Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-02-02


OF the floor and the instant the dread
alarm had been given from the out
side, every one knew that the school
house was on fire beneath him.
/ Then came such q scene as has
been too often described in the daily
papers; the students became terrified
beyond control, with but the single
thought Of seeking safety by flight
and without giving heed to the in
juries 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, increasing each
moment could be heard the roaring
of the flames below that had gained
such headways before they were dis
covered.
Already could the heat be felt
through the thin floor, aud, 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 lift
ed directly from his feet by the press
of those around him, and, dimly
conscious that little Alice was some-
where in that maddened throng, he
was carried towards the door unable
TO do anything towards saving her,
even had he been calm enough to
think of rescue.
Half an hour passed-thirty ter
rible 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 suffocated 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, but hoping al
most against hope, that she had es-
capped 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 he ran wildly
forward, knowing, even as he did SO,
that he could not aid her If she had
been in the burning building uncar-
ed for all that time.
In the street chers, 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 ex-
pense Of his own life, her head had
been covered by a boys jacket, and
in moment after it was removed
she revived from the swoon, show
ing that she at least had escaped I'M
injured.
And this other, this boy who had
cared for her without thought of
was none other than little
Amos Patten, sneak and coward, az
Fred had called him. Needless OF
the poor cripple had protect
ed the child with his own body, re-
ceiving the blows from the feet Of
his terrified school mates, until the
life had been crushed from his de-
formed frame, and he had proven
that he did not deserve the epithets
Fred had SO cruelty applied to him.
Brave among the bravest, he had
given his life for hers; but his re-
ward, as his soul went out from the
poor little mangled body to his
Father In Heaven, was sufficient.
Is 1t necessary to speak Of Fred's
remorseP Is it necessary to say
that the mound in the village
church-yard was often watered by
the tears Of the boy who, when it
was too lato, would have suffered
anything IL, by 30 doing, he could
have unsaid the cruel words ?
\ The remembrance Of that mound,
and Of him whose body sleeps be-
meath the sod, has ever been suffi-
Gent to teach Fred that che who