MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13160, 25 April 1906, Page 3

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

f FUSS AND FEATHERS. The men on the look-out tower at the Fire * Station. Eastern Hill, Melbourne, on a recent Sunday night saw sparks and smoke issuing from the roof of a big drapery store at the corner of Elizabeth and Bourke Street?. The alarm was given, and owing lo the importance of the situation Chief Officer Stein turned out a particularly strong force of appliances and men. As the speedy 5 motor chemical, followed by the big horse ' chemical, several smoking steamers, spitting £ smoke and sparks, hose carts and ladder cars riage, filled with gear and brass helmeted t firemen, dashed up to the Post Office corner. 1 a great crowd of )>eople assembled, and see- ' ing no cause for the unusual display fell to " asking each other the inevitable question, p, What's up?" Meanwhile the firemen, - having gained an entrance through first floor 1 windows, and finding 110 fire, made their ' way to the roof, and also found nothing till one located a faint light issuing from an open trap door in an adjacent roof. Making , his way towards it. he was astonished to see a rope ladder dangling downwards, and taking a cautious glance down he caught a glimpse of a figure moving furtively about, >. and stopping occasionally to stuff something 'I in a bag. This was plainly a job for detecg fives rather than firemen, and hastening i. down the fireman briefly related the facts to !• the chief officer. He telephoned for deteca. tives, and several plain clothes men attended n smartly. Descending Ihe ladder they seized d the mysterious man at the foot of it. He " was amazed at the unceremonious entry of 1 the fierce-looking posse, who made terrifying ["j movements towards their hip pickets, but ,7 finally he was able, when he could gel a i- word in edgeways, to explain deferentially t that lie was the kitchouiuaii employed at a » restaurant below, and that he was engaged " in doing nothing more dishonest than rob- ? hing dead fowls of their feathers, putting " 0 flour on their breasts, and otherwise preparing ■them for the table. Owing to want, of space in the garrett a good many of his requisites were stored on the roof, and he used the rope ladder to reach them. He had t bije-n singeing >c,ine of the defunct fowls in a e fire ma<• of deal and other inflammable e stuff that, had sent rip a thick smoke and p sparks from the chimney. The brigade " went, away thoughtful, and the police put if an amount of vigour into their operations of » dispersing the crowd that seemed quite nils ueeess-arv —but the crowd didn't know the e f..ts