The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-01-19
NUMBER IA.

the roaring Of the flames below that had
gained such Roadway before they were
discovered
Already could theheat 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 IL.
II seemed To Fred as if he was lifted
directly from his feet by the press of
those around him, and, dlmly 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.
Halt an hour passed--thirty terrible
minutes, dur which it would have
been impossible for Fred to have told
what he Il d or said, and then the flames
were under control. All this time tho
work OF rescuing the tiny ones who had
been tramp'ea down, half suflocated or
bruised by their stronger school-mates.
had been carried on. No one but men
We're allowed to enter the burning
building, and Fred stood as close to the
door MS possible, waiting until he should
see Alice, but hoping almost against
hope, that she had escaped before tho
more terrible rush had been made His
throat was dry, his tongue parched SO
that il was impossible for him to speak,
while his cves 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, know
| ing, even Us ne did so, that no could not
| aid her If she had been in tho burning
building uncared for all 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 Mt the expense OF his own life.
her head had been covered by boys
| jacket, and in o moment after 1t was res
moved she revived from the swoon,
showing that she at least had escaped
uninjurcd
And this other, this boy who had
cared for her without thought of him.
self, was none other than little Amos
Patten, sneak and coward, as Fred had
called him. Needless of himself, the
poor cripple had protected the child
with his own body, receiving the blows
from the feet OF his terrified school,
mates, until the life had been crushed
from his deformed frame, and he had
proven that he did not deserve the cpl
thets Fred had so cruelty applied to
him. Brave among the bravcst, he had
given his life for hers but his reward,
rs 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 re-
morscp Is II necessary 10 say that tho
mound in the village churcb-yard was
often watered by the tears OF the boy
who, when il was too late, would have
suffered anything II, by so doing, he
could have unsaid the cruel wordsP
The remembrance Of that mound, and
Of him whose body sleeps beneath the
sod, has ever been sufficient to teach
Fred that "he who ruleth his spirit IL
better than he who taketh city;" and
when his anger rises within him, he
thinks of brave little Amos, and then
gives the "soft answer that s'turneth
away wrath. "--Jan,cs OTIS, IN Congre-
nationalist.