Landing the Hose Reel

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Frederick Warren, the New York millionaire, has a liking for Bloom Center, the little rural village where he was born and reared. Warren frequently donates funds for Bloom Center's public enterprises. The Ladies' Art Embroidery Club holds a meeting in Melodeon Hall to discuss the need of a new hose reel for the Bloom Center Fire Department and Ira Pash, postmaster, is deputized to write Warren for money with which to purchase the apparatus. Warren and his daughter, Amy, read the letter and Warren notifies Bloom Center that if the inhabitants will raise half the required sum that he will donate the balance. Warren also instructs his daughter to visit Bloom Center, without revealing her identity and to ascertain whether or not the villagers appreciate his liberality. Amy arrives in Bloom Center and poses as a young lady with literary talents. She makes friends with Margaret Tate, editress of the Bloom Center Weekly Bugle. Amy's stylish garments and city manners create a sensation among the masculine gender of Bloom Center and incite the spirit of envy among the women. Warren's offer to donate half the money for the purchase of fire-fighting equipment occasions caustic comment among certain of the unappreciative villagers, but others prepare to seek ways and means to raise the necessary sum. A tax on whiskers is one method devised and rather than pay a dollar and continue to wear whiskers, many make a concerted rush for the Bloom Center tonsorial artist. A Lawn fete and other mediums are also employed. During the course of proceedings, Constable Plum plots to hold up auto speeders, but Chubby Green changes the sign much to the discomfiture of Constable Plum, who also gets into the bad graces of Mrs. Plum by acting the Gay Lothario to Amy. Amy, after participating in many of the endeavors of the villagers to raise the money writes to her father that it cannot be done and so Warren sends a check for the necessary amount. When the hose reel is purchased, Warren arrives and introduces Amy as his daughter, much to the consternation of those who had maligned her. A trial run of the hose reel is decided upon by Fire Chief Pash. Chubby Green and his boy friends start many false alarms and when Constable Plum discovers that Fire Chief Pash's home is really and truly burning down that functionary chides Plum for trying to pull a childish joke. He refuses to budge. However when the Fire Chief goes home, resplendent in helmet and boots, he is astounded to find that his dwelling is a smoldering mass of ruins.