1 and she decided that it was about time for ,joe to have a lesson4 ,when the boy came in to supper1 feeling very hungry after a good game of ball1 there sat his grandmother knitting a stocking4 ,he glanced around the kitchen in surprise4 ,my stomach feels pretty empty1 he said2 but ,i don't see anything to eat4 ,isn't it almost supper-time8 ,yes1 my boy1 his grandmother answered1 with a twinkle in her eye1 it is supper-time2 but ,i thought you wouldn't mind going without one supper1 so ,i didn't get any to-night4 ,joe frowned and hung his head4 ,he knew very well what his grandmother meant1 and things went a little better for a day or two2 but the boy soon fell back into his old tricks4 ,every morning ,joe emptied the ashes from the kitchen stove for his grandmother4 ,grandpa ,knight had told him over and over again never to empty them until they were cool1 and always to put them in an iron barrel that stood in the shed4 ,one morning ,joe went as usual to empty the ashes1 which happened to have a good many live coals in them4 ,the iron barrel was full1 but ,joe was in a hurry to get away for a game of ball4 ,he couldn't bother to empty the barrel1 and he surely couldn't wait for the ashes to cool1 so he tipped them into a wooden box1 live coals and all1 and ran off to his game4 ,grandma ,knight was making another big batch of cookies1 and it was not long before she began to smell smoke4 ,she looked all around the stove1 but she couldn't find anything that was burning4 ,it must be some paper ,i threw into the fire1 she said to herself1 and she went on with her baking4 ,but the smell of smoke grew stronger and stronger1 and when she came out of the pantry to slip the first pan of cookies into the oven1 she could see a thin blue haze in the kitchen4 ,the house is on fire6 she cried1 and she ran down cellar and upstairs as fast as she could go1 opening all the doors and looking in all the closets to find out what was burning4 ,on her way through the hall she caught up a fire-extinguisher2 but she couldn't find a sign of the fire anywhere4 ,at last she ran out through the shed to call ,grandpa ,knight from the barn1 and there was the wooden box blazing merrily1 and sending little tongues of hot flame across the floor4 ,it took only a few minutes to put out the fire with the fire-extinguisher which she still held in her hand2 but when ,grandpa came into the house a few minutes later1 there was ,grandma ,knight sitting beside the kitchen table1 holding a pan of black cookies1 with tears running down her wrinkled cheeks4 ,i never burned a cooky before in all my life1 she said1 trying to smile through the tears2 but ,i couldn't let the house burn down6 and then1 all trembling with excitement1 she told about the fire in the shed1 and the box of hot ashes4 ,when ,careless ,joe came home to dinner there was a pan of burned cookies beside his plate1 and that afternoon he had a talk with his grandfather which he never forgot4 ,from that day he really did try to overcome his careless1 selfish ways1 and to be more thoughtful and manly4 ,he had learned that fire is not to be trifled with1 and that a boy must always have his mind on his work4 ,why was this boy called ,careless ,joe8 ,in what way was he careless8 ,what lesson did his grandmother teach him8 ,what happened which taught him a more serious lesson8 ,how should ashes be cared for8 ,what kind of a barrel should they be kept in8 ,what should be done with rubbish and waste paper8 ,ashes should never be kept in wooden barrels or boxes1 but in iron barrels or brick bins4 ,there should never be an ash-heap against a fence or near the side of a house4 ,paper and rubbish should not be mixed with ashes1 but kept in a separate barrel4 ,cellars and basements should be clean1 orderly1 and well-lighted4 ,rubbish is a fire-breeder1 and may be the means of destroying your home4 ,,may ,,day ,it was ,may ,day1 and all the children who went to school in the little brick schoolhouse at the foot of the hill were going ,maying4 ,every sunny morning in ,april they had begged their teacher to go with them to the woods to gather flowers2 but ,miss ,heath kept telling them to wait until the days were a little warmer1 and the woods less damp4 ,by the first of ,may1 she said1 there will be ever so many more flowers4 ,if ,may ,day is bright and sunny we will have no school1--except the school of the woods1 no lessons but those the birds and flowers teach us4 ,wear your oldest clothes1 and don't forget your lunches4 ,you will be as hungry as squirrels when you have played out of doors all the morning4 ,the first morning in ,may was warm and sunny enough to make everyone long to spend the whole day in the woods4 ,at half-past eight all the pupils in ,miss ,heath's school were at the schoolhouse door1 eager for the ,maying4 ,there were only sixteen of them1 and they were of all ages1 from five to fourteen1 for the little brick schoolhouse was in the country1 far away from the graded city schools4 ,the mothers had not forgotten the lunches1 and it was a happy band of boys and girls that set off at nine o'clock for the woods4 ,they climbed the hill and followed a cart-path until they came to a shady hollow where a tiny brook rippled over its stony bed4 ,we'll stay here for a little while and watch the birds1 said ,miss ,heath4 ,sit down under this pine tree1 and keep as still as mice until you have seen five different birds4 ,joe ,thorpe saw the first one1--a robin that came down to the brook for a drink of water4 ,alice ,fletcher caught sight of a black and white warbler that was hopping about in the pine tree1 and ,grace ,atkins pointed out a woodpecker that was rapping on the trunk of an old oak4 ,a golden oriole flew to the top of a tall elm and called down to them1 ,look1 look1 look6 ,look up here6 ,look up here6 ,look up here6 ,but the fifth bird was hard to find4 ,they had almost given him up when ,miss ,heath held up her hand4 ,listen6 she whispered1 and in a moment a song sparrow that had lighted in a little bush near by sang them his sweetest song1--sang it over and over1 with his head held high and his tiny throat swelling with the music4 ,there are the five birds1 said ,miss ,heath1 when the song sparrow flew away2 now for our flowers6 and she jumped up and led the way across the brook and down a gentle slope toward an old pasture that was half overgrown with underbrush4 ,you must notice all the different shades of green in the new leaves on the trees1 with the yellows and reds on the bushes1 she said1 as they stood looking across the pasture4 ,there are almost as many colors among the trees in the spring as there are in the fall1 but they are not so brilliant4 ,now1 run and look for flowers1 she added1 when they had climbed over a stone wall and found a narrow foot-path across the pasture4 ,i will wait here1 under this chestnut tree1 and you can come back when you are ready2 but if ,i call1 you must come at once4 ,it will be lunch-time almost before you know it4 ,that old pasture was a splendid place to find spring flowers1 and the children scattered in all directions1 by twos and threes1 peeping under bushes and poking away dead leaves to hunt for sprays of arbutus1 or ,mayflowers as they always called them4 ,grace and ,alice found some beautiful clusters of the fragrant pink and white blossoms1 but poor little ,joe ,thorpe didn't have good luck at all1 so he wandered off by himself to look for hepaticas4 ,he found them1 too1 among the rocks at the farther end of the field1 blue ones and white ones1 and some that were pink and lavender2 and when he had picked a good handful for ,miss ,heath1 he saw some spring beauties1 white blossoms striped with pink that swayed gently on their slender stems4 ,just then he heard the call to lunch1 and although he hurried back to the big chestnut tree he found all the children there before him1 their hands filled with flowers4 ,there were bunches of blue violets and white violets1 hepaticas and spring beauties4 ,one girl had found yellow adder's tongues with their spotted leaves1 and a boy brought a ,jack-in-the-pulpit1 standing up stiff and straight to preach its little sermon4 ,after ,miss ,heath had admired all the flowers1 and had sent three of the boys back to the brook for water1 the children opened the baskets and spread their lunch on newspaper tablecloths4 ,then what a merry picnic they had6 ,they exchanged cakes and cookies1 gingerbread and doughnuts4 ,they shared pickles and apples1 and divided turnovers and saucer pies1--and they all picked out the very best of everything for ,miss ,heath1 until she laughingly declared that she couldn't eat another single mouthful4 ,after lunch they told stories and played games1 until1 all at once1 the teacher noticed that the sun had hidden his face behind a heavy cloud4 ,i am afraid it is going to rain1 she said2 we must hurry home4 ,but even before the children could gather up their baskets and flowers1 the big rain-drops began to patter down on their heads4 ,i don't care1 said little ,joe ,thorpe4 ,it is nothing but an ,april shower4 ,april showers bring ,mayflowers6 quoted ,grace and ,alice1 and then they held their thumbs together and wished1 because they had both said just the same thing at just the same moment4 ,they bring wet dresses1 too1 said ,miss ,heath1 and not one of us has an umbrella4 ,let's run over to that little pine grove and play the trees are umbrellas4 ,that's what the birds do when it rains4 ,the children ran down the narrow path and gathered under the spreading branches of the pines1 and the trees held out their arms and tried to keep them dry4 ,but the rain-drops came down faster and faster1 and it was not long before the little girls' cotton dresses were wet through4 ,as soon as the shower was over ,miss ,heath said1 ,now you must run home as fast as you can1 and put on dry clothing4 ,i don't want anyone to catch cold when we have had such a happy day together4 ,so away the children scampered1 some in one direction1 some in another4 ,at the foot of the hill ,alice stopped suddenly and said to ,grace1 ,my mother will not be at home4 ,she was going to the village this afternoon to do some marketing4 ,come to my house1 said ,grace4 ,you can put on one of my dresses while yours is getting dry4 ,when they reached ,grace's house her mother was not at home1 either2 but ,grace found the key to the back door behind the window blind1 and the two little girls went into the kitchen4 ,then they took off their wet dresses and put on dry ones1 and ,grace climbed up in a chair to hang ,alice's dress on the clothes-bars over the stove4 ,it will not dry very fast until we open the dampers and let the fire burn up1 she said2 so she opened both dampers wide1 and then took ,alice up to the play-room to see the new doll which her aunt had sent her for a birthday gift4 ,the doll had a whole trunkful of dresses1 coats1 hats1 and shoes1 and the two little girls had such a good time trying them on that they forgot all about the kitchen stove4 ,suddenly ,grace cried1 ,i can smell smoke1 ,alice4 ,something is burning6 ,it must be my dress1 exclaimed ,alice1 jumping up and running down the back stairs4 ,she opened the kitchen door just in time to see the dress burst into flames4 ,oh1 what shall we do8 she cried4 ,my dress is on fire6 ,put it out6 ,put it out6 ,quick6 ,quick6 ,i can't6 screamed ,grace4 ,oh1 ,mother6 ,mother6 ,come home6 ,come home6 ,just then a man1 who was driving by with a load of wood1 saw the flames through the window and came running in to see what was the matter4 ,he snatched the burning dress from the clothes-bars1 threw it into the sink1 and pumped water over it to put out the fire4 ,then he closed the dampers in the stove1 which was now red hot1 and opened the windows at the top to let out the smoke2 while all the time the two little girls stood in the middle of the floor1 sobbing and crying4 ,that was a very careless thing to do1 said the man1 when at last they told him how the dress happened to catch fire4 ,you should never hang anything over the stove4 ,tell your mother to take down those clothes-bars this very afternoon1 and put them on the other side of the kitchen2 and remember never to go out of the room again when you have started up the fire4 ,a red-hot stove will sometimes set wood-work on fire1 even if there isn't a cotton dress near by to help it along4 ,i don't believe ,i shall forget it very soon1 said ,grace1 as she lifted the handful of wet black rags out of the sink4 ,nor ,i1 cried ,alice4 ,i am glad ,miss ,heath told us to wear our old clothes4 ,and ,i am glad that ,i came along before you set the house on fire1 said the man4 ,don't ever try to dry wet clothes in a hurry again4 ,then he went out and climbed up on his load of wood1 muttering to himself1 ,that's what comes of leaving children alone in the house4 ,they are never satisfied unless they are lighting matches or starting a fire4 ,why did ,grace hang the dress over the stove8 ,how did it catch fire8 ,what material was the dress made of8 ,would a woollen dress burn as easily8 ,damp clothing1 or clothes that have just been ironed1 should never be hung over a hot stove1 for1 as the moisture dries out1 the clothes quickly ignite4 ,clothes-bars or a clothes-line should never be hung over a stove1 and a clothes-horse should not be set too near it4 ,many fires have resulted from an overloaded clothes-horse falling on a hot stove1 especially when there was no one in the kitchen to watch it4 ,children should never be permitted to open the dampers of a stove1 or to have anything whatever to do with the kitchen fire4 ,they should not set a kettle on the stove or take one off1 and they should be cautioned against climbing into a chair near the stove1 as they might fall and be badly burned4 ,,camping ,,out ,it was one of those hot drowsy days in ,july4 ,school had been closed two weeks1 and ,dean and ,gordon ,rand were already wondering how they could ever spend the rest of the long vacation in their little home in the city of ,boston4 ,to be sure there were plenty of books filled with charming stories of brooks and pine woods2 but reading only made the boys wish they might go to the real country instead of sitting at home in a hot stuffy house1 reading about it in a story-book4 ,one night the two brothers went as usual to meet their father when he came home from work4 ,his tired face wore a happy smile1 and they knew at once that something pleasant had happened4 ,what is it1 ,father8 ,do tell us6 the boys cried in one voice4 ,their faces were so eager that it was really hard for ,mr4 ,rand to say1 ,wait1 my boys1 until we reach home4 ,then your mother can share the good news with us4 ,mrs4 ,rand was looking out of the window as the boys danced up the front walk1 each holding one of their father's hands4 ,they pulled him along in their haste to hear the news1 and she1 too1 guessed that something pleasant had happened4 ,father said that boys couldn't half enjoy good news with dirty hands and faces1 so it was not until soap and water had made them clean and shining that he took from his pocket a letter from good jolly ,uncle ,joe who lived among the hills of ,vermont4 ,here is your news1 he said4 ,i will read aloud the part of the letter that will interest you4 ,now1 listen6 ,uncle ,joe says3 ',why not let those boys of yours come up and go camping with me this summer8 ,i am going to pitch my tent in the woods near ,silver ,lake1 and ,i expect to have good fishing and hunting4 ,send the youngsters along as soon as they are ready4 ,i will take care of them1 and give them a rollicking good time4' ,the boys were so delighted that they could hardly wait for ,mother to get their clothes ready1 and for ,father to write to ,uncle ,joe and tell him when and where to meet them4 ,at last the day arrived when they were to take the train for ,vermont4 ,their trunk was carefully packed1 and they were as clean and fresh as ,mother's loving hands could make them4 ,it was a long ride1 but there was so much to see every minute that the time passed quickly4 ,at noon they opened the box of lunch ,mother had put up for them4 ,when they saw the sandwiches and the little cakes and apple turnovers1 there was a lump in their throats for a few minutes4 ,the conductor came along just then1 to tell them they were crossing the ,connecticut1 and in their eagerness to catch their first glimpse of the great river they forgot all about being homesick4 ,uncle ,joe met them at the station4 ,he gave them each a hearty hand-shake and a big hug4 ,then he lifted them up on the seat of a wagon1 and put their trunk in behind1 with ever so many other boxes and bundles4 ,it was not far to the shore of the little lake4 ,uncle ,joe soon had all the provisions stowed away in a large flat-bottomed boat1 and it did not take long to row across to the tents on the opposite side4 ,do you suppose a supper ever tasted better to hungry boys than that one of fried trout just caught from the lake1 with bread and butter1 and fresh berries and cream8 ,uncle ,joe served them generously1 too1--just as if he knew all about a boy's appetite6 ,after supper they were so tired with all the excitement of the day that they were content to sit quietly on the little sandy beach1 watching the sunset and the changing colors in the clouds4 ,there were lovely shadows on the purple hills1 and dim reflections of the trees and sky in the smooth surface of the lake4 ,how much better it was than all the noise and confusion of the city streets6 ,it was not long before the boys were sleepy1 and ,uncle ,joe went with them to see that everything was all right in their tent4 ,when they saw the bed they were a little uncertain as to whether they would like it4 ,it was nothing but a great heap of fir-balsam boughs1 covered over with two heavy blankets1 and it didn't look very comfortable2 but when they had tried it a few moments the boys pronounced it the softest1 sweetest bed they ever slept in4 ,morning found them rested and ready for camp life4 ,uncle ,joe took them out fishing1 and let them row the boat home4 ,then they put on their bathing suits and he gave them a swimming-lesson4 ,after dinner they went for a long walk and he taught them to watch for birds and squirrels4 ,they had never dreamed that the woods could be half so interesting1 or hold so many different things4 ,they enjoyed every minute of the day2 and the next day1 and the next1 it was just the same4 ,they never had to stop and ask1 ,what shall we do now8 ,there was always something to do1 even before they had time to do it4 ,they met several other boys1 about their own age1 who were living in a camp farther up the lake4 ,these boys often joined them in their picnics and excursions1 and the time was too short for all they found to do4 ,but they did one thing that came very near spoiling the fun of that happy vacation in the woods4 ,one night ,uncle ,joe stayed out fishing a little later than usual1 leaving his nephews alone in the camp4 ,the other boys came down to visit them1 and one of them suggested that it would be great fun to build a camp-fire4 ,dean1 who was always a cautious lad1 feared it was not just the right thing to do1 without his uncle's permission2 but at last he gave in to the other boys4 ,broken boughs and bark were quickly piled up1 a match was lighted to kindle the fire1 and in a few minutes the flames were leaping over the dry wood4 ,the boys were delighted with their bonfire1 and they ran here and there among the trees collecting more fuel for the flames4 ,suddenly they began to realize that the fire was spreading4 ,it had run along through the dry grass and pine needles1 and the wind was blowing it straight toward the woods1 where they had had so many good times1 and where their friends the birds and squirrels had their homes4 ,at first the boys thought they could put out the fire with pails of water2 but they soon saw that it was beyond their control1 and they stood still1 too frightened to do anything but scream4 ,their cries brought ,uncle ,joe1 and some fishermen from the other camps1 to fight the fire1 and for more than an hour the men worked valiantly4 ,they chopped off great green branches and beat out the flames1 they threw on buckets of sand from the beach1 they chopped down trees and made a broad path in front of the fire1 and finally they dug a trench to keep it from running along the grass4 ,at last the fire was declared to be all out2 but it was not until the men's hands were blistered1 and their faces burned and blackened with the smoke4 ,this was not the worst of it1 however1 for nearly an acre of valuable timber had been destroyed1 and the dead trees held out their stiff leafless branches like ghosts of the beautiful pines and firs that had stood there in the sunshine that very day4 ,the boys went back to their camps very soberly4 ,how their hearts ached at the mischief they had done6 ,they could think of nothing1 talk of nothing1 but the fire4 ,dean and ,gordon sobbed themselves to sleep1 feeling sure that ,uncle ,joe would send them both home in the morning4 ,but the next day good1 kind ,uncle ,joe1 whom everyone loved1 called the boys around him and gave them a long talk about forest fires4 ,he told them he hoped this experience would teach them never to build a fire anywhere unless men were near to guard it carefully1 and not even then if the grass were very dry1 or there was the least breath of wind to carry the flames and sparks4 ,he explained that thousands of dollars' worth of property might have been destroyed1 and possibly lives might have been lost by their carelessness4 ,he told them stories of the terrible forest fires that have raged for days in the timber lands of the ,northwest4 ,when at last he asked for their promises1 the boys gave them readily1 for they had learned how very dangerous a fire can be2 and for the rest of that summer1 at least1 there wasn't another bonfire at ,silver ,lake4 ,why did ,dean hesitate to start a fire when his uncle was away8 ,if the boughs had been green or wet would they have burned as quickly8 ,did you ever see a fire in the grass or woods1 running along like a race-horse8 ,how do you think these fires are started8 ,why are fires most dangerous in the summer and fall8 ,forest fires are started from bonfires1 by hunters1 campers1 fishermen1 or lumbermen1 or by mischievous and careless persons4 ,fires should never be started unless the ground is cleared around them1 and at a safe distance from any building or woods4 ,they should never be left unguarded4 ,forest fires have become so serious that many states have appointed ,fire ,wardens1 whose duty it is to patrol the forests4 ,watch towers have been erected1 from which observations are taken1 and in case of fire1 alarm is spread by means of a telephone system4 ,in some countries avenues1 equal in width to the height of the tallest tree1 are cut through the forests at intervals of half a mile4 ,these avenues afford a fire-barrier and standing ground for the firemen to fight the flames4 ,with the many acres of valuable timber destroyed by fire every year1 and the indiscriminate cutting of trees by the lumbermen1 our forests are fast disappearing4 ,children should be encouraged to observe ,arbor ,day1 and to plant trees1 so that the custom may become more general1 and the forests be renewed4 ,,thelma',s ,,birthday ,thelma was a little ,fourth-of-,july girl1--at least that was what her father always called her1 for her birthday came on the glorious ,fourth1 the day to which all the children in the ,united ,states look forward1 just as they do to ,thanksgiving and ,christmas4 ,thelma did not have any brothers or sisters1 but she had ever so many friends and playmates2 and besides1 there was ,rover1--the best playmate of all1--good1 kind1 loving ,rover1 who followed his little mistress like a shadow all day long4 ,the ,fourth of ,july was ,rover's birthday1 too2 but he never looked forward to it with the least bit of pleasure4 ,when the horns were tooting1 the bells were ringing1 and the fire-crackers were snapping1 you would always find ,rover under ,thelma's bed1 with his head on his paws1 and his eyes shut tight4 ,i believe he would have put cotton in his ears1 too1 if he had only known that it would help to keep out the dreadful noise4 ,of course no one had ever told ,rover about the ,fourth of ,july1 and he didn't understand at all why bells were rung and cannon were fired1 and why everyone was eager to celebrate the day4 ,but ,thelma knew all about it4 ,she was eleven years old1 and she had often read the story in her reading-books at school4 ,when her father took her on his knee1 and helped her a little now and then with questions1 she told just how it happened4 ,you see1 she said1 when the white men first came to this country they formed thirteen colonies2 but they were ruled by the ,king of ,england1 who often treated them unjustly4 ,they bore their troubles patiently for a long time1 but finally they were forced to pay such heavy taxes that they rebelled4 ,then they decided to break away from ,english rule and be free and independent states4 ,thomas ,jefferson wrote a paper declaring their independence1 and men from each of the thirteen colonies signed it4 ,this paper was called the ',declaration of ,independence1' and it was read from the balcony of the ,state ,house in ,philadelphia1 before a great crowd of people1 on ,july #d1 #aggf4 ,bells were rung to spread the good news1 and ever since that time the ,fourth of ,july has been celebrated as the birthday of the ,united ,states of ,america4 ,and what shall we do this year to celebrate all these birthdays8 her father asked1 when ,thelma finished her story4 ,let's give a party1 replied the little girl1 and she jumped up to make out the list of friends she wished to invite4 ,illustration3 ,the ,flying ,squadron ,one morning about a week later ,rover waked up very early4 ,he slept at night in his kennel behind the barn1 and he always kept one ear open so that he could hear the least little bit of noise4 ,but it was not a little noise that waked him this time4 ,bang1 bang6 ,crack1 crack6 ,toot1 toot6 ,ding1 dong6 he heard from every direction4 ,oh dear6 thought ,rover1 ,i wonder if this is the ,fourth of ,july6 ,it can't be a year since ,i heard that noise before4 ,but he did not have to wonder long4 ,a crowd of boys were coming down the street1 blowing horns1 drumming on tin pans and firing off torpedoes4 ,they threw a fire-cracker into ,rover's yard1 and it exploded in front of his kennel4 ,that's it1 he said to himself1 as the smoke drifted away in a little cloud2 it is the ,fourth of ,july1 after all4 ,the minute the cook opened the kitchen door he pattered up the back stairs to spend the day under ,thelma's bed4 ,his little mistress went two or three times to coax him to play with her2 but he wouldn't even come out to eat his dinner1 and when her friends began to arrive for the party she forgot all about him4 ,it was a beautiful evening1 and after supper the children played games on the lawn4 ,it seemed to them that it would never be dark enough for the fireworks4 ,i wish the ,fourth of ,july came in ,december1 said one of the boys4 ,it is always dark by five o'clock when we want to go skating after school4 ,at last it began to grow dark1 and ,mr4 ,ward lighted the ,japanese lanterns around the broad piazza1 and brought out two big boxes of fireworks4 ,you children may sit on the steps where you can't get into any mischief1 he said4 ,i will set off the fireworks on the lawn1 and then we will have a feast in the summer-house4 ,i saw a man walking down that way with some ice-cream a little while ago4 ,but even ice-cream was not so tempting as the fireworks1 and for an hour the children sat on the steps1 watching the pinwheels and ,roman candles and red lights that ,mr4 ,ward set off1 with two of the older boys to help him4 ,o-o-o-oh6 they cried1 every time a sky-rocket went whizzing up over the trees to burst into a hundred shining stars2 and ,a-a-a-ah6 they shouted1 when tiny lights like fireflies went flitting across the lawn4 ,the last thing of all was a fire-balloon1 and ,mr4 ,ward called the children down to the lawn to watch it fill with hot air from the burning candle in its base4 ,it filled very slowly1 and the children were so quiet that ,rover came creeping down the stairs to see if the noise were all over for another year4 ,at last the balloon rose slowly above the children's heads4 ,there it goes6 they cried4 ,watch it1 now6 ,watch it6 and they ran along with it as it sailed across the lawn4 ,a puff of wind blew it lightly toward the house4 ,then another breeze caught it and carried it over the roof of the barn4 ,look1 look6 the children shouted4 ,it is going higher4 ,now it will sail away over the trees4 ,but suddenly a gust of wind turned the balloon completely over4 ,the tissue paper caught fire from the burning candle1 and the blazing mass dropped down behind the barn4 ,it will set fire to the summer-house6 shouted ,mr4 ,ward4 ,and melt the ice-cream1 cried the children1 as they followed him across the lawn4 ,there had been very little rain for a month1 and the roof of the summer-house was so dry that it caught fire almost instantly from the blazing paper4 ,mr4 ,ward and some of the boys brought pails of water and tried to put out the flames2 but the little house and ,rover's kennel were burned to the ground1 in spite of all their efforts4 ,when the fire was out and the children had gone home without their ice-cream1 ,mr4 ,ward said to his wife1 ,that is the very last time ,i shall ever send up a fire-balloon4 ,fireworks are dangerous enough1 but a fire-balloon is worse4 ,i believe the sale of them should be forbidden by law1 if men haven't sense enough not to buy them4 ,but ,rover1 who was sleeping comfortably on the rug outside ,thelma's door1 cocked up his ears at the mention of fire-balloons4 ,they don't make any noise1 he said to himself1 and ,i like this bed much better than the straw in my kennel4 ,why do we celebrate the ,fourth of ,july8 ,what was the ,declaration of ,independence8 ,who wrote it1 and who signed it8 ,what fireworks do you like best8 ,what fireworks are dangerous8 ,what is a fire-balloon made of8 ,why is it unsafe to send up a fire-balloon8 ,what is the law concerning the use of fireworks in your state8 ,every year the celebration of the ,fourth of ,july costs thousands of dollars in the destruction of property by fire1 to say nothing of the loss of life from the accidental or careless discharge of fireworks4 ,one of the causes of fires on this day is the fire-balloons4 ,they are easily swayed by currents of air1 and the lighted candles set fire to the tissue paper of which the balloon is made4 ,the blazing paper falls upon the roofs of buildings1 frequently causing serious fires4 ,almost all fireworks are dangerous play-things1 and should be handled with great caution4 ,in many states there are laws regulating the sale and use of fireworks1 and all over the country there is now a general movement toward a saner and safer ,fourth4 ,,the ,e4 ,v4 ,i4 ,s4 ,it was a bright1 beautiful afternoon in ,april4 ,the air was soft and spring-like1 and the sky as blue as only ,april skies can be4 ,the grass was springing up fresh and green1 and the robins and bluebirds were singing joyously4 ,elmwood was a pretty little village4 ,its streets were long and level1 and there were so many elms among the shade trees that ,elmwood seemed just the right name for it4 ,the village school had just been dismissed1 and the street was full of boys and girls who were hurrying home to their dinner2 but over in one corner of the campus a group of boys were talking together earnestly4 ,i say1 boys1 we must do it6 exclaimed the tallest in the group4 ,of course we must1 echoed one of the younger boys4 ,it will be great fun6 and ,won't we make things look fine6 shouted two of the others4 ,and so they talked on1 in eager boyish voices1 making plans for the ,village ,improvement ,society which they wished to form4 ,they had already talked the matter over with their teachers and parents1 and everyone encouraged them to go ahead4 ,we will help and advise you all we can1 they said2 and it is just the time of year when there is plenty to do about the town4 ,that evening the boys held a meeting to elect officers and plan their work4 ,mr4 ,ashley1 the principal of the school1 was invited to come1 and promptly at eight o'clock the ,elmwood ,village ,improvement ,society was formed4 ,leon ,messenger was chosen president1 ,archie ,hazen was made secretary1 and ,harold ,merrill treasurer4 ,each and every one promised to do his part and to work with a will to improve the little village of ,elmwood2 and1 with ,mr4 ,ashley's advice1 they planned their work for the summer4 ,first of all1 they decided1 the streets must be cleaned4 ,that alone would require a good deal of time4 ,then some one proposed raking the yards for three or four poor women4 ,they can't afford to hire it done4 ,couldn't we do it for them8 he asked4 ,good work6 responded ,mr4 ,ashley4 ,then1 boys1 see if you can't get permission to tear down and remove some old fences4 ,their owners would probably make no objection to your doing it1 and it would be a great improvement to the village4 ,there were two triangles of land between cross streets4 ,here the boys planned to plant cannas and other bulbs1 and to keep the grass neatly mowed around the beds4 ,we might set out some vines to clamber over the telephone poles1 one boy suggested4 ,some of us must go about and get the people to give money to buy waste-barrels1 said ,archie ,hazen4 ,we must never allow paper1 banana and orange peels1 or anything of that kind on the streets4 ,better still1 we must never throw them there ourselves1 added ,harold ,merrill4 ,those of us who drive cows must look out that they do not feed beside the road1 said ,leon ,messenger2 and we might get our fathers to trim up the trees4 ,we must be sure to see some of the town officers about having no more rubbish dumped over the river-bank1 said another4 ,we'll have our campus look better than it ever did before1 declared one of the little boys2 while another added1 ,we'll have ,elmwood the cleanest1 prettiest village in all ,new ,england4 ,the boys not only planned1--they worked1 and worked with a will4 ,the very next day was ,saturday1 and every member of the new ,e4 ,v4 ,i4 ,s4 was on hand to do his best4 ,never had the streets of ,elmwood looked so clean as they did in one week's time4 ,many a poor woman's yard was carefully raked1 and several old fences were removed4 ,money for the waste-barrels had been given cheerfully1 and all the boys were so eager to keep the streets clean that they would not have thrown a paper bag or a banana-skin in the road any more than they would have thrown it on their mother's carpet4 ,the raking of so many streets and yards1 and the tearing down of fences1 made a good deal of rubbish4 ,the boys carted it a little way outside of the village1 and left it there to dry1 so that they could have a bonfire4 ,one warm night in ,may1 ,leon ,messenger called the club together after school4 ,we can have our bonfire to-night1 he said4 ,there has been no rain for a week and it ought to burn splendidly4 ,let's all be on hand by eight o'clock4 ,shouts of ,sure6 and ,hurrah6 were the answer2 and the boys were all on hand in good season that evening4 ,the fence rails made a fine foundation1 and the boys built them up in log-cabin style4 ,then they threw on old boxes1 barrels1 and rubbish until they had an enormous pile4 ,now let's finish off with some dry fir boughs1 suggested ,harold4 ,they will send the sparks up like rockets4 ,when everything was ready1 kerosene was poured over the brush1 and a lighted match soon set the fire blazing merrily4 ,then how the boys did shout6 ,they danced around the fire1 whooping and singing1 and pretending they were ,indians having a war-dance4 ,when at last the fire died down1 they found some long sticks and poked the embers to make the sparks fly again1 and then they sat down around the glowing ashes and watched the little flames flicker out4 ,finally they all decided that there could be no danger in leaving their bonfire4 ,well1 said ,archie ,hazen1 there seems to be some fun for the ,e4 ,v4 ,i4 ,s4 after all4 ,let's give three rousing cheers and then go home to bed4 ,the three cheers were given with a will4 ,then the boys bade each other good-night and set off for home4 ,when everything was quiet and the whole village was asleep1 ,north ,wind took his turn at building a fire4 ,he puffed out his cheeks and blew on the red embers until tiny flames came darting out to lick the dry leaves4 ,he sent merry little breezes to toss the hot sparks into the grass1 and when it blazed up1 here and there1 he blew with all his might and swept the fire across the field4 ,just beyond the fence stood an old1 tumble-down barn1 and it was not long before the fire was raging and roaring its way to the very roof4 ,the blaze lighted the sky and wakened the village folk from their sleep4 ,men and boys tumbled out of bed and hurried through the streets with buckets of water4 ,the firemen came out with their hose and ladders2 but it was too late1--the old barn was gone4 ,fortunately there were no other buildings near by1 so little damage was done2 but it taught the boys a good lesson4 ,they had a meeting the very next morning1 and agreed never to leave a fire again until the last spark was burned out1 and never to build another bonfire without first raking the leaves and dry grass carefully away before lighting the fire4 ,but it did improve the looks of the village to burn down that old barn1 ,leon told ,archie1 when they were walking home from school together4 ,we really ought to add old ,north ,wind to our list of members of the ,e4 ,v4 ,i4 ,s4 ,what was the object of this society8 ,what was the result of their work8 ,what was done with the rubbish8 ,how did the fire get started8 ,what lesson did it teach8 ,the burning of dry grass1 leaves1 and rubbish in bonfires1 in the spring or fall1 is a common practice4 ,extreme care should be used that it is done at a safe distance from buildings and woods1 and it should be constantly watched1 as a breeze may fan the flames and cause the spread of the fire4 ,,forest ,,fires ,the loss by forest fires in the ,united ,states for the month of ,october1 #aiaj1 was about #ad1fjj1jjj4 ,thousands of acres of valuable timber were destroyed1 leaving in the place of beautiful green forests nothing but a dreary waste of black stumps and fallen trunks4 ,this was an unusually heavy loss for a single month2 but in the spring and fall of every year1 especially in times of drought1 fires sometimes rage for days through our splendid forests4 ,these fires are more frequent and disastrous in ,minnesota1 ,michigan1 ,new ,york1 and eastern ,maine2 but1 in #aiaj1 twenty-eight different states suffered heavy loss among their timber lands4 ,the causes of these fires are chiefly sparks from engines or sawmills1 campfires1 burning brush1 careless smokers1 and lightning4 ,more than two-thirds of the fires are due to thoughtlessness and ignorance1 and could be prevented4 ,even in the case of a fire set by lightning1 which seems purely accidental1 the fire would not occur if fallen trees and dead underbrush were cleared away1 for lightning never ignites green wood4 ,in one year there were three hundred fires among the ,adirondack ,mountains of ,new ,york1 one hundred and twenty-one of which were due to sparks from the engines of passing trains4 ,eighty-eight were traced to piles of leaves left burning1 twenty-nine to camp fires1 and six to cigar-stubs and burning tobacco from pipes4 ,every fire1 when it first starts1 is nothing but a little blaze which might easily be extinguished2 but as it grows and spreads it quickly gets beyond control1 unless there is a force of well-trained men to fight it4 ,there are three kinds of forest fires1--top fires1 ground fires1 and the fires which burn the whole trees and leave nothing standing but stumps and blackened trunks4 ,the top fire is a fire in the tops of the trees4 ,it is usually caused by a spark from an engine dropping on a dry twig or cone among the upper branches4 ,a light breeze will then blow the fire from one tree to another high up in the air1 and after it has swept through the forest and killed the tops1 the trees will die4 ,this is the hardest kind of a fire to fight1 as it is impossible to reach it4 ,the only thing to do is to cut a lane in the forest too wide for the flames to leap across2 but there is not always time for this1 as the fire travels rapidly4 ,the ground fire is not so difficult to cut off1 as it spreads through the moss and the decaying vegetable matter among the roots of the trees4 ,a broad furrow of fresh earth1 turned up with a plow1 or dug up with a spade1 will stop the progress of the fire2 but this kind of fire is especially treacherous1 as it will live for days1 or even weeks1 smouldering in a slow-burning log or in a bed of closely-packed pine needles1 and then burst out with renewed vigor4 ,as all large fires create air currents1 masses of light gas1 like large bubbles or balloons1 are blown about in the air1 ready to burst into flame from even a tiny spark4 ,in this way new and mysterious fires are set1 often at some distance from the original fire4 ,an ordinary forest fire travels slowly unless it is fanned by strong winds or driven by a hurricane4 ,it will burn up-hill much faster than it burns down-hill1 as the flames1 and the drafts they create1 sweep upward4 ,the noise from one of these great fires is terrifying4 ,the flames roar with a voice like thunder1 and the fallen trees crash to the ground1 bringing down other trees with them4 ,birds and wild animals flee before the fire1 hurrying away to a place of safety4 ,they seem to know by instinct which way to go1 and deer1 bears1 coyotes1 mountain sheep1 and mountain lions will follow along the same trail without fear of each other in their common danger4 ,some of our national forests1 and some of the tracts of timber land owned by big lumber companies1 are guarded by forest rangers and fire patrols1 and many fires are put out before they do serious damage1 by the quick thought and skilled work of these men and their helpers4 ,it has been estimated that forest fires in the ,united ,states destroy property to the value of #ej1jjj1jjj every year4 ,in this way the timber in the country is being rapidly exhausted2 and unless something is done to put a stop to this waste and to replenish the supply by planting new forests1 there will be little timber left in another fifty years4 ,it is impossible to realize the extent to which our forests have been destroyed unless one travels through these great barren wastes4 ,to ride in a railway train for hundreds of miles through northern ,michigan and ,minnesota1 seeing nothing but stumps1 like tombstones of what were once magnificent trees1 and short dead trunks1 like sentinels on a battle-field1 is a sad and depressing sight4 ,,pinch ,,and ,,teddy ,pinch was a tiny terrier pup when we first brought him home to live with us4 ,he was a plump1 round1 little fellow1 with long1 silvery-gray hair4 ,his ears were so soft and silky that every one admired them1 and his eyes were as bright as buttons1 when we could get a glimpse of them4 ,but the hair hung over them so long that we did not see them very often4 ,as he grew older we had him clipped every summer4 ,then he was much more comfortable2 and he looked prettier1 too1 for his coat was as smooth and shining as a piece of satin4 ,the hair over his eyes was never cut2 if it were1 he could not see so well4 ,this hair was needed to protect his eyes from the strong sunlight4 ,pinch was a very aristocratic little dog4 ,he did not like to play with any one whose manners were not good4 ,sometimes a street dog would come up to him1 with a friendly air1 and say1 ,good morning1 wouldn't you like to play with me for a while8 ,but ,pinch always tossed his nose in the air and walked away very proudly1 saying1 ,no1 ,i thank you1 not to-day4 ,this often made the poor street dog feel a little hurt2 but he would wag his tail and run away to his old playmates4 ,don't ever try to have anything to do with aristocratic ,pinch1 he would tell them1 in dog language4 ,he feels too fine for us4 ,i shall never give him a chance to snub me again4 ,pinch liked the softest cushions to lie on1 and the daintiest things to eat4 ,he was very fond of his mistress and liked to have her feed him2 but he never liked to eat from a dish4 ,he preferred to have her break his food in tiny pieces and feed it to him from her hand4 ,he had a little bed of his own on the floor1 but he liked the soft down puff on the guest-room bed much better1 and he often stole away to take a nap there4 ,pinch had one very bad habit4 ,he always barked when any one rang the door-bell1 and no one but his master could stop him4 ,his mistress often tried to quiet him2 but ,pinch would look up at her with merry eyes which seemed to say1 ,i'm not a bit afraid of you4 ,i know you love me too well to punish me4 ,and he kept right on barking4 ,he liked to go for a walk with any member of the family1 and if he were left at home alone1 he would sit down beside the door and cry as if his little doggish heart would break4 ,if his master's automobile stopped in front of the house1 he would run out and jump up in the front seat1 wagging his little stump of a tail4 ,i don't mean to be left at home this time1 he seemed to be saying2 but he would look anxiously at his mistress until she said1 ,yes1 ,pinch1 you may go4 ,then he would fairly dance up and down in his excitement4 ,one afternoon ,pinch came into the house1 sniffing about as usual4 ,suddenly1 to his surprise1 he came upon a half-grown kitten curled up comfortably under the kitchen stove4 ,the kitten was fat and black1 and he had a pretty pink nose and a long tail with a tiny white tip4 ,yes1 and he had roguish-looking eyes1 too4 ,who are you1 and what are you doing here8 asked ,pinch1 bristling up angrily4 ,my name is ,teddy1 and ,i have come to live in this house1 the kitten answered politely4 ,pinch looked ,teddy over scornfully and was not very cordial4 ,he walked away muttering to himself1 ,i do hope that saucy black kitten doesn't expect me to chum with him4 ,i don't see why my mistress wants a kitten anyway4 ,i am pet enough for one family4 ,pinch was really jealous of the poor little kitten2 but ,teddy was so bright and good-natured that he couldn't help playing with him sometimes1 especially if no one was there to see him2 but he couldn't bear to see his mistress pet the cat4 ,here ,i am1 he would say2 don't talk to that cat4 ,talk to me4 ,then he would chase ,teddy all over the house1 until at last ,teddy would turn and box his ears1 and that was the end of the game for that day4 ,teddy had a funny little trick of jumping up on the sideboard4 ,perhaps he liked to look at himself in the mirror4 ,once1 when he was playing with ,pinch1 he jumped up in such a hurry that he knocked off a glass dish and broke it all to pieces4 ,he was so frightened at the noise that he did not get up there again for a long time2 but he did sit on the chairs and tables1 and even on the beds and bureaus4 ,in fact1 he made himself at home almost anywhere4 ,he was very playful1 too1 so his mistress gave him a soft ball and a little woolly chicken4 ,he kept them under the book-case in the library1 and whenever he wanted a game of ball he pulled them out and played with them for a while4 ,sometimes he played with his own tail1 chasing it round and round1 and twisting himself up double in his excitement4 ,he played with the curtain tassels1 too1 and with the corner of the tablecloth2 but his mistress always scolded him if she caught him at it4 ,one evening1 just before supper1 the whole family was up stairs1 and ,pinch and ,teddy were having a very lively frolic in the dining-room4 ,suddenly there was a great crash1 and the cat and dog went flying through the hall to hide under the sofa in the parlor4 ,the cook came running in from the kitchen1 and down stairs rushed the whole family to see what was the matter4 ,there was matter enough1 you may be sure1 for ,teddy had jumped at the table1 missed his footing1 and pulled off the cloth with all the dishes and a lighted lamp4 ,the lamp broke as it fell to the floor1 and the burning oil was already spreading over the carpet4 ,fire6 ,fire6 cried the excited children4 ,water6 ,water6 screamed the cook1 and she ran back to the kitchen to catch up a pail4 ,don't pour water on that blazing oil1 shouted the master of the house4 ,bring some flour4 ,quick6 ,the children ran to the pantry1 and the cook dipped up big panfuls of flour1 which they carried to the dining-room and threw over the fire4 ,the room was filled with a thick1 black smoke1 and every one coughed and choked2 their eyes began to smart1 and tears ran down their cheeks2 but they worked bravely1 and after a few minutes the last tiny flame was extinguished4 ,what a queer way to put out a fire6 said one of the boys1 after the excitement was all over4 ,i thought everyone always used water4 ,not when the fire is caused by burning oil1 replied his father4 ,water will only spread the oil1 and make a bad matter worse4 ,always remember to use flour or sand to smother the flames1 if a lamp explodes or is tipped over4 ,there is something else we should remember1 added his wife2 and that is1 never to leave a lighted lamp on the table when there is no one in the room4 ,pinch and ,teddy had something to remember1 too4 ,the noise of the falling china and the sight of the blazing oil had sent them scurrying under the couch in the parlor2 and although they had many another good frolic1 ,teddy never jumped up on the table again4 ,who was ,pinch8 ,who was ,teddy8 ,where did ,teddy like to sleep8 ,how did he pull the cloth off the table8 ,what harm did it do8 ,why should a cat never be allowed to jump on a table8 ,what other animals do you know of that have set fires by accident8 ,great care should be taken to prevent children and pet animals from setting fires4 ,many a cat or dog has tipped over a lamp and set the house on fire4 ,it is safer to place the lamp on a shelf or bracket4 ,never set it on a table which is covered with a cloth that hangs over the edge1 as the cloth might accidentally be pulled off1 bringing the lamp with it4 ,hanging lamps should be used with caution1 as the heat may melt the solder in the chain1 thus weakening the links and allowing the lighted lamp to fall upon the table or floor4 ,a lantern should always be hung up1 especially in the barn or stable4 ,it should never be set on the floor where it could easily be tipped over1 or where it might be kicked over by a cow or horse4 ,,the ,,busy ,,bees ,everyone in the neighborhood called the ,belchers the ,busy ,bees2 in fact1 they had been called by this name so long that they had almost forgotten their real name4 ,when the children went out on the street together1 the neighbors would say1 ,there go the ,busy ,bees2 and if any one wanted a book from the library1 or a spool of thread from the corner store1 some one was sure to suggest1 ,ask one of the ,busy ,bees to get it for you4 ,father ,busy ,bee had died several years ago4 ,that meant that ,mother ,busy ,bee and the young ,bees must work all the harder to keep their home together4 ,beatrice1 the oldest daughter1 was seventeen years old1 and almost ready to graduate from the ,high ,school4 ,bradley was a messenger boy at the telegraph office1 ,burton worked in a green-house on ,saturdays and holidays2 and ,little ,barbara1 who was only eight years old1 earned a good many pennies by running on errands for the next-door neighbors4 ,mother ,busy ,bee was a good nurse1 and whenever she could possibly spare time from her children1 she left ,beatrice to keep the house while she went to take care of any one who was sick and needed her4 ,it would be hard to find a busier family anywhere1 and as every one of their names began with ,b1 it was hardly surprising that people called them the ,busy ,bees4 ,perhaps they were all the happier for being so busy1 for they had no time for quarreling or getting into mischief2 and when they did have a few minutes for play1 they thought they were the luckiest children in town1 and had the very best time you can imagine4 ,of course ,mother ,busy ,bee was always sorry to leave her children at home alone2 but ,beatrice was getting old enough now to be a pretty good housekeeper1 and ,bradley was a manly little fellow who liked to take care of his brother and sisters4 ,one night there was an accident at one of the mills in the town1 and several people were injured4 ,mother ,busy ,bee was sent for in a hurry1 and she put on her hat and coat and got ready to go at once1 talking all the time as she flew around the house4 ,i may be back in an hour1 and ,i may be gone a week1 she said4 ,take good care of each other1 and be very careful about fire4 ,don't play with the matches1 always set the lamp in the middle of the big table1 and never go out of the house without looking to see that the drafts of the stove are all shut tight4 ,she had said this so many times before that ,bradley couldn't help laughing4 ,oh1 mother6 he exclaimed2 you are always looking for trouble4 ,we are too old to play with matches1 and we never have set anything on fire yet4 ,just then his mother caught sight of a pile of schoolbooks on the table1 and another worry slipped into her mind4 ,there6 she said1 it is examination week for you and ,bee1 and ,i ought not to leave you at all4 ,you need to study every minute4 ,now1 ,mother1 said ,beatrice1 throwing her arm around ,mrs4 ,busy ,bee and running with her to the door1 there are ever so many people in this town who need you more than we do to-night4 ,run along1 dear1 and don't worry4 ,we'll get along splendidly4 ,i can get up earlier in the morning and have plenty of time to study after the dishes are done4 ,barbara will help me1 too4 ,she is a big girl now1 you know2 and she drew her little sister up beside her to give ,mother a good-bye kiss4 ,so ,mrs4 ,busy ,bee hurried down the stairs to the street door1 calling back all sorts of instructions1 and promising to be home in a day or two at the very most4 ,but the accident was more serious than she expected1 and at the end of a week she was still unable to leave her patient's bedside4 ,in the meantime ,beatrice and ,bradley had found plenty of time for study1 and had taken all their school examinations4 ,it was a circle of merry faces that gathered around the supper table each night1 even if ,mother were still away and the house so full of work4 ,everything went well until one evening ,beatrice discovered that the doughnut jar was empty4 ,she knew how much the boys liked doughnuts for their breakfast1 and as she had often seen her mother make them1 she felt sure she knew just how it was done4 ,she set the kettle of fat on the stove1 put the lamp on a shelf out of the way1 rolled up her sleeves and went to work4 ,but it was not so easy as it had seemed1 and before the doughnuts were rolled out and cut into round rings1 ready to fry1 ,beatrice was beginning to wish she hadn't attempted it4 ,i never thought cooking could be such hard work1 she said with a sigh1 as she dropped the first ring into the fat1 and waited for it to rise and turn a lovely golden brown4 ,but it didn't rise very quickly1 and when it did float leisurely to the surface1 it was still white and sticky4 ,the fat isn't hot enough1 ,i guess1 she said to herself1 and taking up the kettle by the handle1 she lifted the stove-cover to set the kettle over the coals4 ,but the kettle was not well balanced on its handle1 and it tipped a little4 ,some of the fat spilled over on the hot stove and took fire4 ,the flames spread quickly1 and ,beatrice's gingham apron blazed up almost instantly4 ,the poor girl screamed with fright1 tearing at her apron to get it off1 and rushing to the sitting-room for help4 ,bradley looked up and saw her coming4 ,stand still6 ,stand still6 he shouted1 and catching a heavy afghan from the couch he threw it over her shoulders1 to protect her face from the flames4 ,then he snatched a rug from the floor and wrapped it tightly around her to smother the fire1 which was beginning to burn her woollen dress4 ,poor ,beatrice was badly burned and terribly frightened4 ,she sobbed and cried1 partly with fear1 partly with pain1 for her hands were blistered1 and there were spatters of hot fat on her bare arms2 but1 fortunately1 the fat on the stove had burned itself out without setting fire to the kitchen1 and that was something to be very thankful for1 at least4 ,bradley made his sister as comfortable as he knew how1 while ,burton ran to ask one of the neighbors what to do for her burns2 but when their mother came home the next morning1 she found a very sober group of children to greet her4 ,and from that day to this not one of the ,busy ,bees ever wanted another doughnut for breakfast4 ,why were the ,belchers called ,busy ,bees8 ,why did ,beatrice try to fry some doughnuts8 ,how did she set her apron on fire8 ,why did ,bradley tell her to stand still8 ,how did he smother the flames8 ,what lessons do you learn from this story8 ,frying doughnuts1 or any other food1 in hot fat is always dangerous1 as there are many ways of setting the fat on fire4 ,only an experienced person should attempt it4 ,the kettle should never be more than two-thirds full of fat4 ,the fat should not be allowed to boil up1 nor to bubble over4 ,never put water into fat1 nor drop in anything that has been in water without first wiping or drying it4 ,water will always make hot fat spatter4 ,great care should be used in moving the kettle on the stove4 ,never raise it or move it without using two hands1 and two holders1 one to lift the handle1 the other to steady the side of the kettle4 ,do not use water to put out an oil fire1 as it causes the fire to spread over a greater surface4 ,smother the flames with a heavy rug or coat4 ,if a woman's clothing catches fire1 she should not run through the house1 as running only fans the flames and makes them burn all the faster4 ,she should wrap herself in a rug or heavy mat1 or roll on the floor4 ,,the ,,county ,,fair ,oh1 ,father1 please let me go to the fair6 ,you promised me ,i could a week ago4 ,all the boys are going1 and ,i just can't give it up4 ,please let me go6 and ,harry was almost in tears over his disappointment4 ,i know all about it1 ,harry1 his father answered4 ,i realize how much you have looked forward to the fair1 and ,i should like to have you go4 ,there is a great deal for a boy to learn at a fair1 if he will only keep his eyes open1 but you see just how it is4 ,i am in bed with a sprained ankle1 and your mother cannot leave the baby4 ,so what are we to do8 ,a boy of ten is too young to go to such a place without some one to look after him4 ,yes1 ,father2 but ,roy ,bradish is going with two other boys who are twelve or fourteen years old1 and they asked me to go with them4 ,they could take care of me as well as not4 ,i'd be good1 ,father4 ,please1 please let me go6 ,harry begged so hard that at last his father yielded1 and gave the boy permission to go with his friends4 ,i would rather have you go with an older person1 he said2 but there seems to be no one who can take you4 ,be very careful not to get into mischief4 ,don't shout1 or run about1 or do anything to attract attention4 ,a quiet boy who takes care of himself is the boy ,i like to see4 ,so1 on the day of the fair1 a warm sunny day in late ,september1 ,harry started off with his three friends4 ,he had a dollar in his pocket for spending-money1 and a box under his arm1 which was well filled with sandwiches and doughnuts4 ,as he bade good-bye to his father and mother1 he promised over and over to be good1 and to come home before dark4 ,it was a long walk to the grounds where the fair was held every year1 but the boys trudged along1 talking and laughing1 and having a good time4 ,at the entrance-gate ,harry spent half of his dollar for a ticket1 and it was not long before the other half was gone1 for there were many things to tempt money from a boy's pocket4 ,he bought peanuts and pop-corn and a cane for himself1 an apple-corer for his mother1 and a whet-stone for his father4 ,the other boys spent their money1 too2 and then they wandered around in the grounds1 going into first one building and then another4 ,there were exhibitions of vegetables and fruit in one building1--great piles of squashes and pumpkins2 boxes of onions1 turnips1 beets1 carrots1 and parsnips2 ears of yellow corn with their husks braided together1 and corn-stalks ten or twelve feet tall ranged against the wall4 ,illustration3 ,from ,stereograph1 ,copyright1 #aije1 by ,underwood ,underwood1 ,n4 ,y4 ,the horses are led away to a place of safety ,the fruit was displayed on long tables in the center of the room1--rosy-cheeked apples1 luscious golden pears1 velvety peaches1 and great clusters of purple grapes4 ,it was enough to make one's mouth water just to look at them4 ,but the animal-sheds were even more interesting4 ,there were handsome horses1--black1 bay1 and chestnut4 ,their coats shone like satin2 and when their keepers led them out they arched their necks and pranced about1 as if they were trying to say1 ,did you ever see a more beautiful creature than ,i am8 ,just wait a while1 and ,i will race for you4 ,see all these blue ribbons6 ,i won them by my beauty and my speed4 ,then there were the cattle1 long rows of them1 standing patiently in their narrow stalls2 the pigs1 little ones and big ones1 white ones and black ones2 and the sheep with their long coats of warm1 soft wool4 ,after the boys had eaten their lunch they watched the horse-show for a little while1 and then there was a free circus which they wanted to see1 so it was the middle of the afternoon before they found their way to the poultry show4 ,such a noise you never heard in all your life as the one that greeted their ears the moment they stepped inside the door4 ,if you want to hear some queer music1 just listen to a poultry band at a county fair1--roosters crowing1 hens cackling1 ducks quacking1 pigeons cooing1 and turkeys gobbling4 ,harry liked the poultry-show best of all4 ,he had some hens at home which he had raised himself1 and he stood for a long time watching a mother hen and her tiny bantam chickens4 ,i wish ,i hadn't spent all my money1 he said to himself4 ,i'd like to buy two or three of those chickens4 ,cock-a-doodle-doo6 said a loud voice in a cage behind him4 ,harry turned quickly1 and there stood a handsome white rooster1 flapping his wings and crowing lustily4 ,cock-a-doodle-doo6 he said again1 and he walked back and forth in the narrow cage1 strutting proudly1 and spreading his wings as if to say1 ,what do you think of me8 ,cock-a-doodle-doo6 ,i'd like to buy you1 too1 said ,harry4 ,he is a beauty1 isn't he1 ,roy8 he added1 turning to speak to his friend4 ,but the boys were gone4 ,he walked the whole length of the building1 and they were nowhere to be seen4 ,perhaps they have gone back to the sheep-pens1 he said to himself1 and he ran across the grounds to look for them4 ,the judges were awarding prizes for the finest sheep1 and the long low building was crowded with people1 but there was no sign of ,harry's friends4 ,where can they be8 he said1 half aloud4 ,they may have gone over to see the cows milked by machinery4 ,i'll go there next4 ,just as he went out of the farther door of the sheep-shed he met two men coming in4 ,one of the men was smoking1 and as he entered the shed he threw away the short end of his cigar4 ,it fell in the dry grass near a pile of straw4 ,in a minute ,west ,wind came scurrying across the field1 and it was not long before he found the lighted cigar4 ,what are you doing down there in the grass8 said ,west ,wind4 ,why don't you burn and have a good smoke by yourself8 ,the red tip of the cigar shone brighter at the words4 ,so ,i will1 it said1 and it sent up a thin curl of blue smoke4 ,pouf6 pouf6 said ,west ,wind4 ,can't you do better than that8 ,of course ,i can1 and the stub burned still brighter4 ,now ,i'll show you a good smoke1 said ,west ,wind1 and he blew some dry grass over the cigar4 ,the grass blazed up and set fire to the straw1 and then there was some smoke1--you may be sure6 ,west ,wind danced over the grass with glee4 ,he whirled round and round1 tossing fresh straw to the flames1 and blowing up the smoke in soft clouds4 ,in a little while ,harry came back1 still hunting for his friends4 ,a puff of smoke caught his eye and he ran to see what was burning4 ,by this time the straw had set fire to the end of the sheep-shed1 and the flames were eating their way toward the low roof4 ,fire6 shouted ,harry2 but the crowd had gone over to see the milking and there was no one in sight4 ,some one will come in a minute1 he thought1 and he snatched off his coat and beat back the flames as they ran up the dry boards4 ,fire6 he shouted again1 at the top of his voice4 ,this time a man who was feeding the lambs heard him and came out with a pail of water2 and then it did not take long to put out the fire4 ,just as ,harry was stamping out the last flickering flames in the burning straw1 a policeman came running out4 ,here1 what are you doing8 he cried4 ,putting out this fire1 replied the little boy4 ,i suppose you started it1 too1 said the policeman4 ,i never saw a boy yet who could keep out of mischief4 ,just then the two men came to the door of the sheep-shed4 ,what is the matter8 they asked4 ,this boy says he was putting out a fire1 and ,i think he must have set it1 the policeman told them4 ,no1 sir1 said ,harry1 ,i didn't set the straw on fire4 ,it was burning when ,i came up1 and ,i tried to put it out4 ,i was smoking a cigar when ,i went into the shed1 spoke up one of the men1 and ,i threw it away4 ,it must have set fire to the straw4 ,it was a very careless thing to do1 and if it hadn't been for this boy we might have had a terrible fire4 ,just then ,harry thought of his coat4 ,it was his very best one1 and his mother had told him to be careful of it4 ,he held it up and looked at it4 ,one sleeve was scorched1 there were two or three holes in the back1 and the whole coat was covered with straw and dirt4 ,by this time a crowd had begun to gather1 just as a crowd always gathers around a policeman1 and the story had to be told all over again4 ,he saved my sheep6 said one of the men4 ,and mine1 too1 added another4 ,let's help him to get a new coat2 and he took off his hat and began to pass it around in the crowd4 ,just then a newspaper reporter came up with his camera1 and1 of course1 he wanted to take ,harry's picture4 ,when the newspaper was published next day1 there was the picture1 and the whole story of the ten-year-old boy whose quick thought and quick work had saved the sheep-shed and all the valuable sheep from fire4 ,what is exhibited at a ,county ,fair8 ,why is the fair held in the fall8 ,what did the boys see at the fair8 ,what set the grass on fire8 ,how did ,harry put out the fire8 ,why is it careless to throw away a lighted cigar8 ,lighted cigars thrown carelessly into dry grass or rubbish have caused many fires4 ,burning tobacco shaken from a pipe is even more dangerous1 and a lighted cigarette is still worse1 as some brands of cigarettes will burn two or three minutes after they are thrown away4 ,when they are thrown from upper windows1 they frequently lodge upon awnings1 setting them on fire4 ,cigarette and cigar stubs in the streets sometimes set fire to women's skirts4 ,occasionally a man burns his own clothing by putting a lighted pipe in his pocket1 or he sets the bed-clothing on fire by smoking in bed4 ,,little ,,faults ,jamie and his mother were talking together very earnestly4 ,the boy's face looked cross and impatient1 while his mother's was sad and serious4 ,mrs4 ,burnham had sent ,jamie to the store to buy a yard of muslin and a spool of thread4 ,when he gave her back the change1 she counted it1 and saw at once that there were three pennies missing4 ,if this had been the first time that ,jamie had brought his mother too little change1 she would have thought a mistake had been made at the store1 or that he had lost the money4 ,she would have been glad to believe it now4 ,but after she had questioned him1 she felt sure1 by looking into his eyes--eyes that did not look back into hers--that the boy whom she loved1 and wished to trust1 had used the pennies to buy something for himself1 and was trying to deceive her4 ,oh1 ,jamie6 she said1 you don't know how it troubles me to think you would do such a thing2 and her eyes filled with tears as she looked into her son's face4 ,jamie really was a little ashamed1 but he didn't like to say so4 ,oh1 ,mother1 you make such a fuss over nothing6 he answered1 turning to look out of the window4 ,it was only two or three pennies6 ,i don't see why you should feel so badly over such a little thing4 ,what if ,i did spend them for something else8 ,i know it is a little thing1 his mother told him4 ,it isn't the pennies ,i care about4 ,i would have given them to you gladly if you had asked for them2 but ,i cannot bear to have you take them and not tell the truth about it4 ,it is only a little fault1 ,i know2 but little faults grow into big ones1 just as little boys grow into big men4 ,you must look out for your little faults now1 ,jamie1 or you will have big ones when you are a man4 ,a boy ten years old should know the difference between right and wrong4 ,jamie did not seem as sorry as his mother wished he were4 ,you needn't worry about me1 he said1 ,i'm not going to get into any trouble2 and he put on his cap and went out to join his playmates4 ,a few days later ,mrs4 ,burnham saw him on the street with a crowd of boys who were snow-balling the passers-by4 ,when he came home that night1 she said1 ,i wish you would not play with those boys4 ,they are rough and rude1 and ,i don't like them4 ,they are not the kind of friends ,i want you to choose4 ,this time ,jamie was decidedly cross4 ,why do you find fault with every little thing8 he asked4 ,can't you trust me to take care of myself8 ,i am trying to teach you how to do it1 his mother replied2 and ,i want you to help me4 ,but this lesson seemed to be a hard one for the boy to learn4 ,it was not many days before his teacher saw him copying an example from the paper of a boy who sat in front of him in school4 ,what are you doing1 ,james ,burnham8 ,miss ,jackson asked quickly4 ,i want you to do those examples yourself1 not copy them from some one else4 ,bring your paper here at once4 ,i am sorry ,i cannot trust you4 ,jamie put the paper on the teacher's desk1 and as he did so he said1 ,i know how to do the examples4 ,i don't see why you should care about such a little thing as that4 ,perhaps it may seem only a little thing to you1 replied ,miss ,jackson2 but unless you are an honest boy you will never be an honest man4 ,try to do just what is right every day1 or you will get into serious trouble before you know it4 ,five or six years later ,miss ,jackson was visiting an ,industrial ,school for boys1 when suddenly she caught sight of a familiar face4 ,who is that8 she asked the superintendent who was conducting her over the buildings1 and she pointed to a boy who was working at a carpenter's bench4 ,his name is ,james ,burnham1 replied the superintendent4 ,he has been here two or three years1 but we are going to send him home next month4 ,he is a pretty good boy now4 ,he used to go to school to me1 said ,miss ,jackson4 ,i think he meant well1 but he was careless about little things1 and didn't always choose the right friends4 ,illustration3 ,the horses gallop madly down the street ,that was just the trouble1 ,mr4 ,bruce told her4 ,he got into the company of some bad boys1 and they led him into all kinds of mischief4 ,at last they began setting fires to some of the old barns in the town2 but one night there was a high wind that blew the sparks to a house near by1 and it was burned to the ground4 ,then the police caught the boys1 and they were all sent away to schools like this4 ,it has been a good lesson for ,james1 and his mother is proud of his improvement4 ,boys don't realize what a dangerous thing fire is1 said ,miss ,jackson1 as she turned to go home4 ,if they only knew how much property is destroyed by fire every year1 a large part of it through carelessness1 they would be more thoughtful about starting a tiny blaze that might so easily become a great conflagration4 ,what were ,jamie's little faults8 ,into what trouble did they lead him8 ,why did the boys set fire to the old barns8 ,why is it dangerous to burn any building1 no matter how old or useless it is8 ,did you ever see a big fire in the country8 ,in the city8 ,describe it4 ,what damage did it do8 ,how was it extinguished8 ,have you read in the newspaper about any big fires recently8 ,where were they1 and how were they caused8 ,was your own house ever on fire8 ,what did you do8 ,it is against the law to burn a building1 even if it is nothing but an old barn4 ,no one can tell where a fire will end if it once gets a good start4 ,sparks will fly in all directions1 and if there is a high wind they will blow for a long distance and set fire to the roofs of other buildings4 ,a man who willfully sets fire to his own property1 or that of his neighbors1 is liable to imprisonment4 ,arson is a serious crime and calls for severe punishment4 ,,ten ,,young ,,rats ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,rat had ten babies4 ,they were fat1 glossy1 little fellows1 with long tails and shining black eyes1 and they lived in a snug nest in the attic4 ,you can't imagine how hard it was for their father and mother to find names for so many children4 ,mrs4 ,rat wanted this name2 ,mr4 ,rat preferred that2 but they couldn't agree on a single one4 ,at last they decided to wait until the babies were grown up1 then they could tell just what name would suit each one best4 ,it does not take long for baby rats to grow up1 and in two or three weeks ,father and ,mother ,rat began to name their children4 ,the biggest one was ,jumbo1 the smallest they called ,tiny4 ,one had a very long tail and he was called ,long ,tail2 another had almost no tail at all1 so he was named ,bobby4 ,one rat was named ,whiskers1 because he had such handsome whiskers1 and ,spot had a tiny white spot over one of his eyes4 ,then there were ,frisky1 and ,squeaker1 and ,listen1 and ,duncie4 ,mother ,rat didn't like ,duncie's name at all2 but he was so very1 very slow and stupid that ,father ,rat wouldn't let her call him anything else4 ,we can't expect every one of our ten children to be smart1 he said4 ,if he is a dunce we must call him a dunce4 ,that's all there is to it4 ,of course all these brothers and sisters had very jolly times together4 ,they played tag1 and hide-and-seek1 and blind-man's buff1 and all sorts of good games2 but sometimes they had dreadful quarrels4 ,in such a large family there are bound to be quarrels once in a while4 ,when they began to scratch and bite1 ,father ,rat gave them all a good spanking and sent them to bed4 ,then ,mother ,rat crept up to tuck them in1 with a big piece of cheese hidden under her apron4 ,the children usually obeyed their father and mother1 and tried to be good little rats2 but like all boys and girls they sometimes thought they knew more than their parents4 ,then they got into trouble4 ,father ,rat had built his nest in the attic of an old-fashioned farmhouse out in the country4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,barnes1 who lived in the house1 didn't seem to know anything about the ten young rats in the attic4 ,perhaps it was because they were very old and deaf1 and didn't hear the little feet pattering across the floors and scampering up and down the walls4 ,but the ten young rats knew all about ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,barnes4 ,they knew where ,mrs4 ,barnes kept her cheeses and cookies1 and they gnawed big holes and made good roads through the walls from the attic to the pantry and cellar4 ,they could find their way to the barn1 too1 where ,mr4 ,barnes kept his corn and oats2 and sometimes they used to slip into his hen-house and steal an egg for their supper4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,rat were very thoughtful about teaching their children4 ,every morning there was a long lesson in the schoolroom corner of the attic4 ,the ten young rats sat up straight in a row and did just as they were told4 ,sniff6 said their mother1 and they sniffed their little noses this way and that to see if they could smell a cat4 ,listen6 said their father1 and they cocked their little heads on one side1 and pricked up their ears to hear the tiniest scratch he could make4 ,scamper6 and they ran across the floor and slipped into a hole as quick as a wink4 ,they were taught to steal eggs1 and to avoid traps1 and when they had a lesson in apples you should have seen them work6 ,every one of them1 except ,duncie1 of course1 could gnaw into an apple and pick out the seeds before ,mother ,rat could count ten4 ,in ,mrs4 ,barnes' storeroom there were long rows of tumblers filled with jelly4 ,the tumblers were all sealed with paraffine1 but the rats soon learned how to gnaw it off1 and then what a feast they had6 ,they were growing so bold that ,father ,rat began to be anxious about them4 ,you children ought to be a little more careful1 he said4 ,you'll get into trouble some day4 ,we never have been caught1 said ,squeaker4 ,no1 said ,frisky1 and we never will be4 ,we know too much for that4 ,one morning ,father and ,mother ,rat went to visit an old uncle who lived down beside the pond1 and they left the ten young rats all alone4 ,the minute they were gone ,long ,tail whispered1 ,come on1 ,ratsies2 let's go down to the cellar for some jelly4 ,father told us not to1 answered ,whiskers4 ',fraid cat1 'fraid cat6 cried ,frisky4 ,who's going to be a 'fraid cat8 ,not ,i1 said ,spottie4 ,not ,i1 said ,bobby2 and in two seconds they were every one scampering down to the storeroom4 ,they nibbled away at the jelly for a little while1 but ,bobby soon found a stone jar with a cover on it4 ,come over here1 ,ratsies1 he called4 ,whiskers sniffed at the cover three times4 ,there are grape preserves in that jar1 he said at last4 ,we must have some1 cried ,bobby4 ,yes1 yes1 squeaked ,tiny2 there's nothing ,i like half so well as grape preserves4 ,i am the biggest1 said ,jumbo1 so ,i ought to get off the cover4 ,he pulled and pushed1 and worked away until the cover came off4 ,goody1 goody1 goody6 squealed all the rats together1 and they plunged in their paws and gobbled up the grapes so fast that their faces were soon purple and sticky with the sweet preserve4 ,they were not very quiet about it1 either4 ,they forgot there was some one else in the house4 ,suddenly ,listen pricked up his ears4 ,ratsies1 he whispered1 ,i hear a noise4 ,and1 sure enough1 he did hear a noise2 for down the cellar stairs came ,nig1 the big black cat4 ,then how those rats did scamper6 ,they ran this way and that1 across the floor1 and up the wall1 and under boxes and barrels4 ,it seemed to ,nig as if the cellar were full of rats4 ,she caught one for her dinner4 ,it was ,duncie1 of course2 and then there were only nine rats in the family4 ,they were all more careful for a little while2 but young rats are very venturesome1 and it wasn't many days before they wanted to go down into the pantry4 ,listen said he hadn't heard a sound all the morning1 and so they decided to creep down very quietly4 ,the truth was that ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,barnes had gone away for a month1 and the house was empty2 but of course the rats didn't know anything about that4 ,there wasn't a single crumb on the pantry shelves1 so they crept into the kitchen4 ,whiskers gave a long sniff1 and before the others knew what he was doing1 he was up on a shelf behind the stove4 ,come on1 brothers and sisters1 he squealed4 ,here is something that smells good4 ,it seems to be on the end of little sticks1 but we can gnaw it off4 ,of course we can1 cried ,jumbo4 ,let's all get to work4 ,he tossed the matches around on the shelf1 and the nine rats went to work with a will4 ,suddenly there was a hot little flame4 ,spot's eye-teeth were very sharp1 and he had lighted the phosphorus on the end of his match4 ,the flame lighted another match1 and a little fire was soon burning merrily4 ,it happened that ,mr4 ,barnes had left a pile of old papers on the shelf beside the matches4 ,they quickly took fire1 and the frightened rat children fled in terror to the attic4 ,oh1 ,mother6 ,oh1 ,father6 they screamed1 something dreadful has happened in the kitchen6 ,there was a bright light1 and a queer smell that choked us1 panted ,whiskers4 ,father ,rat understood at once that there was a fire4 ,he scolded the nine young rats for being in the kitchen at all4 ,we are in great danger1 he said4 ,we must give up this home1 and try to save our lives4 ,i can smell the smoke now4 ,hurry1 children1 hurry6 ,luckily rats don't have to pack up their clothes or throw their furniture out of the window4 ,they escaped with their lives2 but the old farmhouse was burned to the ground1 all because ,mr4 ,barnes had left the matches on the shelf beside the papers4 ,where did ,father ,rat build his nest8 ,why do rats prefer such places for their home8 ,what food did the young rats find in the storeroom8 ,what did they find in the kitchen8 ,what did they do with the matches8 ,what happened8 ,why8 ,how should this fire have been avoided8 ,rats and mice are attracted to places where they can obtain food1 such as barns where grain is kept1 rooms where food is stored or where refuse is thrown4 ,buildings1 so far as possible1 should be made rat-proof4 ,to insure safety1 matches should be kept in tin cans1 metal boxes1 or jars4 ,,how ,,not ,,to ,,have ,,fires ,i ,when a boy plays with matches1 or a man carelessly throws away a lighted cigar1 he does not stop to think that the fire he causes goes to make up a part of the tremendous fire loss in our country4 ,this loss amounts to about #bej1jjj1jjj a year4 ,sometimes1 if there is a big fire in one of our large cities1 the sum is much greater2 sometimes it is a little less4 ,this average loss of #bej1jjj1jjj means that property is burned up at the rate of #ejj a minute for every one of the sixty minutes in every one of the twenty-four hours in all the three hundred and sixty-five days in the year4 ,if this seems impossible to you1 just multiply #ejj by #fj #bd #cfe4 ,it is said that two-thirds of all the fires in the country are caused by carelessness1 ignorance1 or lack of proper precaution1 and that they might have been prevented4 ,the question before every one in the ,united ,states--men1 women1 and children--is how not to have so many fires1--because the fires destroy forests which require at least fifty years to grow1 timber which comes from these slow-growing forests1 houses which have been built at great cost of time1 labor1 and money1 and treasures and heirlooms which can never be replaced4 ,besides this loss of property there is also a great loss of life1 which is too appalling to consider in this little book4 ,the very best way not to have fires is not to set them4 ,if you stop to think of it1 there are not so very many different things that will start fires4 ,matches1 kerosene1 gas1 gasoline1 hot sparks1 burning tobacco1 fires in stoves1 furnaces1 and fire-places1 hot ashes1 lightning1 and fires which start themselves by spontaneous combustion1 are the common causes of our losses2 but there are hundreds1 almost thousands1 of different ways in which fires are set with these few materials4 ,matches are one of the most useful things in the house1 and also one of the most dangerous4 ,they should be kept in a covered dish1 out of the reach of children2 and they should never be left lying around loose4 ,the parlor match is especially dangerous as the head often flies off into curtains or clothing4 ,after a match is once lighted it should never be thrown down carelessly4 ,put the stick that is left in the stove or in a match receiver4 ,never throw it in a basket of waste paper or on the floor4 ,even if it is thrown on the ground it might set fire to dry grass or leaves4 ,you start a fire when you light a match4 ,see that you put it out4 ,kerosene1 used in lamps1 lanterns1 and oil-stoves1 has caused untold loss and suffering4 ,never fill a lamp1 lantern1 or oil-stove when it is lighted4 ,never use kerosene to start the fire in the kitchen range4 ,never leave a lamp burning when you go out of the room1 as it may explode or fill the house with smoke4 ,keep your lamps clean and see that the wick fits the burner4 ,a clean1 well-kept lamp will not explode4 ,never set a lamp on the table so that it can be easily tipped over1 or on a sewing-machine where it can be pushed off with the work4 ,turn the wick down half-way before blowing out the lamp1 and when the lamp is not lighted keep the wick below the burner so that the oil will not be drawn up and spread over the outside of the lamp4 ,never carry a lighted lamp into a closet where clothing is hanging4 ,an electric flash-light is the only thing which can be used for this purpose with safety4 ,gasoline is sometimes used in the house for cleaning clothing1 curtains1 gloves1 etc4 ,there is no material in the world so dangerous to handle1 except possibly dynamite4 ,gasoline gives off a large volume of vapor which is both inflammable and explosive4 ,for this reason it should never be used in a room where there is a candle1 a lamp1 a lighted cigar1 or where there is a fire in the stove4 ,the only safe place to use gasoline is out of doors1 and even then the greatest caution should be taken4 ,keep the doors and windows closed so that none of the vapor can get into the house1 and be very careful not to let any one come near you with a lighted cigar or pipe4 ,throw the waste gasoline on the ground2 never pour it in the sink or down a waste pipe4 ,gasoline1 naphtha1 and benzine are similar substances1 and are equally explosive and dangerous4 ,all cans containing either one should be plainly marked to avoid mistakes1 and should not be kept in or near the building4 ,many cleaning and polishing compounds contain naphtha1 and should therefore be handled with extreme caution4 ,never leave any of these cans uncovered4 ,beware of leaks in the cans1 and never forget that you are handling a dangerous material4 ,hot ashes cause many fires4 ,they should never be thrown into a wooden box or barrel1 or piled up against the house1 barn1 or fence4 ,put them in a metal barrel with a metal cover4 ,do not put waste paper1 rags1 or rubbish in the ash barrel4 ,ashes will sometimes take fire of themselves1 by spontaneous combustion1 if they are wet4 ,this is why it is unsafe to leave an ash pile near a fence or building4 ,waste papers1 rubbish1 greasy cloths1 oily waste and rags should be destroyed4 ,they should never be allowed to collect in cellars1 attics1 or closets1 under the stairs or in the yard4 ,keep the whole house clean4 ,dust1 dirt1 and rubbish are fire-breeders4 ,this is especially true in factories1 shops1 fruit and grocery stores1 schoolhouses1 churches1 and all public buildings4 ,it is cheaper to throw away barrels1 boxes1 papers1 sawdust1 painter's cloths1 old rags--waste of any kind--than to burn it up by setting the house on fire4 ,,the ,,kitchen ,,fire ,tommy ,taylor was a lazy boy1--there wasn't a doubt of it4 ,he didn't like to get up in the morning1 and he didn't like to go to school4 ,when his mother asked him to bring in some wood1 he always said1 ,can't you wait a minute8 and if she wanted him to do an errand he would answer1 ,oh dear6 ,must ,i do it now8 ,he liked to play ball1 of course2 and he would spend the whole afternoon building a snow fort or carrying pails of water to make a hill icy for coasting2 but he didn't call that work4 ,it was play1 and ,tommy wasn't one bit lazy about playing4 ,one noon when ,tommy and his sister were eating dinner their mother said1 ,i'm going shopping this afternoon1 and ,i may not get home until half-past five4 ,i want both of you children to come straight home from school1 and at five o'clock you can build the kitchen fire and put the tea-kettle on the stove4 ,if you have a good fire it will not take me long to get supper ready4 ,alice may take the key because she is older and more careful4 ,she may build the fire1 too2 but you1 ,tommy1 must get the wood1 and help her all you can4 ,alice was only twelve years old1 two years older than ,tommy1 but she felt very much grown up as she started off for school with the key of the back door in her pocket4 ,wait for me to-night at the schoolyard gate1 she told her brother1 as they separated at the door to go to their class-rooms4 ,all right1 said ,tommy1 ,i will wait for you4 ,but he forgot his promise when ,jack ,marsh whispered to him that the boys were going to build a snow fort in his yard2 and he went whooping off with them the minute school was over1 eager for the fun of a snow fight4 ,it was nearly five o'clock when he remembered that his mother had told him to go straight home from school1 but he stopped for just one more snowball battle1 and when he finally reached home he found ,alice at the door watching for him4 ,here1 ,tommy1 she said1 take this basket and get me some chips in the wood-shed4 ,there are enough big sticks for the fire2 but you forgot to bring in the kindling this noon4 ,i didn't have time1 said ,tommy1 hurrying off with the basket2 but ,i'll get you some good chips in a minute4 ,when he began to pick up the chips1 he found that they were all wet with snow1 for the last time it stormed he had left the door open and the snow had blown in on the woodpile4 ,there were some dry chips in a farther corner1 but it was too much work to climb over the wood to get them1 and besides1 ,alice was in a hurry2 so he picked up the wet chips1 shook off the snow1 and carried the basketful into the kitchen4 ,i don't believe ,i can build the fire with this kind of kindling1 said ,alice1 as she began laying it in the stove4 ,it is so wet that it will not burn4 ,oh1 yes1 it will1 if you use paper enough1 her brother told her1 and when ,alice struck a match and lighted the fire it went roaring up the chimney4 ,i knew those chips would burn1 said ,tommy4 ,now put in some big sticks of wood4 ,just then the fire stopped roaring1 and when ,alice lifted the cover to find out what was the matter1 she could see nothing but a thin curl of smoke4 ,put in some more paper1 her brother advised1 you didn't have enough before4 ,so ,alice put in more paper and chips1 and lighted the fire again4 ,it burned up brightly for a minute and then settled down into a discouraging smoulder4 ,oh dear6 she sighed1 as she took off the cover and looked into the stove once more1 there is nothing but a tiny blaze down in one corner4 ,run and get some dry chips1 ,tommy4 ,i can't do anything with these wet ones4 ,i'll tell you what to do1 said her brother1 who was putting on his slippers and didn't want to go out to the shed again2 pour in some kerosene4 ,that will make the fire burn4 ,i saw ,mother do it once when she was in a hurry4 ,that's so1 said ,alice4 ,i didn't think of that1 and she went to the closet to get the kerosene can4 ,it was so light when she lifted it that she thought it must be empty2 but when she shook it she found there was a very little oil in the bottom of the can4 ,here1 ,i'll pour it on for you1 said ,tommy1 and as ,alice raised the cover of the stove1 he tipped up the can and poured a tiny stream of oil over the wet wood4 ,the little blaze in the corner was still flickering feebly4 ,it saw the oil coming and rushed up to meet it4 ,whee-ee-ee6 it cried1 there's something that will burn4 ,that's just what ,i like2 and it ran merrily across the wood and flashed up to the can in ,tommy's hand4 ,tommy was so frightened that he let the can fall on the floor1 but not before the oil in it had caught fire4 ,fortunately there were only a few drops left1 so the can did not explode2 but the wood and paper in the stove were now burning furiously4 ,there was a terrible roaring in the chimney1 and clouds of black smoke poured out into the room4 ,oh1 ,tommy1 screamed ,alice1 what shall we do8 ,we have set the house on fire6 ,no1 we haven't1 replied her brother2 it is dying down a little now4 ,open the windows and let out some of this smoke4 ,alice opened the windows1 and when the roaring had ceased1 and the chips had burned to ashes1 the two children sat down and looked at each other4 ,neither one could speak a word4 ,mrs4 ,taylor came in just then1 and when ,alice saw her she burst into tears4 ,what is the matter8 questioned her mother1 sitting down and taking the child in her arms2 but ,alice could only sob that they almost set the house on fire4 ,it was all my fault1 spoke up ,tommy4 ,i got some wet chips to build the fire1 because ,i was too lazy to climb over the woodpile and get some dry ones4 ,then when they wouldn't burn ,i told ,alice to pour on kerosene4 ,mrs4 ,taylor put her arm around ,tommy and drew him to her side4 ,my son1 she said1 it was your fault that the chips were wet2 but it was ten times my fault that you poured kerosene on the fire4 ,if it has taught you a lesson1 it has taught me one1 too4 ,i shall never use kerosene again to light a fire4 ,it is a very dangerous thing to do4 ,we often read in the paper of serious fires that have been caused in just such a way1 sometimes even with a loss of life4 ,promise me now that you will never pour another drop of kerosene into the stove as long as you live1 and ,i will give you my promise1 too4 ,now let's all build the fire1 together4 ,so ,tommy ran cheerfully out to the shed and brought in a big basketful of dry chips1 ,alice crumpled up the paper1 her mother lighted the match1 and in a few minutes the kitchen fire was blazing merrily4 ,why did ,tommy bring in the wet chips8 ,why did not the fire burn well at first8 ,what did ,tommy suggest using8 ,why8 ,what happened8 ,what might have happened if the kerosene can had been full8 ,what is the proper use of kerosene8 ,,rules ,,for ,,the ,,use ,,of ,,kerosene ,always keep kerosene in a metal can4 ,always keep the can tightly closed1 and keep it as far from the stove as possible4 ,never use kerosene to light a fire4 ,never1 never use it to start up a slow fire4 ,you will probably set yourself or the house on fire if you do4 ,fill all the lamps and oil-stoves by daylight4 ,if you must fill them after dark1 never do so while they are still lighted4 ,the flame in the lamp might set fire to the kerosene vapor in the air1 and this in turn ignite the oil4 ,if the fire runs up the stream of oil into the can1 the can will explode4 ,remember that the three most dangerous things in the world for setting fires are kerosene1 gasoline1 and matches4 ,,how ,,not ,,to ,,have ,,fires ,,ii ,there is an old saying that ,a fool can build a fire1 but it takes a wise man to keep it burning4 ,this is not true of the fire in the kitchen stove1 which should always be built by a wise and thoughtful person4 ,the kitchen fire has caused the loss of many lives and an enormous amount of property4 ,in laying the fire use paper and dry kindlings4 ,never pour on kerosene4 ,do not fill the stove too full of paper1 as the smoke may accumulate and blow open the door1 thus scattering the burning embers around the room4 ,after the fire is burning well1 close the drafts4 ,do not allow the stove to get red-hot1 as it will not only warp the covers and crack the stove1 but it may set fire to the woodwork on the walls or floor4 ,a roaring fire will sometimes set fire to the soot in the chimney1 or carry burning sparks to the roof of the house4 ,the stove should be set at least eighteen inches away from the woodwork1 and the floor beneath it should be covered with brick1 tiles1 or a sheet of metal4 ,never leave the house1 or go to bed1 when the drafts of the stove or furnace are open4 ,overheated furnaces have caused many serious fires in the night4 ,even a low fire will sometimes burn up unexpectedly1 especially if the wind blows hard enough to create a strong draft4 ,do not allow waste or rubbish to collect near the furnace1 and do not keep the wood-box near the stove4 ,chimneys should be carefully inspected1 and repaired when it is necessary1 as they frequently crack with the settling of the house4 ,they should be cleaned occasionally to prevent the accumulation of soot1 which will burn with a fierce heat1 setting the attic or roof on fire4 ,if there are open chimney-holes in any of the rooms in the house do not stuff them1 or cover them1 with paper1 especially if they are in the same flues which are used for stoves1 furnaces1 or fire-places4 ,chimney-holes should always be covered with a tightly-fitted cap or thimble made of metal4 ,these caps can be bought of a tin-smith for a small sum4 ,if the soot in the chimney is on fire1 shake on salt or sulphur to extinguish the flames4 ,fire-places add a great deal to the attractiveness of a house1 but they are especially dangerous if there are children in the family4 ,the sparks often fly out into the room1 setting fire to rugs or clothing2 babies crawl too near the open blaze2 or little girls stand too near the hearth and their thin dresses or aprons are drawn into the fire by the strong upward draft4 ,every fire-place should have a hearth of bricks or tiles at least two feet wide1 and the fire should be protected by a wire screen4 ,if there are young children in the household1 there should also be a fender to keep them at a safe distance from the flames4 ,some kinds of light wood1 especially chestnut and hemlock1 will snap and produce many sparks4 ,these sparks fly out in all directions unless the fire is covered with a wire screen4 ,do not build a roaring fire in the fire-place1 as it may carry sparks to the roof4 ,all fire-places1 open grates1 and gas-logs should be surrounded by bricks or tiles1 so that the woodwork will not catch fire4 ,in many cities there are laws regulating the construction of chimneys and fire-places4 ,pipes1 cigars1 and cigarettes have caused nearly #aj1jjj1jjj worth of damage by fire4 ,lighted matches thrown away by careless smokers have added #ae1jjj1jjj more to this enormous waste4 ,every one of these fires was absolutely unnecessary4 ,cigar and cigarette stubs should not be thrown into waste baskets1 rubbish heaps1 dry grass or leaves4 ,they should never be dropped from the window1 as they might set fire to an awning1 and they should not be allowed to fall through a grating where there may be a collection of waste paper and rubbish4 ,if you see a lighted cigar or cigarette stub in the street1 crush it under your heel until the fire is all out4 ,if there is one in your house1 throw it in the stove4 ,in this way you may save property and human life4 ,christmas and ,fourth of ,july are the two happiest days in the whole year for children1 yet oftentimes they are followed by sorrow and suffering4 ,christmas trees1 when they are lighted by candles1 are easily set on fire1 as they are often decorated with festoons of paper1 and cotton frost1 which comes in contact with the tiny flames4 ,many of the ornaments on the tree are made of celluloid4 ,these ornaments catch fire easily and flare up with a quick hot flame1 thus setting fire to the branches1 which are full of pitch and resin and burn freely4 ,no one but a grown person should light the candles4 ,children should be kept at a safe distance from the tree1 doors and windows should be closed to exclude the draft1 a constant watch should be kept while the candles are burning1 and they should all be extinguished before a single present is taken from the tree4 ,this is especially important if the presents are distributed by ,santa ,claus1 as his long beard1 and the cotton fur on his clothing1 are easily ignited from the candles4 ,the celebration of the ,fourth of ,july is one of the most serious problems in the country4 ,fireworks are dangerous play-things and should be used with the greatest caution4 ,every year many persons are killed or injured1 and valuable property is destroyed by the careless use of fireworks4 ,there are some kinds of fireworks which should never be used under any circumstances4 ,among these are cannon crackers1 fire balloons1 toy pistols1 toy cannon1 bombs1 and revolvers firing blank cartridges4 ,on the day before the ,fourth1 all yards should be cleared of rubbish1 as falling sparks might set it on fire4 ,during the day of the celebration cellar windows should be closed1 and stables and barns should be opened only when necessary4 ,in many cities the sale of dangerous fireworks is prohibited by law2 but a common fire-cracker1 a ,roman candle1 or a sky-rocket may cause serious damage if it is not handled properly4 ,,the ,,sunshine ,,band ,the ,sunshine ,band was made up of twelve little girls1 one for each of the twelve letters in their name4 ,they wore badges of yellow ribbon just the color of sunshine1 with the letters ,s4 ,b4 painted on them in white1 and every time they had a meeting they sang their own special song2-- ,scatter sunshine all along your way1 ,cheer and bless and brighten every passing day4 ,they had a secret1 too1 and a motto4 ,their motto was ,scatter ,sunshine1 and their secret--but ,i'm not going to tell you their secret4 ,they didn't even tell me4 ,i just guessed it4 ,they met every ,saturday afternoon1 first at one house and then another4 ,each little girl was always expected to tell a sunshine story1 and if any one had disobeyed the rules of the club she had to pay a fine4 ,perhaps you will think that the rules were not so very hard to remember1 but every once in a while a penny went clinking down to the bottom of their bank4 ,first of all they were expected to bring sunshine into their own homes4 ,they must say ,good-morning cheerfully1 no matter if the day were cloudy and dismal4 ,they must come to the table with clean hands and faces and a pleasant smile2 and they must not frown or look cross if their mother asked them to wipe the dishes when they wanted to play out of doors4 ,then all day long they must keep their eyes and ears open to find some helpful thing to do1 no matter how small it might be2 and if1 at night1 they had not done one tiny useful thing they must make a black cross against the day4 ,you would hardly believe how much sunshine they could make with very little trying1 and how many pleasant tales they had to tell at their meetings4 ,two of the girls gathered flowers every week for one of the hospitals2 one did errands for a neighbor who was lame2 three1 who had sweet voices1 gave little concerts at the home for aged women1 and another read aloud to a blind girl every ,monday afternoon after school4 ,sometimes they packed boxes of old books and toys to send to a mission school in the ,south1 and once they shook every penny out of their bank to buy fruit for a little sick girl4 ,miss ,hastings1 who was the teacher of their class in ,sunday-school1 was also the leader of the band2 and whenever they had an especially good sunshine story they carried it to her4 ,she kept their badge of honor1 too1 unless some one was wearing it as a reward for good service4 ,illustration3 ,in the largest cities the firemen find their hardest work ,one ,saturday afternoon1 as soon as their meeting was over1 they hurried off to her house4 ,oh6 ,miss ,hastings1 they cried1 when she opened the door1 ,hilda ,browning told the best story of all to-day1 and we want her to have the badge right away4 ,what is it1 ,hilda8 questioned ,miss ,hastings1 after she had led the way to her sunny living-room4 ,tell her1 urged all the other girls when ,hilda hung back1 her face rosy with blushes4 ,it was nothing1 said ,hilda shyly1 ,i just happened to be there at the right time4 ,that was all4 ,happened to be where8 asked the teacher1 and what do you mean by the right time8 ,at ,mrs4 ,hazen's1 said three or four of the girls at once4 ,the curtain caught fire from the gas jet and ,hilda tore it down and threw it out of the window4 ,wait a minute6 begged their teacher1 putting her hands over her ears2 ,i can't hear what you say when you all talk together4 ,now1 ,hilda1 begin at the beginning4 ,so1 with many promptings from the girls1 who had heard the story from ,mrs4 ,hazen herself1 ,hilda told how she had saved the house from fire4 ,you know ,mrs4 ,hazen has been sick with rheumatism for over a year1 she said4 ,her daughter1 who has always taken care of her1 has gone away for a two weeks' vacation1 so ,i have been going there every afternoon after school to stay for an hour while the nurse takes a walk4 ,yesterday ,i said ,i would stay two hours because it was ,friday and ,i didn't have any lessons to learn2 and ,i took over my ',youth's ,companion' to read a story4 ,it was such a cloudy afternoon that it grew dark while ,i was reading and ,mrs4 ,hazen told me to light the gas4 ,when ,i finished the story she asked me to open the bed-room window to let in some fresh air1 and then bring her a glass of water4 ,as ,i opened the kitchen door to get the water1 a gust of wind blew the muslin window-curtain into the gas flame4 ,it blazed up in an instant and ,mrs4 ,hazen screamed for help4 ,and when ,hilda ran into the room and saw the curtain on fire she pulled it down with her bare hands and threw it out of the window1 put in ,ethel ,strong4 ,the fingers on her right hand are all blistered1 but she saved the house from catching fire4 ,perhaps she saved ,mrs4 ,hazen's life1 too1 added ,dorothy ,hovey4 ,you know ,mrs4 ,hazen has the rheumatism so badly that she cannot take a single step1 and if she had been alone no one knows what might have happened4 ,now1 ,miss ,hastings1 don't you think ,hilda deserves the badge of honor8 spoke up ,alice ,hunter4 ,yes1 she certainly does1 replied ,miss ,hastings1 and1 as she spoke1 she took from its box a gold pin with the letters ,s4 ,s4 in blue enamel1 and fastened it at ,hilda's throat4 ,not all of us may ever have an opportunity to save a house from fire1 or a life from danger1 she added2 but if ,hilda had not been doing a little kindness she would not have been ready in time of need to do a greater one4 ,why did the girls call themselves the ,sunshine ,band8 ,what were some of their rules8 ,what did the letters ,s4 ,s4 mean on their badge of honor8 ,what kind things did they do8 ,how did the muslin curtain catch fire8 ,how could this have been prevented8 ,why is it dangerous to have a gas jet near a window8 ,how should all gas flames be protected8 ,a gas jet should always be protected by a glass globe or a wire frame1 and the bracket should be rigid so that it cannot be folded back against the wood-work1 and cannot swing against curtains or draperies4 ,if the curtain catches fire1 pull it down quickly and smother the flames with a heavy rug4 ,a woman should never attempt to stamp out the flames1 as her skirts will easily catch fire4 ,if there is an odor of gas anywhere in the house1 especially in a dark closet1 do not search for the leak with a match or a lighted candle4 ,if you should happen to find the leak you might cause an explosion or set the house on fire4 ,,vacation ,,at ,,grandpa',s ,did ,i ever tell you about the time we boys set ,grandpa ,snow's barn on fire8 ,it happened long ago1 but ,i shall never forget it1 if ,i live to be a hundred years old4 ,kenneth and ,i always thought no better luck would ever come to us than to be told that we might spend the last week of ,july and the whole month of ,august with ,grandpa and ,grandma ,snow4 ,grandpa ,snow owned a large farm up among the ,green ,mountains1 and as our home was in the city1 you can imagine how much it meant to us to hear that we were to spend five long weeks in the country4 ,i was eleven years old and ,kenneth was eight1 and as we had to change cars but once1 ,father said we might go all the way alone4 ,we left the station at eight o'clock in the morning1 in the care of a good-natured1 obliging conductor who promised to see that we changed cars safely at ,white ,river ,junction1 and the long ride in the train seemed just a part of the vacation fun4 ,i truly think that we did just as ,mother would have liked us to do all that day4 ,she looked so sweet and earnest when she bade us good-bye and said1 ,now1 boys1 be kind and polite to everyone who speaks to you1 that we couldn't help remembering her words4 ,there was a tired-looking woman on the train4 ,she had a little boy who was tired1 too1 and he kept crying and fussing1 until at last ,kenneth said he was going to take him over in our seat and amuse him4 ,the boy was a jolly little fellow1 about the age of our dear little baby sister at home1 and we three had such a good time together that we could hardly believe our ears when the brakeman shouted out1 ,walden6 ,walden6 ,we gathered our bags and boxes together in a hurry1 and bade good-bye to our new-found friends4 ,in a minute we were out on the station platform1 and the train was whizzing away without us2 but we didn't have time to wonder if any one were coming to meet us1 for down the road came ,grandpa ,snow1 rattling along in a big hay-rack and waving his old straw hat at us4 ,hello1 boys6 he said1 as he pulled up his horses beside the platform2 we were pretty busy in the hay-field to-day1 so ,i thought ,i could come right along1 and give you a ride in my new hay-wagon4 ,there's no fancy top on it1 but there is plenty of room for both of you young chaps and all your baggage4 ,you'll like it better than an automobile ride1 ,i'll wager4 ,so this is ,leslie and ,kenneth1 is it8 ,you surely have grown6 ,why1 ,i can hardly tell one from the other1 but ,i'll trust ,grandma to know4 ,she always seems to understand boys pretty well4 ,after a hug1 and a hand-shake1 and a hearty laugh1 we jogged along up the road4 ,even if we were only boys ,i don't believe we shall ever forget that ride4 ,it was late in the afternoon1 and the air was so cool and sweet that it hardly seemed as if it could be the same hot1 dusty day we began in the city4 ,we could smell the cedar and fir-balsam all along the way1 and every little while there was a bird-note like a sweet-toned bell4 ,it wasn't very long before we spied ,grandpa's house1 and dear old ,grandma in the door waving her apron to us4 ,well1 ,mother1 called out ,grandpa1 as we drove into the yard1 here are two new hired men for you4 ,how do you think you will like them8 ,by the way ,grandma hugged us and kissed us1 ,i guess she thought we would suit her pretty well4 ,i remember something that suited us1 too1 and that was the good things we had to eat that night4 ,i wonder if there is any one else in the whole world who can cook like one's own grandmother8 ,perhaps there is1--but ,i know one thing1 ,grandma ,snow was the best cook ,i ever saw4 ,you should have seen that supper6 ,there were hot biscuits1 and fried chicken1 and honey1 and gingerbread1 and cookies1 and strawberry tarts1 and cottage cheese1 and so many good things that we couldn't eat half of them4 ,every time we stopped eating ,grandma would say1 ,something must be the matter with these boys4 ,they haven't any appetite4 ,and ,grandpa would look at us over his spectacles and answer1 ,they do look pale and thin4 ,give them another tart4 ,then he'd give one of his great laughs and shake all over like a big bowl of jelly4 ,we had just time after supper to help ,grandpa and the hired man get in one load of hay4 ,then it was dark1 and we were so tired and sleepy that we were glad to climb into bed1--just the highest1 whitest1 softest bed you ever saw4 ,we made ,grandma promise to call us very early1 and at five o'clock the next morning we were ready for breakfast and the day's work in the hay-field4 ,what fun it was to rake after the wagon1 and to ride home on those great1 sweet-smelling loads of hay6 ,of course we had plenty of time to play1 but we liked to work1 too2 and the work on a farm seems like play to boys who have always lived in the city4 ,we used to go down to the garden every morning to pick the vegetables for dinner1 and we always helped ,grandma shell the peas and string the beans4 ,it took a good big panful1 too1 for we were pretty hungry up there on the farm4 ,every morning we drove the cows to the pasture1 and every afternoon we drove them home4 ,we hunted for hens' eggs in the big barn1 and went blueberrying and blackberrying4 ,kenneth made a collection of wild flowers1 and ,grandma showed him how to press them so that he could take them home4 ,what good times we did have6 ,even on rainy days there was always something to do1 and we often had the most fun of all when it was raining the hardest4 ,all the boys in the neighborhood got into the habit of coming to play with us in one of ,grandpa's barns2 and we used to have circuses and tight-rope walking and all sorts of games4 ,but one day1 when we had been having a very jolly time together1 one of the boys suggested that we should try a new game4 ,i'm tired of walking on beams and jumping off hay-mows1 he said4 ,let's do something different4 ,he took a whole bunch of matches out of his pocket and held them up4 ,let's try scratching matches1 and see who can scratch the most and blow them out again in one minute1 he suggested4 ,i1 for one1 knew very well that matches were not made to play with1 and ,i said so4 ,kenneth and ,willie ,smith agreed with me4 ,so did ,joe ,wiggin and ,peter ,fisher1 but four or five of the boys thought it would be great fun1 and in spite of all we could say the match-race began4 ,four boys sat down in a circle on the barn floor1 lighting and blowing out the matches just as fast as they could1 while ,harry ,plummer counted sixty4 ,in their hurry1 they threw the matches down carelessly1 and before any of us noticed it1 a lighted match had been thrown into the hay4 ,it blazed up in an instant1 and before we could run to the field for help the whole barn was a roaring furnace4 ,joe ,wiggin and ,peter ,fisher led out the two horses1 and fortunately1 the cows were in the pasture1 for in less than half an hour the barn was burned to the ground4 ,all the hay that we had worked so hard to get in was lost1 besides some of ,grandpa's tools and his new hay-rack4 ,grandpa and the hired man got there in time to save the harnesses and a few little things1 and then all we could do was just to stand there and watch the barn burn4 ,the nearest fire-engine was in the village four miles away1 and all the water we had was in one well4 ,luckily ,grandpa's buildings were not joined together1 and as there was no wind1 only that one barn was burned4 ,but that was one too many4 ,i tell you1 ,i shall never forget that fire1 and to this day ,i can't see a boy with matches in his pocket without wanting to tell him this story and urge him to remember all his life that matches are made for use and not for playthings4 ,tell of some of the good times you have had on a farm4 ,what did the boys do on rainy days8 ,what game did one of them propose8 ,what happened while they were playing this game8 ,what are matches made for8 ,how should they be used8 ,there are several kinds of matches1--brimstone matches1 parlor matches1 bird's-eye matches1 and safety matches4 ,safety matches can be lighted only on their own box1 and are1 therefore1 the safest match to use4 ,parlor matches1 so called1 are dangerous1 as they break easily and the blazing head flies off1 lodging in clothing1 draperies1 or furniture4 ,the sale of parlor matches is forbidden by law in ,new ,york ,city on account of the great number of fires which have resulted from their use4 ,common matches should be kept in a tin box2 they should be used carefully1 and never thrown away while they are burning1 or even while the stick is still red-hot4 ,it is a bad habit to have matches scattered around the house1 or lying loose in bureau drawers1 in desks1 on tables1 or in the pockets of clothing4 ,there are many ways in which fires have been caused by loose matches4 ,lucifer or brimstone matches have been known to burst into flame from the heat caused by the sun's rays shining through a window pane4 ,,the ,,fire ,,drill ,it was a warm1 sunny afternoon in ,october1--one of the days of ,indian summer that come to tempt us out of doors after vacation is over1 and work has begun in earnest4 ,the pupils of the sixth grade in the ,ashland ,school looked longingly out of the windows as they put away their spellers and took the reading-books from their desks4 ,their teacher saw the look1 and understood what it meant4 ,when the hands of the clock pointed to half-past two1 and the bell rang for a five-minutes' recess1 she said1 ,you may put on your hats and coats1 and we will spend a half-hour in our garden4 ,i noticed this noon that it needed some attention4 ,the children looked at each other and nodded eagerly4 ,it was just the day for a lesson in gardening1 of that they felt sure1 especially if it meant a whole half-hour out of doors4 ,the school garden was their greatest pleasure4 ,they had spent many a happy hour working together over the flower beds1 since that morning in ,april when ,miss ,brigham had ended their lesson in nature-study by asking1 ,how many would like to help me make a garden in the schoolyard8 ,every hand flew up instantly1 every face brightened with delight4 ,there was not a boy or girl in the room who was not eager to begin at once2 and the moment the frost was well out of the ground they went to work4 ,the boys spaded up the soil1 and the girls helped rake it over and mark it out in beds4 ,there was a narrow strip the whole length of the fence for a hedge of sunflowers1 and in front of it were three square plots1 one for each of the three classes in the grade4 ,the children sent everywhere for seed catalogues1 and studied them eagerly4 ,each class bought its own seeds and planted them1 and once every week they spent a half-hour hoeing1 weeding1 and watering the garden4 ,in one plot morning-glories climbed over a wire trellis and turned their bright faces to the morning sun1 in another there was a gay riot of nasturtiums4 ,during the summer the girls picked fragrant bouquets of sweet peas1 and all through the fall they gathered sunny yellow marigolds for the teacher's desk4 ,but now ,jack ,frost had taken his turn at gardening4 ,the nasturtiums and morning-glories hung in ragged festoons from their trellises1 and the heavy heads of the sunflowers drooped from the top of the dry stalks4 ,there was nothing left in the garden but a few hardy weeds that had grown in spite of the watchful gardeners4 ,i don't see anything to do1 said one of the girls1 as she followed ,miss ,brigham across the schoolyard4 ,we may as well let the weeds grow now if they want to4 ,we must clear everything away and get the garden ready for next spring1 replied the teacher4 ,you can see for yourselves what ought to be done4 ,i will stand here and watch you work4 ,after all there was plenty to do4 ,one of the boys took out his knife and cut off the sunflower stalks1 while the girls picked off the few seeds that the yellow-birds had left1 and tied them up in a paper to save them for another year4 ,they tore down the vines1 and pulled up the marigolds and zinnias4 ,they straightened the trellises and smoothed over the empty beds4 ,then they picked up bits of paper that were blowing over the yard1 and raked up the leaves that had fallen from the maple tree in the corner4 ,when the work was finished there was a big pile of rubbish to be taken away4 ,we might have a bonfire1 suggested one of the boys4 ,no1 said ,miss ,brigham1 this west wind would blow all the smoke into the schoolhouse4 ,besides1 there are too many houses near by4 ,you can put the rubbish in the waste-barrels in the basement1 and the janitor will take care of it4 ,the other children went back to the schoolroom1 while the three largest boys were left to clean up the yard4 ,the waste-barrels were full and running over2 but they hunted around in the cellar and found an empty box in which they packed all the rubbish4 ,then they went upstairs and took up their work with the rest of the class4 ,suddenly the big gong in the hall rang out sharply for the fire drill1--one1 two1 three6 ,at the third stroke every book was closed1 and in the sixteen rooms of the building all the pupils rose at once to their feet1 ready to march down to the street4 ,the doors were thrown wide open1 and they passed out of their class-rooms in double file to meet another file from the opposite door1 and move down the stairs four abreast1 keeping step to the double-quick march played by one of the teachers4 ,on their way they passed the dressing-rooms1 but no one took hat or cap from the hooks4 ,there was not a moment to lose4 ,every child must be in the street in less than two minutes after the stroke of the third bell4 ,they had done it over and over again1 in exactly this same way1 and the principal was standing at the door with his watch in his hand1 counting off the seconds4 ,he would know if a single child kept the line waiting4 ,what a good day it is for a fire drill6 they thought1 as they passed through the long halls and down the stairs2 but before the last of the older pupils were out of the building they realized that this was no fire drill4 ,smoke was already pouring through the cracks in the floor and curling up around the registers4 ,it filled the hall with a thick cloud that made them cough and choke as they marched through it2 but not a boy pushed the boys in front of him1 not a girl screamed or left her place1 as the line moved steadily down the steps and across the yard to the street4 ,two of the teachers stood at the gates to hurry the children off toward home1 and even before the firemen came clattering around the corner1 the big schoolhouse was empty and the pupils were safe4 ,after the fire was out and the excitement over1 the fire chief and the principal sent for the boys who had taken the rubbish to the basement4 ,yes1 they had lighted some matches1 they said1 because the cellar was dark1 the waste-barrels were all full1 and they were trying to find an empty box4 ,the head of one of the matches had broken off1 but it was not burning1 and they had not thought of it again4 ,it was possible that they might have stepped on it later and lighted it1 and that the tiny flame had set fire to the waste paper on the floor4 ,that was no doubt the cause of the fire1 the fire chief agreed4 ,parlor matches are often lighted in that same way4 ,this was1 of course1 an accident2 but even accidents can be avoided4 ,in the first place there should never be any waste paper on the basement floor2 and in the second place boys should never carry parlor matches1 or any other kind of matches1 to school4 ,there are more precious lives in a schoolhouse than in any other building in the whole world4 ,why was the rubbish put in the basement8 ,how did it catch fire8 ,how could this fire have been avoided8 ,why is it dangerous to carry matches to school8 ,why are parlor matches especially unsafe8 ,have you ever seen a match break off when it was scratched8 ,what became of the head of the match8 ,schoolhouses and public buildings should be provided with a metal-lined bin where waste paper and refuse may be temporarily collected1 instead of allowing it to accumulate on the basement floor or in wooden boxes and barrels4 ,this bin should be located away from the stairs or corridors1 and should be so placed that water-pipes passing over it may be provided with sprinklers which would open automatically in case of fire4 ,there should be fire-escapes on the large buildings1 and children should be taught how to use them4 ,all doors should open outward1 and should never be locked during the school sessions4 ,fire drills should be practiced regularly1 and every child in the building should understand the necessity for marching out promptly and in order4 ,chemical fire-extinguishers1 or pails well filled with water and marked ,for ,fire ,only1 should be set in conspicuous places on each floor near the stair-landings1 and in the basements4 ,,fighting ,,the ,,fire ,every village1 town1 and city is liable at any moment to have a fire4 ,if this fire gets well under way it may become a conflagration1 which no single fire department can control4 ,for this reason promptness in reaching the fire with suitable apparatus is of the very first importance4 ,great responsibility rests upon the firemen4 ,they must be cool-headed1 but quick in action2 cautious1 but daring2 ready in an instant to perform difficult and dangerous tasks1 often at the risk of their own lives4 ,every great fire makes heroes4 ,it is this life of excitement and daring that attracts men and makes them eager to fight the great battles against fire4 ,in olden times methods of fighting fire were very simple4 ,the only apparatus consisted of axes1 buckets1 ropes1 and short ladders4 ,men and boys ran to the fire and did their best to put out the flames1 but they had no leader and could not work to advantage4 ,the first fire-engines were drawn through the streets by men1 instead of horses1 and water was forced through the hose by means of a hand-pump worked by these same men4 ,every year the system of fire protection is being perfected1 new apparatus is invented1 and better methods are introduced4 ,in the smaller towns the fire companies consist largely of volunteer firemen1 who leave their work at the sound of the alarm and hurry to the scene of action4 ,but in the larger cities the fire-department is like a well-organized army1 with its chiefs1 captains1 lieutenants1 and privates1 always prepared to wage a never-ending war against the fires4 ,most of these men live in the engine-houses1 and are ready at any moment1 day or night1 to answer an alarm4 ,the horses stand free in their stalls1 awaiting the signal1 trained like the men to instant action4 ,with the first stroke of the great gong the horses leave their stalls and stand beside the pole of the engine4 ,the harness1 suspended in mid-air1 falls upon their backs1 and almost before the men can jump up and cling to their places on the engine1 the driver picks up the reins1 the horses plunge through the open door and gallop madly down the street4 ,the driver leans out over the pole1 his hands far apart1 holding the reins in an iron grasp and guiding the flying horses safely along the winding way4 ,gongs clang1 whistles blow1 bells ring6 ,the streets are cleared as if by magic4 ,heavy teams are drawn up beside the curbing2 electric cars stand still2 men1 women1 and children hurry to the sidewalks1 or stand in open doorways waiting for the engines to go tearing along to the fire4 ,the fire apparatus has the right of way6 ,when the scene of the fire is reached1 the driver pulls up the horses so quickly that they are almost thrown on their haunches2 the engine is wheeled into place beside the hydrant1 the hose is attached and straightened out along the street4 ,the police have already drawn a fire-line1 and are driving back the eager1 curious crowd2 but the firemen have eyes or ears for nothing but the fire4 ,the chief shouts his orders and they hasten to obey4 ,the horses are led away to a place of safety1 and ladders are brought up to be used in case of need4 ,illustration3 ,the water-tower pours a stream into the upper windows ,two or three men seize the nozzle of the great hose and rush with it into the burning building to seek the heart of the fire4 ,smoke pours from the doors and windows in dense clouds1 blinding and choking them until they gasp for breath4 ,water slops and spatters everywhere1 steam rises from the blazing timbers1 and the intense heat scorches and stifles them as they work4 ,at last the smoke clears away1 the water is shut off1 and then1 with picks and axes1 the firemen search under fallen timbers lest some tiny blaze may still be smouldering in a hidden corner4 ,at a quick order from the chief1 the hose is rapidly drawn back and folded in its place1 the horses are harnessed again to the engine1 and the men return to the engine-house1 to await their next call to action4 ,in the largest cities1 which have grown rapidly skyward1 piling one story on top of another in office buildings and dwelling houses1 the firemen find their hardest work4 ,this is especially true in the crowded tenement districts1 where hundreds of people live under a single roof4 ,here men1 women1 and children have to be rescued from upper windows and roofs1 by means of scaling-ladders and life-lines2 and sometimes they even have to drop into life-nets which the firemen hold to catch them4 ,if the building is so high that the water from the hose cannot reach the flames1 the water-tower is brought to the scene of action1 and a stream is poured into the building through windows many stories above the ground4 ,in every large fire-department several different kinds of apparatus are needed4 ,there is a chemical engine for use in case the fire proves to be small and easily controlled4 ,there are long trucks loaded with ladders1 tools1 and ropes2 and there are also the regular fire engines1 sometimes drawn by plunging horses1 sometimes driven through the streets at a high rate of speed by a powerful motor4 ,these motors are superior to horses because they can reach the fire more quickly1 and can carry heavier and more powerful engines4 ,in the harbors1 and in some of the larger rivers and lakes1 there are fire-boats to be used in case of fire along the water-front1 or in vessels at the docks4 ,these boats always have plenty of water at hand1 and often do valuable work in saving property on the wharfs and piers4 ,,vernon',s ,,brother ,if any one had asked ,vernon ,houston what he wanted more than anything in the whole world1 he would not have waited an instant before replying1 ,a brother6 ,he had pets of all kinds1--rabbits1 guinea pigs1 a dog1 and a pony2 but still his lonely little heart longed for a brother1 some one to enjoy all his pleasures1 some one to go to school with1 some one to play with when his father and mother were away and only ,jane was left in the kitchen4 ,to be sure he had books and games without number1 but he soon grew tired of reading1 and what good were games when there was no one to play with him8 ,of course he had plenty of school friends and playmates1 but on stormy days1 or when he and ,jane were left all alone1 there were never any boys to be found1--just when he most needed them4 ,in spite of his dog and his pony and all his rabbits he couldn't help being a little lonely4 ,whenever he saw two brothers playing together1 he always thought how glad he would be to exchange every one of his pets--pony and all--for a little brother1 and every ,christmas he wrote a letter to ,santa ,claus to ask for one4 ,on his ninth birthday his father and mother surprised him by saying that they were going to ,boston4 ,they promised to come home the next day and bring him the best birthday gift he ever had in all his life2 but what this delightful gift was to be they would not tell4 ,it was a secret1 and a very good secret1 too4 ,to tell the truth ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,houston had decided to adopt a little boy4 ,they had been planning it for some time1 but ,vernon knew nothing about it4 ,they had always been sorry for their brotherless son1 and they knew how many boys there are in the world who have no home1 no father and mother1 no one to love them and care for them4 ,they had been waiting to hear of some homeless lad1 who was good and honest1 to take into their home and hearts1 and to become the little brother for whom ,vernon longed4 ,at last a man telephoned from ,boston that he had found just the boy they wanted1 so they set off at once to bring home the birthday gift4 ,when they looked into ,harry's bright eyes and honest face1 they were not long in deciding that he was just the right boy for them4 ,mrs4 ,houston bent and kissed him1 and ,mr4 ,houston took him by the hand1 saying kindly1 ,harry1 how would you like to come and live with us1 to be our boy1 and a brother to our son1 ,vernon8 ,harry was too happy to say a word1 but his big brown eyes answered for him1 and it was not long before they were all three on their way to ,greenfield4 ,i wish you could have seen ,vernon when his father and mother arrived with the birthday gift4 ,here1 my boy1 is the secret1--the brother you have been waiting for so long1 said ,mr4 ,houston4 ,let me introduce you to your new brother ,harry4 ,he has come to stay as long as he can be happy with you4 ,he is only a few months younger than you are1 and ,i don't see why you two boys can't have a good time together4 ,it seemed as if the boys had only to look straight into each other's eyes to become the best of friends1 and if you could have watched them as the days went by1 you would have thought they were as happy as children could possibly be4 ,vernon brought out all his playthings and gave half of them to ,harry2 he showed him how to make ,rags do all sorts of funny tricks2 he let him feed the rabbits and the guinea-pigs2 and when they went to ride1 he let ,harry drive the pony4 ,how the little fellow did enjoy holding the reins and riding in a red pony-cart like those he had looked at so many times before with longing eyes4 ,the two boys ran races1 played ball1 and went to school together4 ,vernon never complained of being lonely1 and as for ,harry1 he was the happiest boy you ever saw4 ,he tried to show how grateful he was for everything that ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,houston did for him2 and he resolved to study hard1 to be honest and true1 and never to forget to do all in his power to repay his kind friends4 ,the brothers had a room together with two white beds standing side by side4 ,one night ,mr4 ,houston came home very late and found that the boys had gone to bed1 so he went to their room to bid them good-night4 ,he was much surprised to find both the boys reading a book1 with a lighted lamp on a little stand between their beds4 ,my sons1 he said very seriously1 ,i always like to see you enjoying your books1 but ,i cannot allow you to read after you are in bed4 ,why not1 ,father8 questioned ,vernon4 ,because it is a dangerous thing to do1 ,mr4 ,houston replied4 ,you might fall asleep without blowing out the light4 ,it is a common thing to have such an accident4 ,lamps are often tipped over and houses set on fire in just that way4 ,but1 ,father1 urged ,vernon1 please let us finish this chapter4 ,it will take only a few minutes longer1 and it is such a good story4 ,you may finish this one chapter1 ,mr4 ,houston answered4 ,then you must blow out the light1 and after to-night there must be no more reading in bed with a lighted lamp4 ,the boys meant to obey their father2 but they were both very sleepy1 and before the end of the chapter was reached1 they were sound asleep4 ,it was not long before ,vernon restlessly threw out his arm4 ,his hand hit the lamp and knocked it off the table1 and the oil spread over the carpet1 taking fire from the burning wick4 ,rags had crept into the room to sleep on his little master's bed1 and the noise waked him4 ,when he saw the blazing oil1 he jumped down and ran out into the hall1 barking with all his might4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,houston rushed upstairs and beat out the flames with heavy rugs1 before the bed clothing caught fire2 but the boys were terribly frightened1 and no one ever had to tell them again not to read in bed with a lighted lamp4 ,they had learned a good lesson1 and little ,rags had become a never-to-be-forgotten hero4 ,why was ,vernon lonely8 ,what gift did he have on his ninth birthday8 ,why did the boys set a lighted lamp on the table beside their bed8 ,how was it overturned8 ,where was ,rags8 ,what did he do8 ,how should this fire have been avoided8 ,a lamp1 a lantern1 or an oil-stove should not be placed where it could possibly be upset4 ,neither should it be blown out until the wick has been turned half-way down1 as the flame might be blown into the oil1 thus causing an explosion4 ,to turn down the wick too low1 however1 is also dangerous4 ,all brass or metal work on a lamp or oil-stove should be kept clean and bright1 as dirty metal retains the heat1 thus causing vapor to rise from the oil1 and making an explosion possible4 ,,the ,,world',s ,,great ,,fires ,ever since men have built their houses of wood1 and have crowded their dwellings together in cities1 there have been terrible conflagrations1 destroying1 in two or three days1 property which has been gathered together at a great cost of time and labor4 ,thousands of people have been made homeless1 and fortunes have been lost in a single night4 ,as long ago as #fe ,a4 ,d41 when ,nero was ,emperor of ,rome1 more than half the city was destroyed by a great fire1 and the people were obliged to flee to the hills for safety4 ,constantinople has suffered eleven conflagrations1 by which more than #acj1jjj homes have been destroyed2 and in ,japan1 where the houses are built of bamboo and paper1 fires sweep through the streets with the rapidity of the wind1 burning hundreds of the little low buildings in a single hour4 ,in fact1 these fires are of such common occurrence1 and are so destructive1 that the ,japanese people keep their valuable possessions in fireproof storehouses in their own gardens1 and they often have the frame and paper walls of a new house in this godown1 ready to put together as soon as the ashes of their former dwelling are cool enough not to set another fire4 ,in ,september1 #afff1 the city of ,london was devastated by flames4 ,the fire broke out in a baker's shop1 and spread on all sides so rapidly that it could not be extinguished before two-thirds of the city had been destroyed4 ,all the sky was illuminated by the flames1 and the light could be seen for forty miles4 ,more than a thousand houses were in flames at the same time4 ,night was as light as day1 and the air was so hot that the people could do nothing but stand still and look on at their own ruin4 ,in those days there was little fire-fighting apparatus1 nothing at all to be compared with our modern conveniences2 and the flames1 fanned by a strong east wind1 swept through the narrow streets1 fairly eating up the houses1 which were built entirely of wood4 ,the ruins covered #dcf acres2 #djj streets were laid waste1 #ac1bjj houses were destroyed1 and #bjj1jjj persons were made homeless4 ,the first of the great conflagrations in our own country was the fire in ,chicago in ,october1 #ahga4 ,this fire was caused by a cow kicking over a lighted lantern in a barn2 and1 from this simple start1 three and one-half square miles were laid waste1 #bjj persons were killed1 #ag1dej buildings were destroyed1 and #ih1ejj persons were made homeless4 ,the flames were fanned by a fierce gale1 and spread with great rapidity1 raging uncontrolled for two days and nights4 ,in ,november1 #ahgb1 the city of ,boston was visited by fire4 ,the conflagration was confined almost wholly to the business district1 and while only #hjj buildings were destroyed1 the loss amounted to #gc1jjj1jjj1 and hundreds of men lost their entire fortune4 ,in ,april1 #aijf1 ,san ,francisco was devastated by the most terrible fire known to all history4 ,the fire was preceded by earthquake shocks1 and1 with the falling walls and chimneys1 fires were started in different sections of the city4 ,the earthquake also caused the bursting of the water mains in the streets1 so that it was impossible to hold the flames in check2 and before they were at last extinguished the burned area was over three times greater than that of the ,chicago fire1 and ten times that of the ,boston fire4 ,this fire destroyed #cej1jjj1jjj worth of property1 and over #cjj1jjj persons were made homeless4 ,the ,baltimore fire1 in #aijd1 burned over #adj acres1 and #he1jjj1jjj worth of property was lost4 ,this great waste is a serious problem which confronts our country2 but each one of us1 by being careful1 may do his share toward lessening the loss by fire4 ,,new ,,year',s ,,eve ,it was the last night of the year1 and a happy little group was sitting around the supper table in the ,hawleys' pleasant dining-room4 ,there were ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,hawley and their two children1--,leland1 who was a wide-awake boy of fourteen1 and ,rachel1 who was two years younger4 ,their cousins1 ,lawrence and ,dorothy1 had come to spend several weeks with them4 ,as they were all about the same age1 the four children were having a merry time together4 ,the ,hawley homestead was in a little country town in ,new ,england2 but ,lawrence and ,dorothy had always lived in the city of ,new ,orleans and they knew nothing about winter and winter sports4 ,you can imagine how much they enjoyed everything1 especially the snow4 ,they were all laughing and chatting merrily when suddenly ,mr4 ,hawley rose and went to the window4 ,i hear sleigh-bells1 he said4 ,a sleigh is driving into our yard4 ,in a moment more a knock was heard at the door1 and a note was handed to ,mrs4 ,hawley telling her that her sister was very ill4 ,this sister lived several miles away1 but ,mrs4 ,hawley felt that she must go to her at once1 so her husband decided to harness his pair of bays and drive her over4 ,i am sorry to leave you1 children1 ,mrs4 ,hawley said1 as she tied on her bonnet4 ,have just as good a time as you can1 and ,i will trust you not to do anything that would displease me4 ,i will take ,mother over and return as soon as possible1 said ,mr4 ,hawley1 as he tucked his wife into the sleigh4 ,i shall try to be home before ten o'clock2 but don't sit up for me4 ,be good children and take care of everything4 ,perhaps my sister will be better and ,i can come home to-morrow1 added ,mrs4 ,hawley cheerfully4 ,then she kissed the children and bade them good-bye1 and the horses dashed off down the road with a great jingling of bells4 ,the girls looked a little sober when they went back into the big empty farmhouse1 but ,leland tried to cheer them up4 ,we'll have a jolly time keeping house1 he said4 ,what's the first thing to be done8 ,the dishes1 of course1 replied his sister2 there are always dishes to do1 no matter what happens4 ,the boys cleared the table1 while ,rachel and ,dorothy washed and wiped the dishes1 and set the table for breakfast4 ,then they brought in some wood and built a big fire in the fireplace4 ,the flames went roaring up the chimney1 and the children sat for a long time before the fire1 watching the rings of sparks that twisted in and out on the soot-covered bricks4 ,children going home from school1 they called them1 and the last one to burn out was the one to stay after school for a whipping4 ,let's roast some chestnuts1 ,leland suggested1 when there was a good bed of hot ashes1 and he ran up in the attic to get a bagful that he had been saving for just such an occasion4 ,it was fun to push the chestnuts into the fire with a long poker and then watch them pop out when they were roasted4 ,sometimes they flew across the room1 or under the tables and chairs1 and then there was a great hunt for them4 ,we might wish on the chestnuts1 ,rachel suggested4 ,if they pop out on the hearth1 our wish will come true1 but if they fly into the fire1 it won't4 ,oh1 yes6 cried ,lawrence2 that's just the thing to do4 ,girls first1--you begin1 ,rachel4 ,no1 ,dorothy is my guest1 replied his cousin2 she must have the first turn4 ,dorothy poked her chestnut into the ashes4 ,i wish ,i might spend the whole year up here with you1 she said2 and when the nut popped right into her lap the other children joined hands and danced around her in a circle4 ,then it was ,rachel's turn1 and she wished for higher marks in school than she ever had before2 but the chestnut jumped into the fire and blazed up merrily4 ,that's because your marks are good enough anyway1 her brother told her4 ,what is your wish1 ,lawrence8 ,i wish that ,i might go to ,london in an airship1 ,lawrence replied4 ,and ,i wish that ,i might go to the biggest circus in the world1 added ,leland1 poking his chestnut in beside his cousin's4 ,one of the nuts popped into the farthest corner of the hearth1 and the other burned to a little black cinder2 but the boys couldn't decide whose chestnut it was that flew away1 so they couldn't tell which one was to have his wish4 ,i'll tell you something that is just as good as flying1 said ,leland4 ,let's get out our bob-sled and go coasting4 ,there's a moon to-night1 and it is almost as light as day4 ,i don't think we ought to leave the house1 objected ,rachel4 ,father and ,mother are both away1 you know1 and they told us to be careful4 ,oh1 don't be a goose6 her brother replied4 ,the house can take care of itself4 ,we ought to put out all the lamps then1 and cover the fire with ashes1 said thoughtful ,rachel4 ,nonsense6 exclaimed ,leland4 ,we won't be gone long4 ,the fire is all right4 ,there is nothing left but the back-log1 and that will not burn much longer4 ,i'm going to put out the lamps any way1 said his sister4 ,i feel sure that ,mother never leaves them lighted when there is no one in the house4 ,well1 hurry up then1 urged ,leland4 ,you girls bundle up well1 and ,lawrence and ,i will get out the sled4 ,in a few minutes the boys came running up to the door with the sled1 and as soon as the girls were well tucked in1 they took hold of the rope and pranced off like wild horses4 ,there was a full moon1 and they could see the road perfectly4 ,the air was crisp and clear1 and the snow shone and sparkled like diamonds4 ,it seems like a winter fairyland1 said ,dorothy4 ,let's keep watch for the fairies4 ,they ought to come trooping across the fields dressed in pretty white furs1 and dance under the trees to the music of sleigh-bells4 ,the sled seemed to fairly fly over the snow1 and when they came to the top of the long hill1 the boys jumped on and they all went coasting down1 with shouts of laughter4 ,up and down1 up and down they went2 and such fun as they did have6 ,of course they stayed out much longer than they meant to2 but at last ,rachel said1 ,it must be getting late4 ,father was coming home at ten1 and he will wonder what has become of us4 ,the boys trotted home again more slowly1 and as they came in sight of the house they saw that ,mr4 ,hawley had already arrived before them4 ,the rooms downstairs were brightly lighted1 and when they passed the living-room windows they saw him hurrying to and fro as if he were busy about some work4 ,here we are1 ,father1 called ,leland4 ,we've been out coasting4 ,and we've had such a good time6 added ,dorothy4 ,then1 as she entered the living-room1 she exclaimed in amazement3 ,what is the matter1 ,uncle ,henry8 ,what have you been doing in here8 ,her uncle crossed the room and opened the windows4 ,then he took off his hat and overcoat1 and wiped great beads of perspiration from his face1 while the children stood in the doorway looking around at the disordered room4 ,when ,i came home the house was on fire1 he answered1 and ,i've had a pretty busy time for the last ten minutes4 ,you children must have left a log burning on the hearth1 and a spark flew out and set the rug on fire4 ,then the table and one of the chairs caught fire from the rug1 and if ,i hadn't come home just when ,i did1 we might not have had any home by this time4 ,it was my fault1 ,father1 spoke up ,leland4 ,rachel wanted to bury the log in the ashes2 but ,i told her it wouldn't do any harm to leave it burning4 ,i suppose it was partly my fault1 too1 said ,mr4 ,hawley4 ,i've always intended to buy a wire screen for this fireplace4 ,it is never safe to go out of the room and leave an open fire4 ,when we go to town to-morrow to buy a new rug1 we will buy a screen and a fender1 too4 ,and the next time we light a fire on the hearth1 added ,lawrence1 we'll stay at home and take care of it1 even if it is a moonlight night and we do want to go coasting4 ,why did ,lawrence and ,dorothy enjoy the ,new ,england winter8 ,what did the children do after ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,hawley went away8 ,why did ,rachel put out the lights before leaving the house8 ,what accident happened as a result of leaving a burning log in the fireplace8 ,how could this accident have been prevented8 ,it is never safe to have an open fire in a fireplace unless it is protected with a wire screen4 ,sparks often fly from the burning wood and set fire to rugs1 draperies1 and clothing1 or sometimes a blazing log rolls out on to the floor4 ,if it is necessary to leave the fire before it is entirely burned out1 the logs may be taken from the andirons and buried in the ashes4 ,this should always be done before the fire is left for the night1 as a change of wind might cause a smouldering log to become a dangerous firebrand4 ,,christmas ,,candles ,it was ,christmas ,eve1--the happiest1 merriest time in all the year1--and no one need look at a calendar to know it4 ,the shop windows were full of gifts and toys of every description1 and in some of the larger shops jolly old ,santa ,claus himself was waiting to shake hands with the boys1 or pat the curly heads of the little girls4 ,crowds of people were hurrying to and fro on the streets1 their arms filled with packages of all shapes and sizes4 ,here was a man carrying a doll carriage1 and a woman with a tiny wheelbarrow4 ,there was a girl with a pair of snowshoes1 and a boy with a ,christmas-tree over his shoulder2 but no matter how heavy were the bundles1 or how crowded the streets1 everyone seemed happy1 and ,merry ,christmas6 ,merry ,christmas to you6 was heard on every side in friendly greeting4 ,just enough snow had fallen to bring out the sleighs1 and the jingling sleigh-bells added their merry music to the ,christmas gayety4 ,the air was clear and crisp1 and beyond the city streets1 with their glare of electricity1 the stars shone with a clear light1 just as the ,star of the ,east shone so many centuries ago upon the little ,babe of ,bethlehem4 ,yes1 ,christmas was everywhere4 ,it shone from the stars1 and from the happy faces of the children2 and it made the whole world glad with the gladness of giving4 ,in the little town of ,lindale1 just as in all the other towns and cities1 there was the greatest excitement4 ,the houses were brightly lighted1 people were hurrying to and fro in the streets1 doors were carefully opened and closed1 stockings were hung beside the chimneys1 and ,christmas trees were decorated with tinsel and candles and loaded with gifts for young and old4 ,but in the big brick church in the center of the town was the best ,christmas tree of all4 ,it stood on the floor and held its head up to the very ceiling1 where a star gleamed with a golden light like the brightest star in the sky4 ,the branches were covered with frost that sparkled like diamonds1 and under the trees were heaped big snowbanks of white cotton4 ,ropes of tinsel and strings of popcorn were twined in and out in long festoons1 and tiny ,christmas candles were set everywhere among the branches4 ,big dolls and little dolls peeped out through the green leaves1 and here and there were ,teddy bears1 white rabbits1 curly-haired puppies1 woolly lambs1 parrots on their perches1 and canaries in tiny cages1--all toys1 of course1 but toys so wonderfully made that they looked as if they were really and truly alive4 ,illustration3 ,photograph by ,underwood ,underwood1 ,n4 ,y4 ,fire ,drill for the ,firemen ,piled high on the banks of snow were the ,christmas gifts1 big packages and little ones1 all in white paper tied with red and green ribbons2 and when the candles were lighted the whole tree looked as if it had been brought from fairyland and set down here to make the children happy4 ,this tree1 with all its gifts and decorations1 had been arranged by the pupils and teachers of the ,sunday-school for the little children of the ,lindale ,mission4 ,for two or three months these ,willing ,helpers1 as they called themselves1 had devoted all their spare minutes to getting everything ready4 ,they had contributed toys and games1 they had earned the money for some of the gifts1 they had brought tinsel and gilded nuts from home1 they had strung the popcorn1 and1 best of all1 they had spent two happy evenings decorating the tree and tying up the packages4 ,now1 at last1 it was ,christmas ,eve4 ,at seven o'clock the church bells began to peal out their merriest welcome1 and from all the houses came boys and girls with their fathers and mothers1 eager to enjoy the pleasure of making others happy4 ,the little children of the ,mission school were gathered in the chapel1 and when everything was ready the doors were thrown wide open and they came marching in to see the tree4 ,as they moved slowly up the long aisle toward their seats in the front of the church1 they sang a ,christmas carol1 keeping time with their marching2 and their childish voices made the very rafters ring with joy4 ,the church bells pealed out once more1 and a little boy at the head of the procession jingled some sleigh-bells1 while every one joined in the chorus of the song3-- ,merry1 merry1 merry1 merry ,christmas bells1 ,oh6 sweetly1 sweetly1 chime2 ,let your happy voices on the breezes swell1 ,this merry1 merry ,christmas time4 ,the ,sunday-school pupils answered with another carol1 and the superintendent made a little speech of welcome4 ,then1 when the children were all on tiptoe with excitement1 there was a loud jangling of bells in the street1 a stamping of feet at the door1 and in came ,santa ,claus himself1 with his great fur coat1 his long white beard1 and a heavy pack on his back4 ,behind him came six pages1 dressed in red and white1 with little packs on their backs4 ,they ran up and down the aisles1 giving bags of candy to the children1 and all the while the ,christmas candles burned lower and lower1 the tiny flames danced and flickered1 the hat wax melted and dripped from bough to bough4 ,at last the superintendent of the ,sunday-school began giving out the presents1 and some of the teachers went to help him4 ,santa ,claus himself called out the names1 and the children ran up to receive their gifts from his hands4 ,in the midst of all this joy and happiness everyone forgot the lighted candles1 until suddenly some one screamed1 ,fire1 fire6 ,the tree is on fire6 ,then what a commotion there was6 ,men ran forward to put out the blaze1 but it was so high up that no one could reach it4 ,two or three boys hurried down to the cellar for the step-ladder1 several men ran to get pails of water1 women snatched up their little children and took them into the street1 hatless and coatless1 while the teachers gathered up the few remaining gifts and tried to calm their frightened pupils4 ,in less time than it takes to tell it1 the boys came rushing upstairs with a step-ladder1 men came back with buckets of water1 and ,santa ,claus climbed up to put out the fire which was running swiftly from one branch to another4 ,in his hurry he knocked off another candle1 it dropped into the white cotton and set the snowbanks blazing2 but there were plenty of men to put out the flames before they could do any damage4 ,when the fire was all out1 and the children had gone home1 and were tucked safely in their little beds1 the tree was left standing alone in the dark church4 ,but it no longer looked as if it had come from fairyland4 ,all the upper branches were burned off1 wet strings of tinsel and popcorn drooped from the ends of the boughs1 the gold star was black with smoke1 and the snowbanks seemed to have suffered from a ,january thaw4 ,the next morning some of the fathers and mothers came to clear away the remains of the festivity and its disaster1 and the children came to help them4 ,we'll never have another ,christmas-tree as long as we live1 declared one of the older girls4 ,oh1 yes1 we will1 her brother told her4 ,we'll have one next year for the ,mission children2 but we shall know better than to have it lighted with candles4 ,or1 if we do use candles1 added one of the teachers1 we'll have six boys to watch them every minute1 and we will put out every one before we distribute a single gift4 ,that's right1 said a voice that sounded very much like that of ,santa ,claus2 this fire has taught us a good lesson1 but it came very near spoiling all our happiness4 ,no one can be too careful of fire where there are so many little children4 ,one child's life is worth more than all the ,christmas candles in the world4 ,what is the happiest day of the year for children8 ,when is ,christmas ,day8 ,what do you do on ,christmas ,eve8 ,have you ever had a ,christmas tree8 ,how was it decorated8 ,why is it dangerous to light it with candles8 ,why is it dangerous to use cotton to represent frost and snow8 ,how was this fire caused8 ,how could it have been avoided8 ,christmas candles cause many fires4 ,a ,christmas tree should be fastened firmly so that it cannot be upset4 ,it should not be decorated with paper1 cotton1 or any other inflammable material4 ,cotton should not be used to represent frost or snow1 as it catches fire easily4 ,if the snow effect is desired1 asbestos or mineral wool can be used with safety4 ,the candles should be set upright in the holders1 and should be placed so that they cannot set fire to the branches above4 ,they should never be lighted by children4 ,they should be watched constantly1 and should be extinguished before the gifts are distributed1 as they sometimes set fire to clothing4 ,this more frequently happens if the person who distributes the gifts is dressed as ,santa ,claus1 as his long beard and the cotton fun on his red coat and cap are especially inflammable4 ,electricity is a safer method of lighting a ,christmas tree4 ,wiring is now especially prepared which can be easily applied to the tree1 and connected to the chandelier like an ordinary electric lamp4 ,bulbs in the shapes of birds1 animals1 clowns1 etc41 make the tree very attractive4 ,,what ,,to ,,do ,,in ,,case ,,of ,,fire ,in case of fire it is necessary above all things to keep cool4 ,try not to get excited1 and so waste precious moments in running about to no purpose4 ,act quickly1 but keep your mind on what you are doing4 ,if it is only a little blaze1 throw water on the thing that is burning1 try to smother the flames with a heavy rug1 or beat them out with a wet broom4 ,if oil is burning1 never pour on water1 as this only spreads the oil and makes matters worse4 ,for an oil fire use sand1 earth from flower-pots1 or big panfuls of flour4 ,if the fire is well started and you see at once that you cannot put it out alone1 call for help by shouting ,fire6 at the door or window where some one will be likely to hear you4 ,then summon the fire department4 ,the best way to do this is to run to the nearest fire-alarm box1 break the glass which will release the key1 then unlock the door and pull down the hook4 ,this rings the alarm at the engine-house4 ,everyone should know the location of the nearest box1 and the way to ring the alarm4 ,if you can send some one else to ring the alarm1 telephone to the nearest fire station4 ,the number of this station should always hang in a conspicuous place near your telephone4 ,if there is no fire alarm system1 and you have no telephone1 shout ,fire6 and arouse the neighbors4 ,if you leave the house to summon help1 be sure to close the door4 ,fresh air will make the flames burn faster1 and spread more rapidly4 ,if the fire is in one room1 try to keep it there by closing the doors and windows4 ,if it is in a closet1 shut the door until you can get help4 ,in this way you may save the whole house from burning4 ,after you have given the alarm try to save what you can4 ,valuable papers should be taken care of first2 then jewelry1 silverware1 heirlooms1 and anything you especially treasure4 ,think about what you are doing4 ,don't waste time trying to save a looking-glass or clock1 when you might put a handful of expensive silverware in your pocket4 ,if you are awakened in the night by the smell of smoke or the crackling of fire1 do not stop to dress4 ,wrap yourself in a blanket or quilt1 and waken everyone in the house1 remembering especially little children and sick or aged people4 ,then1 after you have called the fire department1 find out where the fire is and what it is best to do4 ,if the fire is on the lower floor1 do not go upstairs1 as you might be unable to come down again4 ,if the halls are filled with smoke1 you can pass through them more easily by crawling on your hands and knees1 for the smoke and hot air rise toward the ceiling1 and the air is cooler and purer near the floor4 ,if it is necessary for you to go into a room that is filled with dense smoke1 tie a wet towel or sponge over your nose and mouth4 ,if you have no time to do this1 hold a heavy woollen cloth over the lower part of your face1 or1 at least1 turn up your coat collar4 ,if the lower part of the house is on fire1 and you cannot go down the stairs1 prepare to escape through the window1 but do not jump out recklessly4 ,first of all1 close the door to keep out the fire and smoke as long as possible4 ,then drop the mattresses and pillows to the ground so that they will form a break in case you should fall4 ,if possible tie the sheets and blankets firmly together to make a rope4 ,fasten it securely to the bed-post1 after you have drawn the bed close to the window1 and then1 when it is absolutely necessary1 let yourself down1 hand over hand4 ,this is a dangerous method of escape1 and should only be used as a last resort4 ,try to wait for the firemen to rescue you4 ,if you see a fire anywhere1 no matter how small1 it is always best to give it immediate attention4 ,if it is only a burning match or cigarette stump1 step on it4 ,if it is a fire in leaves1 grass1 or brush1 put it out yourself or call for help4 ,if it is in a house1 notify the occupants at once1 as they may not know anything about it4 ,if the house is unoccupied1 or the family is away from home1 call the fire department4 ,if a barn or stable is on fire1 the first thing to do is to save the live stock4 ,after the fire is all out1 the next care should be to protect the house and its contents from further damage by fire or theft1 and to carry articles which have been taken out to a place of safety4 ,,first ,,aid ,if a person's clothing is on fire1 he should neither run nor scream1 as running fans the flames1 and screaming causes deep breathing1 thereby drawing the intense heat into the lungs4 ,to extinguish the flames wrap the person tightly in a rug1 blanket1 or heavy woollen coat1 and roll him upon the floor4 ,this method is much more effective than using water4 ,often a person whose clothing is on fire will resist any efforts to aid him1 owing to his intense fright4 ,when the flesh is burned or scalded1 the first object of treatment is to relieve the pain4 ,this is best accomplished by excluding all air from contact with the injured surface1 either by dredging the part thickly with flour1 if the skin is not broken1 or by applying bandages4 ,the best bandages are made of lint1 cotton1 or soft cloths moistened with water1 or1 better still1 with water to which a little baking-soda has been added4 ,illustration3 ,copyright #aijf4 ,pillsbury ,picture ,co4 ,fire raging through the deserted streets in ,san ,francisco ,be especially careful to remove all clothing covering a burn with the utmost care4 ,never try to pull it off4 ,cut it away1 a tiny piece at a time1 if necessary1 so that the skin may not be broken and thus cause a more serious wound4 ,never hold a burn in front of the fire1 as this only makes matters worse4 ,as soon as the clothing has been removed apply the bandages1 and if the burn is at all serious send for a physician4 ,if the person receives serious burns1 he may become faint or lose consciousness from the effect of the shock to the nervous system4 ,if this occurs1 lay him flat on the floor or couch2 preserve all body heat by covering him with warm clothing2 apply cool applications to his head and heat to his feet4 ,,artificial ,,respiration ,if a person is overcome by inhaling smoke1 it may be necessary to resort to artificial respiration4 ,this is done as follows3 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #a4 ,lay the person to be treated flat on his back4 ,then kneel behind his head1 grasp both arms near the elbow1 and move them horizontally1 carrying them away from the body and describing a semicircle until the hands meet above the head1 as in ,fig4 #a4 ,when this position has been reached1 give the arms a steady pull for two seconds4 ,by doing this the lungs are filled with air1 because the ribs are drawn upward1 thereby increasing the capacity of the chest4 ,the next step is to return the arms to the first position alongside the chest1 as in ,fig4 #b1 making considerable pressure against the lower ribs1 and thereby forcing the impure air out of the lungs4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4 ,this whole act should occupy three or four seconds and be repeated sixteen times per minute4 ,do not abandon this work until it is definitely certain that the heart has ceased to beat4 ,,transcriber',s ,,notes3 ,text in italics is surrounded by underscores3 italics4 ,inconsistencies in hyphenation have been retained from the original4