Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-02-04


sseeple.~
At that Instant there was a shout Of
~firel Fire. Fire In the street.
Cyrus ard James rushed 70 the front
door.
The brick schooInousei-
A cry Of horror came from Cyrus
lips. Abel still in the closet dashed
into his mind. lie darted down the
street like a deer. toward the school
house.
The west end was a mass Of red
flames. The trees and surrounding
buildings giowed With burning bright
ness. The IRE rapidly gained The
bells rsrg loudly. and soon the engines
were rafting over the street. A strong
stream Of water wss turned on the
building.
In the midst of the excitement Cy-
rus Amesby came running up. hot ard
painting.
joel Day. The chief OF the Gre CON-
pary. bad formerly been bis fathers
gardener.
Joel" cried Cyrus. ssiziug bic arm
with a quick Jerk. Abel Hathaway II
In the cioset--I shut him IN there 10
tease him. forgot to-let--lst hlus
out"
dis face was whit. and pltlfrl 20 be-
hold. Terrible agony of mind was
stamped upon n. In a momen, Joel
thrust long ladder 20 the window In
the upper hall. and. rushing up. dls-
appeared in the black binding smoke.
When Abel found himself prisoner
ir the closet. he pounded on the door
and shouted 20 Cyrus 20 lei him out. He
heard him 60 OF. and a shivering erept
over bis 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 streak Of
light through the crack under the door
followed by a smell OF smoke. A loud
cry Of "Firei" Firei Firei~ followed
from the street
Abel knew the schoolhouse was on
Gre. 4 terrible death was before him.
"Oh. God. help me-" he cried in
agony. aud fell senseless to the door.
When joel appeared. bearing the boy
in bis arms. a long shout OF rejoicing
rant the air.
The unconscious Abel was laid on
the grass. and DR.. Hammond and q
crowd Of anxious people gathered
about him. Hla face was white and
rigid
as he dead - gssped Cyrus.
, DR.. Hammond made no reply he
tenderly lifted Abel and carried him
= to his mothers house. and tried by
E every means TO bring the lad hack q
consciousness.
On the second day be opened ali
p large. blue eyes and stared wildly about
! and mustercd strange words. Reaao
o had hed.
The weeks and months went on. Abe
recovered physically, but his menta
powers had received a terrible shock
The rawlings subisded. but memory va
P gone.
lie had forgotten his own name. coul
no read or write q word. and Wake
about the town. gentle and harmless
with no knowledge OF people or oil
jeets.
y II was thought some inexplicsbls al
: cident had fastened Abel in the close
y and the truth was never known to a
townspeople.
= Six months after the hre Cyrus col
fessed al TO his father.
"Oh. my poor sonl" groAned N
Amesby; zone wrong act has made yc
=, and Abel sufferers for lifel"
"Fatheri- sobbed Cyrus. If you lo'
> aud pity me, do use some OF your mon'
in making Abel and his mot her eomfoI
Rble."
n Mr.. Amesby called st once on Nj
!. Hathaway. and requested her remov
to a small, pretty cottage near thsi
=. and supplied her sbundantly vi
money.
- year passed
:. One day Cyrus was sitting bssi
ar Abel In Mrs. Hathaway's parlor.
- late there had been meaning In
~ eyes. as IL light was breaking In up
his soul. He went 10 the table a
., took up the volume Of LongfeIlov
"A poems and looked at Il fxedly.
:. What is it7" inquired Cyrus eager
Abel put his hand TO his forehead.
.. "Prizei rememberi" be said. i
fully.
. - Slowly the past came back TO hi
Little by little his memory return
and his mind strengthened. but IL v
on Ave long, weary years before be v
fully restored.
NJ Cyrus had tust passed his TWEEN
first birthday. when his faber sudd
To- ly died As his mother had long sis
en- been dead. Cyrus was the only heir
he more than a million of dollars.
'or tie went to Europe, accompanied
Abel Hathaway. Every opportunity
I'm improvement was within their reA
After three years Of travel they
ON turned to America. and Abel beea
editor OF a leading daily Journal