Explore "A Dampened Ardor" by Ambrose Bierce on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
The Chinatown at Bakersfield / Was blazing bright and high; / The flames to water would not yield, / Though torrents drenched the sky / And drowned the ground for miles around -- / The houses were so dry.
Then rose an aged preacher man / Whom all did much admire, / Who said: "To force on you my plan / I truly don't aspire, / But streams, it seems, might quench these beams / If turned upon the fire."
The fireman said: "This hoary wight / His folly dares to thrust / On "us"! 'Twere well he felt our might -- / Nay, he shall feel our must!" / With jet of wet and small regret / They laid that old man's dust.