The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-04-26
AN EARTHQUAKE OR A BOY.

coming Fourth OF July According to
the ordinance which they passed. this
pole was TO be set up on the highest
point Of land within mile Of the Town
Hall, provided the owner Of such land
should consent.
The town people were very glad TO
have the pole and 1t was expected that
the raising OF the new flag, with the ut
tendant speeches and other ceremonies,
would be q very interesting event, and
would attract not only the town-folk
but many persons from the surrounding
country.
But after the matter had been talked
over for day or two, some Of the more
thoughtful of the inhabitants Of the town
began TO find an objection to the ordin-
ance.
The selectmen did not think what
they were about said Mr.. Silas Markle,
the schao!master, "when they voted to
/. pa Che pole on the highest pointof land
within mile Of the Town Hall. have
surveyed pretty much all the ground
about here aud | know that Mullen Hill,
on old Jimmy Haskins' farm is higher
than any other land in the ncighborhood.
The next highest is the hill on Mr. Up
tons place, but that is at least six feet
lower than the highest part Of Mullen
Hill Now it is my opinion that if the
pole is put up on Jimmy Haskins' prop
srty he will levy toll on everybody who
goes to the celebration. We all know
he don't allow people to walk over his
fields, but he will jump at chance like
this to make money
That's So" said bystander be-
lleve he got the thing passed himself,
Just to screw pennies out OF his friends
and neighbors. He knows very well
that his hill is higher than any land near
the town"
The day after this Mr.. Jimmy Hask-
ms was in one of the stores Of the place,
where there were good many people
collected, when one of his neighbors
asked him plain question "Mr. Hask-
ms" said he, IF the pole is set up on
your land you'll let everybody so free to
the HILL won't you9"
Old Jimmy Haskins smiled and did
not Immediately answer, and then he
said: when the fag-pole is set up on
Mullen Hill want everybody in this
town and every one within thirty miles
around to attend the celebration, and
they'll all be free to come through my
big gate and to walk up to the hill, pro
gided- And III let you all know the
provision when the time comes And
then he smiled again.
"You seem to feel pretty sure, Mr.
Haskins," said his neighbor, "that your
hill is the highest point of land in the
neighborhood"
"Of course | am sure Of it," said the
old man. Il know just as well as
know anything that Mullen Hill is six
feet higher than any other ground in
these parts, and nothing can change
that state of affairs except an earth
quake"
"Or boy" said youthful voice
from he outside of the little group.
This voice was not very loud and few
persons heard it. Certainly Jimmy Hask-
ms didnot. The youthful voice belonged
TO George Upton, lad between thirteen
and fourteen years old. George rs well
as the other boys in town, was full of
enthusiasm about the hag-pole, and be
had had strong hopes that the hill on
his fathers farm would be found higher
than Mullen Hill But on talking the
matter over with Mr.. Marklehe had been
assured that this would not be. He had
thought'a great deal upon the subject,
and while listening TO Mr.. Haskins' boast
ing talk in the store, had hit upon plan
by which he would try 10 change the
state Of affairs which the old man had
said could be altered only by an earth
quake
''Ihe pole ought to be on our hill any
way" he thought, 'for it's near the road
and everybody could come in without
walking through the long, dirty lane
Besides I'm not going to stand by and
see old Jimmy Haskins taking two or
three cents from every person who goes
TO the ilag-raising."
1t must be admitted, however, that
Master Georges plan was prompted a
good deal by personal feeling. He would
be very proud to have the great pole set
,
Mr. Silas Markle who was the survey
or OF the town as well us the school
master, had been informed by the com.
mittee having the matter in charge that
on the twentieth of June, which fell or
Saturday, they would employ him tc
ascertain the proper point Of land on
which 10 erect the flag-pole. This gave
George but one week TO carry out hi;
plan, and he therefore set to work with
great energy. Having first obtained his
fathers permission, he called together n
number of his boy friends and announced
TO them what he intended to do II
Mullen Hill was six feet higher than the
hill on their place, he would make the
latter seven or eight feet higher than il
then was, and If the other fellows would
help him, he believed this could be done
without the assistance OF an earthquake
His plan, as explained, was wildly ap
proved by the boys. and as this was va
cation time, George and bis companions
began their great work early on Monday
morning. Wheelbarrows. crowbars
shoyels and spades were borrowed, anC
Upton's Hill soon became scene o.
great activity Everything was don,
under Georges directions and he begar
operations by wheeling all tho larg,
stones that could be picked up in tn,