The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-06
The Heroism Of Dan Hill,

/ Il dHcult to see clearly, and as ne CID
/ not want them to suspect him of watch
/ ing them, he saunteTed slowly on, ak
/ ing softly TO himself, as was ms cus-
I tom The boy viii go 10 rack and rum.
and no one at home with the east infiu-
ence over him Old Dan wil have 10
/ step IN and play Providence; it's a new
role and a mighty queer one" and he
chuckled TO himself; but HeIen's son
can't grow up this way. and snail nave
TO reform him myself The idea aD-
peared as homogeneous 10 Dan as Il
would have TO all who had known tae
big, lazy fellow from his babyhood. md
curious smile half 6erisi0n, half
Pathos, crept over his handsome, benign
ant face. The OnrOe people had long
ago given up expecting anything Of Dan
HiH, and it was only family influence
which kept him in the office of the
sheriff. the duties of which were MOI 50
| onerous but that he could spend about
half his time shooting and fishing in the
marshes
The Hill family had moved from New
/ England TO Monroe about 50 years age.
and Dams father had enjoyed tie re-
spect and confidence OF the little COM
munity The family was j large one,
! and all Dams brothers and sisters had
married and done we'll IN the world
y
did nothing but play as a boy ard loaf
is man, and was as averse 10 work at
20 as he had been at IA. His was q
striking figure, and his easy dignity and
gentle manner seemed quite out Of har-
mony with his huge frame and great
physical strength. he was always beau
tifully dressed, too, in garments which
fitted him to perfection, for tate had
given him a millionaire brother-in-law
Dan took the world in a lay fashion,
having few wants beyond a plentiful
supply of fishing tackle and ammunition,
and would probably have continued to
waste his life had he not seen young
Henry Hady drinking one day The
sight gave him an unpleasant sensation
and he at once induced Henry tc so Off
with him to the marsh for a day s
shooting. II was just such an innocent
boy once" he unused. but what a beast
it makes a man to drink"
ITS quite a different matter for me
to drink, young fellow" he said seri-
ously, as they rowed down the broad
river; but it won't do for you. I used
to know your mother when we went 70
the district school together. Henry, and
somehow I cant bear TO think her boy
should grow up as I have"
oh drink now and then isn't going
to hurt a man" answered Henry care
lessly. Il can stop when I choose"
but that's Just what you can't do,
my boy Have you ever tried2"
No answered Henry. There 8
plenty of time.
After a pause he began hesitatlngly:
81 used to-your mother and" bus see
ing the Indifference in the boys face.
sighed heavily and did not attempt fur
ther condolences, though all day his eye
followed Henry with an anxious, loving
expression, and the careless boy felt
touched by the deep solicitude
This was the beginning of a friendship
between Henry Hadly and his mother S
old friend and many a time that winter
Henry was scolded for wasting his time
with that worthless fellow" and Dan
cronies laughed not little at his
strange choice of companion. But Dan
dimly felt that he could help Henry as
no one else could, and many a time he
succeeded in taking his young friend
away from the fast set into which he
had been rapidly drifting Henry was
only H. but too much money and care
less, indulgent parents had made the
downward path easy for his conviVial
pleasure loving disposition. All winter
he had been neglecting his studies, and
once Dan found him so overcome with
liquor that he had difficulty in getting
him home quietly. But he. persevered
and his goOd-natIred advice. which some
way did not seem inyalidated by lack
of personal application, had kept Henry
straight for several weeks.
1t was therefore with dismay that he
watched him enter the saloon, and he
wondered what new scheme he could
work to keep Henry from his dissipated
companions. IF the ice were only out
of the river, we might go duck shoot
ing" he thought: Its safer than play
ing pool with that wretch. Dick John
son" But the river was piled high with
huge ice blocks. and, if the thaw con-
Unued the annual freshet would be up
on them. Every year the little town
which lay on both sides Of the river was
inundated, and three times the bridges
had been swept away. This evening the
town bridge was black with people
watching the ice, and when Henry and
his friends finally left the saloon, they
naturally turned toward the river Hem
rvs face was flushed and he walked a
trihe unsteadiiy, as Dan sadly noticed
"Hello, Henry" he called: eff the Ice
goes out we can have chance at the
ducks soon. But come over and take a.
look at my new gun, it's a daisy" he
added, longing to get Helen's boy, as ne
called him to himself, out of sight
try the Ice" And. TO Dams horror
Henry started down the bank and jump
ed on a large block of ice The boys
have dared me TO cross the river before
the gorge breaks, and I know I can co
IT," he cried, and with a Hght laugh and
q wave of his hand, he began to jump
from one block to the other, while the
crowd on the bridge watched him.
breathless and dazed.
The gorge might break any moment
and that meant instant destruction Dan
looked on in an agony Of fear as the
slight figure sprang so careiessly and
bindly 90 almost certain death. and he
felt that he would gladly give his own
worthless life to save Helen's son.
What good have I done in the world o.
he thought, bitterly; II might have had
@ son, too, as bright and handsome rs
Henry. had I left liquor alone and been
willing to work ike @ man Bur it'z too
late now" Determined to save tie b0y
at any risk. Dan made his way across
the bridge. keeping In line with Henry.
who was almost on the other side. sud
denly shout arose. and cries 81 "The
lower bridge Is going TIE gorge has
hraken" came from al sides. al. 70 Ire
horror OF the helpless spectators, the
block on winch Henry stood began
slowly 10 move
Dan ran from the bridge and made his
way over the treacherGus blocks tlI D
reached Henry Tire Whole mass was
now in motion. bur Ii b. cal coils
reach the bridge Before 1t broke NJ
could save The hor The sight was one
never % Re forgotten ov che treuh ing
crowd None knew fgst waat Dsn IN
tended doing, and none could surs ?
ans plan of escape Dan Is strong
enough en- dry land" one man eU m-
10 rE WHAT can be Sc b. fhat of re
carreat Ept he evidently ad
rlan for shouting % me f-iza1e
i17 - 60 ust as he te5 nim ~ size