Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-02-01

10.
"But Amos didn't mean to hit the
marbles; his crutch slipped on that
smooth stone, an he couldn't help him.
self.
q don't believe anything of the kind.
l was lookin' right at him when he
come along, an | could see him try to
do it,
Fred Barlow was making an exhibit
ton of his temper such as was not At all
creditable to him. With several of his
most intimate friends he has been en-
gagged in 4 game of marbles in the
school-houSe yard, hoping to be able IL
conclude it before the study bell should
ring. 1t was Just when he was almost
certain of victory that Amos Patten, a
poor little fellow who had lost his lee
two years before by being thrown in
front of a moving machine. passed by,
stumbling just in front of the collec-
ton of agates, marbles and alleys, and
dispensing them in every direction with
his crutch
Even while Fred spoke he lifted his
hand as ii to strike Amos, and as the
cripple shrank away from him as if in
fear of the blow, the angry boy added:
YOU'RE regular sneak and a coward,
that's what you are, Am. Patten, an
I've a good mind to hit you anyway,
jest SOS to let you see that you can't do
what you want to. If l was such n
sneak rs you are, I'd hide myself so S
the other fcllers couldn't see me.
1t is impossible to say what other
hard words Fred might have spoken,
for just then he felt tiny hand thrust
into his, and he turned to greet his little
sister Alice, whom he thought was the
most wonderful and lovable child in the
world. She was the only one who could
check his temper, which was almost I'M
goveInablc because he had never at
tempted to restrain it, and on this occa-
sion he contented himself by making one
more threatening gesture towards Amos,
after which he walked into the school
house with his sister.
"I'll serve him out tonight he
whispered to Willis Rich rs he passed
him in the ante-room. Hes always
trying to show off smart, an even if he
is a cripple | believe Ill give him u les
son that he won't forget"
As Fred thus decided that he would
punish Amos for what was undoubtedly
an accident, he walked to his seat with
an assumption of manly dignity about
him which would have caused him q
certain feeling of shame if he could have
seen it as others did. TO his mind,
Whipping another boy, even though that
one could not defend himself, was y
very manly thing to do, and instead of
being thoroughly ashamed of his dis
play of temper he was inclined to look
upon it as something 10 he proud of.
Even if Amos could not join his
schoolmates in their sports, he could
outStrip them in their studies. and dur
ing that forenoon Fred felt several
times that he had fresh cause of COM
plant against him, as Amos answered,
very readily, questions in the classes
stand.
III fix him." Fred muttered, as he
went back to his desk, after having
failed signally in his natural history
lesson and Amos had been openly COM
plimented by the teacher. 'Tll teach
him as soon as [ get him out in the
yard, an then l guess he won't think
himself so awful smart"
Then Fred sat looking down at the
floor in very sulky mood, resolved that
he would pay no attention to his studies
until he had '.fxed'' Amos, his desire
for revenge growing stronger and
stronger each moment, until thin curl
of what appeared to be blue dust at
tracted his attention. 1t was so small
that he would hardly have noticed it if
he had not been gazing intently at the
floor, and, even while he was trying TO
decide what it was, he heard shrill
crv from the street below,
'sFire Fire p rang out on the air.
and iii an instant the scene in the school
room was completely changed.
There had been more than one of
these blue rings, such as Fred had
seen. creeping up through the cracks
of the floor, and the instant the dread
alarm had been given from the outside,
every one knew that the school house
was on fire beneath him.
Then came such scene as has been
too often described in the daily papers;
the studious pupils became terrified be-
yond control, with but the single
thought of seeking safety by flight, and
without giving heed to the injuries
caused by their mad rush. The larger
pupils, frantic with fear, ran madly in
the direction of the door, trampling on
the smaller and weaker ones, while, in
creasing each moment, could be heard
the roaring of the flames below that had
gained such Roadway before they were
discovered.
Already could the heat be felt through
the thin floor, and, as the fire burst
through the wall at the back of the
room, the rush became more furious,
until the teachers were powerless to do
anything to stay it.
1t seemed to Fred as if he was lifted
directly from his feet by the press of
those around him, and, dimly conscious
that little Alice was somewhere in that
maddened throng, he was carried to-
wards the door, unable to do anything
towards saving her, even had be been
calm enough TO think of rescue.
Half an hour passed--thirty terrible
minutes, during which it would have
been impossible for Fred to have told
what he did or said, and then the flames
were under control. All this time the
work of rescuing the tiny ones who had
been trampled down, half sufocated or
bruised by their stronger school-mates,
had been carried on. No one but men
were allowed to enter the burning
building, and Fred stood as close to the
door as possible. waiting until he should
see Alice, blu. hoping almost against
hope, that she had escaped before the
more terrible rush had been made. His
throat was dry, his tongue parched so
that it was impossible for him TO speak,
while his eyes burned and smarted with
unshed tears.
Then in the arms of the two men he
saw two figures, one Of whom he knew
was his sister, because of the dress she
wore, and be ran wildly forward, know
ing, even as he did so, that he could not
aid her If she had been in the burning
building uncared for AL that time.
In the stretchers, hastily prepared
for the little sufferers, Alice was placed,
and then Fred saw that she was closely
locked in the embrace of another. whose
bleeding form told that he had shielded
her at the expense of his own life.
her head had been covered by boys
jacket, and in 3 moment after it was re-
moved she revived from the sWoon.
showing that she Is least had escaped
uniniured.