The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-02-09

"No. there's the moon over the church
steeple."
At that instant there was shout of
"Firei Firei Fire" in the street.
Cyrus and James rushed to the front
door.
1.-THE brick schoolhouse!"
A cry of horror came from Cyrus
lips. Abel still in the closet flashed
into his mind. He darted down the
street like a deer, toward the school,
| house.
The west end was Q mass Of red
flames. The trees and surrounding
buildings glowed with burning bright
ness. The fire rapidly gained. The
bells rang loudly, and soon the engines
were rafting over the street. Astrong
l strslm Of water was turned on the
bdIldius. 's'''n ~Ss -
In the midst of'the excitement .Cy-
rus Amesby came running up. hot and
painting. .&,a
Joel Day. the chief Of the fre com.
pany, had formerly been his fathers
gardener.
"Joell" cried Cyrus, seizing his arm
with a quick jerk, "Abel Hathaway is
in the closet--I shut him in there 10
tease him. forgot to-let--let him
out"
His face was white and pitiful to be-
hold. Terrible agony of mind was
stamped upon it. In a moment Joel
! thrust long ladder to the window in
the upper hall. and, rushing up, dis
appeared in the black. binding smoke.
When Abel found himself prisoner
in the closet, he pounded on the door
and shouted to Cyrus to let him out. He
heard him go. off. and shivering crept
| over his frame.
Half an hour went by; then an hour;
| two hours. The hot, close air almost
suffocated him. He knew his mother
would miss him, and that search would
be made. and the hope sustained him.
Suddenly there came a streak Of
light through the crack under the door,
followed by smell of smoke. A loud
cry of "Fire!" Firel Fire!" followed
| from the street.
Abel knew the schoolhouse was on
fire. A terrible death was before him.
"Oh, God, help mel" he cried in
| agony, and fell senseless to the floor.
When Joel appeared, bearing the boy
in his arms, a long shout of rejoicing
rent the air.
The unconscious Abel was laid on
the grass, and DR.. Hammond and .
crowd of anxious people gathered
about him. His face was white and
rigid.
rs he dead?' gasped Cyrus.
DR.. Hammond made no reply. He
tenderly lifted Abel and carried him
to his mothers house, and tried by
every means to bring the lad back to
consciousness.
On the second day he opened his
large, blue eyes and stared wildly about,
and muttered strange words. Reason
had fed. =
The weeks and months went on. Abel
recovered physically, but his mental
powers had received terrible shock.
The rawlings subisded, but memory was
gone.
He had forgotten his own name, could
NO read or write word, and walked
about the town, gentle and harmless,
with no knowledge of people or OBJ
jects.
1t was thought some inexplicable ac-
cidsnt had fastened Abel in the closet,
and the truth was never known to the
townspeople.
Six months after the FIRE Cyrus con-
fessed al to his father.
"Oh, my poor son!" groaned Mr..
Amesby; zone wrong act has made you
and Abel sufferers for .life!"
"Father!" sobbed Cyrus, "if you love
aud pity me, do use soine Of your money
| In making Abeland his mot er comfort
able"
Mr.. Amesby called at once on Mrs.
Hathaway, and requested her removal
to q small. pretty cottage near them,
and supplied her abundantly with
money.
A year passed.
One day Cyrus was sitting beside
Abel in Mrs. Hathaway's parlor. OF
late there had been meaning in his
eyes, as II light was breaking In upon
his soul. He went to the table and
took up the volume Of Longfellow's
poems and looked ut 1t fxediy.
what is it?" inquired Cyrus eagerly.
Abel put his hand to his forehead.
"Prize! ! remember!" be said, Joy.
fully.
Slowly the past came back to him.
Little by little his memory returned,
and his mind strengi hened, but II was
five long. weary years before he was
fully restored.
Cyrus had just passed his twenty
first birthday, when his faher sudden
| ly died. AS his mother had long since
been dead, Cyrus was the only heir to
more than q million of dollars.
He went to Europe, accompanied by
Abel Hathaway. Every opportunity OF
improvement was within their reach
After three years Of travel they re-
turned to America, and Abel became
editor Of a leading daily journal.
| Cyrus married and now lives ON the
homestead. The love existing between
l