"In 1883 the town council decided La Junta should have a fire department," Aunt Sarah said. "So the John Fisher Hose Company was organized and three of my brothers, John, Frank and Sam were some of the first firemen. I was nine years old at the time and I was so proud of them I bragged to everyone who would listen that my brothers were on the fire department. I yearned to watch them in action but when I finally got to see them at work I was sorry and mortified.

Even though I tried to be as rough as my brothers I was afraid of heights. Snakes and spiders didn't bother me too much, but I was scared to death of high places. That meant I wouldn't climb with Albert and Oscar. My brothers loved to climb but I was afraid to follow them. They were so used to me doing everything with them sometimes I think they forgot I was a girl. They tried to torment me into climbing after them but I made all sorts of excuses. When it came to heights I was a sissy.

When Mama would let me go to the river with them Albert and Oscar climbed the trees. They thought if they told me how far they could see into the distance, I'd be brave and climb with them.

"C'mon, 'fraidy cat," Oscar coaxed me. I really wanted to climb those trees something fierce so I could see what they were seeing but I couldn't do it.

"Wow," Albert would say, looking off towards the prairie. "Look at that prairie dog run."

"Somethin's chasing him," Oscar said. "Is that a dog?"

"What're they doing?" I asked, just dying to see what was happening to that prairie dog.

"Not gonna tell ya," Oscar answered. "You come up here so you can see for yourself."

"I can't," I said. Not only was I afraid to climb to high places I was scared that I'd tear my dress and petticoats on the branches. Then Mama would know I'd been climbing. Mama wouldn't think climbing was ladylike and then she might not let me go anymore. It just wasn't fair, boys could do anything. If I'd been able to wear Oscar's old pants maybe I'd have tried climbing but I wasn't sure. At least that was a good excuse.

La Junta was booming. It was becoming a fine city. All over town there were buildings and new houses going up. One summer day after morning chores were done Albert and Oscar said they were going to town.

"Can I go with them, Mama?" I begged. Mama didn't want me tagging along after them like I was a boy and I thought for sure she wasn't going to let me go. Later on I was wishing she'd kept me home. Albert and Oscar promised to keep me out of trouble -- hah! They're the ones who got me into trouble!

Mama finally said yes so we took off for town. It was about half a mile and when we got there sure enough things were bustling with action. A new building was going up right by the town square.

"I wonder what that building's gonna be." Albert rubbed his chin.

"Ain't it somethin' the way the town's growing?" Oscar said.

"Come on," Albert said. "Let's go to the back and see what we can find."

We hightailed it to the back of the building. Whatever it was, it was going to be a fine shop with two stories. The workmen were taking a rest in front in the shade of the building. No one was back there where we were.

"Look," Albert whispered. "They left their ladder."

"Let's climb it," Oscar suggested. "We can climb to the top before they get back."

"You can't," I protested looking way up. It scared me even to look up that high.

"Who says we can't?" Albert demanded.

"Maybe you can't," Oscar said, "But we can."

"Someone will catch you,"I said looking around.

"No they won't," Oscar said. "They're too busy talkin'."

"We'll be back down before they get here," Albert added.

"But they might see me standing here," I said.

"You'll have to come with us then," Albert said. "You're too honest, you'd tell on us in a minute."

"No, I wouldn't," I said.

"Yes, you would," Albert insisted. "You'll either have to climb up with us or go home by yourself."

I was shocked. "I can't." I couldn't go home by myself. Ladies couldn't walk through the streets alone. It was dangerous, there were horses and buggies, dogs and even a few pigs running around loose. It scared me to think about it. Besides Mama wouldn't let me go with them again if I came home by myself.

"Well, you make up your mind," Albert said. "We're wastin' time."

"C'mon," Oscar started climbing that ladder with Albert following him.

"Wait," I cried.

"Shh," Albert said fiercely, "If you get us in trouble we won't take you anymore."

"Wait for me," I whispered and before I knew it I started climbing that tall ladder after them. I couldn't grab my dress because I was holding on to that ladder for dear life.

So there I was climbing after my brothers in my dress and petticoats and was I scared! I just looked up at Oscar and Albert and kept climbing. I didn't dare look down, I'd have lost my nerve, maybe slipped and fell.

Well, after what seemed like hours I got to the top of the ladder and Oscar grabbed my arm to pull me onto the roof.

"Good for you, Sadie," Albert whispered. They were cheering me, but they didn't do it very loud. They didn't want the workmen seeing us and getting into trouble.

Finally I could look around and see the town.

"See Sadie," Oscar said pointing at the prairie around the town. "Ain't it grand?"

"Yeah," I agreed. If I stood on tiptoe I could see the train going past the depot. I was feeling mighty proud of myself. But then Oscar and Albert started talking about climbing down. I crept over to the ladder and looked down, it was too far. I got dizzy just looking.

"C'mon Sadie," Albert said. "Let's go."

"I can't," I crawled away from it.

"You have to," Oscar said.

"No." I started crying. "I'll fall."

"You won't," Albert insisted.

They coaxed, they begged, then they got mad at me but I wouldn't budge. I sat down and cried. If I tried to climb down I'd just fall so I'd just have to die on the top of that building. I never thought I'd have such a short life.

"You're going to get us in trouble," Oscar said. He was furious, but for once he didn't dare yell at me.

"I don't care," I cried hotly. "I'm not going to try to climb down."

The boys sat down beside me. They scratched their heads. They were getting antsy.

"Come on, Sadie," Albert coaxed. "The workmen will be here and they're gonna catch us."

"I can't," I insisted. The sun was getting hot overhead.

"I'm starvin," Oscar complained.

"Me too," Albert agreed.

Finally they gave up.

"Well, I hope you're happy," Albert grumbled. "I'm goin' to git it, bein' the oldest I always get in trouble. It ain't fair."

"I don't care," I declared.

"We'll never take you with us again," Oscar threatened and they started crawling away.

It seemed as if my tears would have filled a bucket as I watched my brothers starting to climb down. "Guess I'll never see them again," I thought.

I sat there for a long time crying. Then I heard a noise and voices. I crouched down trying to hide myself.

"We need the ladder around front," a man's voice hollered.

"Right," another man answered and I heard a scraping and then the voices got farther away. Now I'd never get down. Why had I listened to my brothers?

It was so hot and my flannel underwear was itching me. I laid down and cried some more. I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew I was startled when I felt a hand. My eyes popped open and there I was staring into a pair of eyes. It was my brother John and was I glad to see him.

"Come on Sadie," he said as he pulled me up. "Look at you, what a mess you are. Ma's going to be unhappy with you."

He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder just like I was a sack of potatoes.

I put my hand over my eyes, I guessed if I died when he fell, it would be better than scorching up in that hot sun.

But John didn't fall, he started climbing down the ladder. Someone must have brought it back. When we got to the ground I opened my eyes. Was I surprised, I think the whole town was there, including the fire department and Mama. She didn't say anything but her mouth was real puckered looking and I knew I was going to get it as soon as we got home. I was never more shamed in my life. I kept my eyes shaded. Maybe if I didn't see them the whole town would just disappear, maybe I could wish them away.

It seemed to take a long time for us to get home and Mama was bending my ear all the way.

"Oh, Sadie," she said. "How could you do such a thing?"

"I don't know Mama," I said.

"The whole town knows what a roughneck you are now," she muttered and I walked with my eyes on the ground. I had brought humiliation to my Mama.

I was really in the dog house that time. Mama had me grounded for what seemed like years. But I was lucky. Albert and Oscar were in trouble too. Papa took them out behind the woodshed, I heard a little hollering and their eyes were red when they came in.

It was a long time before Mama let me follow them again, but when I finally got out Albert and Oscar never tried to coax me to climb a tree. They believed me when I said I was scared of heights."