THE GIRTON COLLEGE FIREBRIGADE.

The New York Times treats with unseemly levity the fact that the young ladies of Girton College, England, have organized a fire brigade among themselves, and hope to do efficient service if occasion arises. These young ladies, it says, after vainly entreating Chief Shaw to form them into a fire company, have voted that he is a mean old thing, and have organized a fire company closely modeled upon those to which men belong. "That the Girton girls should endeavor to fit themselves to put out their own fires is, of course, laudable. Although there is no danger that Girton College will be set on fire by careless smokers, it is still always possible that a student absorbed in midnight study may accidentally set fire to her front hair and by hurriedly throwing it away may kindle a fire threatening the whole building.

In the event of such a case then, arrived at the fire, the fore girl will shout, as loudly as is consistent with propriety, through her speaking trumpet, and the firegirls, after putting on their rubbers and waterproofs, will connect the water pipe-for it would be hardly delicate to refer to it in public as "hose"-and turn on the water. Armed with large tack hammers, the firegirls will break open doors and windows and place step ladders against the wall of the burning building to assist the inmates to escape. That the firegirls should actually ascend the step ladders in the full gaze of the public, and while the fierce light of the fire plays about their ankles is, of course, unthinkable. Hence it is difficult to see how they could carry the hose-we should say water pipe-to the upper story of a building, and how they could render much service except in case of a fire confined strictly to the ground floor.

The truth is, the duties of a fireman and a lady are entirely incompatible, and it is not creditable that the Girton girls have resolved to imitate the typical fireman.

What they have probably done is this: They have formed a young ladies' fire company. They wear a pretty uniform, with feathers in their hats and flowing sashes of pink ribbon. They have provided themselves with neatly japanned water pots instead of a fire engine, and they have resolved when a fire breaks out to form a circle round about it, and to pour water on it from their watering pots while singing that beautiful song, "Water, bright water, for me, but gin for the masculine fire ladies:" They have signed a pledge never to go up a step ladder in public, no matter how confident any one of their number may be as to the shapeliness of her ankles, and have agreed that in case they cannot put out a fire in a ladylike way they will scream for the police, and select eligible officers with whom to faint away."