The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-01-19
A BRAVE CRIPPLE.

"He knows that no feller'll hit him
cause he's so small an he's only got
one leg, so he does Jest what he pleases
1 do 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 him
self."Y
81 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 game of marbles in the
school-house yard, hoping to be able to
conclude it before the study bell should
ring. 1t was Just when he was almost
certain of victory that Amos Patten,
poor little fellow who had lost his leg
two years before by being thrown in
front of q 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 if 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 coward,
that's what you are, Am. Patten, an
I've good mind to hit you anyway,
jest SOS to let you see that you can't do
what you want to. If | was such II
sneak as you are, I'd hide myself SOS
the other fellers couldn't see me.
1t is impossible to say what other
hard words Fred might have spoken,
for just then he felt a 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
governable 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'm serve him out tonight" he
whispered to Willis Rich as he passed
him in the ante-room. "He's always
trying to show off smart, an even if he
is a cripple 1 believe I'll give him a 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
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 a
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 to be 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
that he himself failed even to under
stand
''I'll 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. ''rll 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 very sulky mood, resolved that
| he would pay no attention to his studies
until he had ''fixed" 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
cry from the street below.
"Fire Fire - rang out on the air,
and in 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 studous pupils became terrified be-
yond control with but the single
thought of seeking safety by fight, 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.