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

I "He knows that no feller'll hit
him cause he's so small an he's only
got one leg, so he does just what he
pleases. hate cripples, cause they
think they can do jest about as they
want to-"
"But Amos didn't mean to hit the
marbles: his crutch slipped on that
smooth stone, an he couldn't help
himself"
II don't believe anything of the
kind. l was looking right at him
when he come along, an / could see
him try to do it."
Fred Barlow was making an ex.
hibition of his temper such as was
not at all creditable to him. With
several of his most intimate friends
he has been engaged in game of
marbles in the school-house yard,
hoping to be able to conclude before
the study bell should ring. 1t was
just when he was almost certain of
victory that Amos Patten, a poor
little boy who had lost his leg two
years before by being thrown In
front of a moving machine, passed
by, stumbling just in front of the
collection of agates, marbles and al
leys, and dispensing them in every
direction with his crutch.
Even while Fred spoke he lifted
his hand as If to strike Amos, and as
the cripple shrank away from him az
II in fear of the blow, the angry boy
added
YOU'RE regular sneak and a
coward, that's what you are Amos
Patten, an I've good mind to hit
you anyway, jest SOS to let you sec
that you can't do what you want to.
Ii was such sneak as you are,
would hide myself SOS the other fell
lers 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 bis, 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 ungov-
ernable because he had never at
tempted to restrain it, and on this
occasion he contented himself by
making one more threatening GEES
ture towards Amos, after which he
walked into the school-house with
his sister.
"I'll serve him out tonight" he
whispered to Willis Rich as he pass
ed him in the ante-room. "He's al
ways trying to show off smart, and
even If he is cripple / believe I'll
give him lesson 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 a certain
feeling Of shame If he could have
seen it as others did. To his mind,
another boy, even though
that one could not defend himself,
was very manly thing TO do, and
instead Of being ashamed Of his dis
play Of temper, he was inclined to
look upon it as something to be
proud Of.
Even If Amos could not join his |
schoolmates in their sports he could
outstrip them in their studies, and
during that forenoon Fred felt sev-
eral times that he had fresh cause
of complaint against him, as Amos
very readily, questions in
the classes that he himself failed to
even understand.
"I'll fix him." Fred muttered, az
he went back to his desk, after hav-
fng failed signally in his natural his
tory lesson and Amos had been open
ly complimented by the teacher. II
will teach him as soon as ! get him
out in the yard, an then guess he
won't think himself so awful SMART
Then Fred sat looking down at |
the floor in a very sulky mood, re-
solved that he would pay no atten-
ton to his studies until he had fixed
Amos, his desire for revenge grow
ing stronger and stronger each mo-
ment, until thin curl Of what ap-
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