Volume 2 — The Roosevelt Bears put out a FIRE

One day the Bears took trolley rides

With Muddy Pete and Cribs for guides.

The car was open; they enjoyed the air;

They helped the conductor collect the fare,

And pulled the bell to start or stop,

And fixed the trolley pole on top,

And put on the brakes and rang the gong

When teams in front didn’t move along.

But they got in trouble when TEDDY-G

Climbed on the roof of the car to see

The working of the electricity.

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“But they got in trouble when TEDDY-G climbed on the roof of the car to see the working of the electricity.”

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Copyright, 1907, by Edward Stern & Co., Inc. “They climbed up ladders in clouds of smoke, And lifted hose and windows broke.”

XVI

What it was that hit him he didn’t know,

But it hit so smart TEDDY-G let go

And tumbled off a dozen feet

From the trolley top down to the street.

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The car was stopped; TEDDY-B got out

To see what the trouble was all about;

The conductor gave expert advice;

Muddy Pete replied with words not nice;

While Cribs stood round as if to say

“Let us try it again some other day.”

“The thing that struck me,” said TEDDY-G,

As he walked to the curb on hand and knee.

“Struck me all over, outside and in,

At every place like a prodding pin,

And burned like fire and did all so quick

I hadn’t time to learn the trick.”

“Let the car go on,” said TEDDY-B,

“We’ll stay right here this town to see

And get some lunch and look around,

And walk up that hill to that college ground,

And climb that pole on the public square

And show the children playing there

That the Roosevelt Bears have been to school

And know A B C by rote and rule.”

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“You may go yourself,” said TEDDY-G,

“And see the town, but as for me,

I climbed one pole to-day before

And it left my bones a trifle sore.

I’ll stay right here and rest a bit

The several places where I got hit.”

While thus they talked Muddy Pete and Cribs

Went off to buy some roasted ribs

And fried potatoes and muffins hot

And three cups of coffee in a pot.

As they ate their lunch they heard a ring,

Both quick and loud: ding! ding! ding! ding!

“A fire! fire!” cried Muddy Pete,

And off the four ran down the street.

TEDDY-G forgot about electricity

And ran as fast as TEDDY-B.

XIXThey found the fire in a dry goods store

And making its way towards three or four

Of the largest shops on the busiest street:

A clothing house and a store with meat,

And a great big grocery on the right

And not a fireman yet in sight.

The firemen’s hall was across the street

And in half a minute Captain Muddy Pete

Had told some boys that the job was theirs

And had given orders to the Roosevelt Bears

About the wagons and reel and hose,

And hooks and ladders and firemen’s clothes.

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Muddy Pete.

“I’ve seen a thousand fires,” said he,

“And I know this thing from A to Z.

Slap on those togs: they fit you slick;

Boost out the reel; get busy quick;

Hitch up that rubber to that spouter there;

Twist round the stopper and let ’er tear.

Hang on to that nozzle, you TEDDY-G,

And point it straight at the fire you see.”

XXI

“Up to a roof with hose in hand And on the ridge to take his stand.”

“Now let ’er go!” and with swishing stroke

The water struck the fire and smoke.

In sixty seconds the Roosevelt team

Were pouring water, a steady stream,

On the blazing store and the crowd near-by,

Making women run, and children cry.

XXII

TEDDY-G.

Captain Muddy Pete took full command

And told the Bears just where to stand,

And what to do and where to go,

And to point the nozzle high or low.

They climbed up ladders in clouds of smoke,

And lifted hose and windows broke,

And carried goods out to the street,

And burned their ears and scorched their feet.

They saved two boys from the highest floor

Who were in a room and had locked the door.

The wind was blowing both hard and high,

And it carried fire to roofs near-by.

TEDDY-G was ordered by Muddy Pete

To carry a ladder across the street,

And go up to a roof with hose in hand,

And on the ridge to take his stand,

And turn the hose all round about

Till every fire he could see was out.

And thus they worked like trained firemen

Till there wasn’t a spark where the fires had been.

TEDDY-B.

The man that owned the dry goods store

Took the Bears to his home for an hour or more

And Cribs and Pete for cream and cake

And offered them cash which they wouldn’t take.

He ordered a carriage with coachman swell,

To take them back to their hotel,

And promised to print in the local press

Their pictures large in firemen’s dress.

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And a full report of the fire that day

And the things he heard the towns-folk say

About bravery shown and the speed they made:

Captain Muddy Pete and his fire brigade.

Said TEDDY-B, in their room that night,

“One fire a day is enough to fight;

I’m stiff and tired and burned and sore;

I’m going to sleep a week or more,

And read in bed and play I’m sick

Till I get tired of doing the trick.”

Said TEDDY-G, as he put out the light,

“You fought one fire; I had two to fight;

But I’d rather play with a house afire

Them fool again with an electric wire.”

But long before they went to sleep

They outlined plans next day to keep:

The Hippodrome and the Wax Musee

Were things they surely had to see.

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