The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-14
A Case of Small-Boy Heroism on
The Flats. y
Ike Pulled Out His Playmate, but
Grieved at the Loss of
His Sled.

In one of the unsightly huts on the west
shore of the river, almost directly beneath
the Washington avenue bridge, lives JIM
ME Van Scoy, who would want to fight
il anybody called him modest little
hero. Yet he saved life yesterday. To-
day he runs about the flats" plays on
the coasting HILL picks up coal and wood
on the streets and in railroad yards,
shares plain but ample meal with a
hard working mother and smaller sister,
and has entirely forgotten his heroisu.
This lad is 10 years old, and is of rather
stocky build. He has black, kinky and
close-cropped hair, dark, snappy eyes,
ruddy cheeks that show much exposure to
the elements, and small, rough hands,
necessarily grimy because of the mat
tenton Of mother who is away from
home most of the time. This little gamin
yesterday proved that he had nerve, and
that he is faithful to a friend
Jimmie and Larry Pierro, playmates
were coasting yesterday forenoon. The
hill extends from Twenty first avenue S
to the river, and winds steeply down the
| bluff to the FLATS" sled attains such
| speed that it is necessary to use some
sort of brake. The sled used by Jimmie
and Larry was homemade affair, as
| most of the sleds seen on the hill are
and boys foot sufficed as brake.
! The two boys were descending the hill
Larry in front with his feed cuddled III
| in front of him, and Jimmie on behind
where he could guide and hold the sled
in check, for Jim is the bigger and the
| older by two years. AS the sled neare6
the bottom of the hill Larry shouted:
Stop 'er, JIM"
| But the sled sped on. Larry screamed
again to Jim, and then turning his heaC
slightly saw that Jim was not behind
him. Half way up the hill the boy or
the back had fallen from the sled, anC
! had rolled over and over in the snow
SO great was the momentum. The isle(
with it's lone passenger went humping
| over the small rocks on the shore ant
| out into the icy water. Larry was com
pletely immersed. When the sled stopped
he was thrown headlong into the deeper
water some distance form the shore. Over.
! come with fright and greatly shocked al
! his sudden plunge in the cold water hi
was unable to swim. He foundered abou
! in the water, screaming and losing
strength, until he was unable to keep hi:
! head above water. -.. ~
| at what he considered good joke, mean
while brushing the snow from his clothes
! Then he looked up, just in time to see thu
sled and boy shoot out into the river
He ran down the hill as fast as he could
ard not stopping at the bottom, plunged
! in after his struggling playmate, who wa
just going down. He got hold Of the lad
for Jim is a fish in the water, havint
lived near-it ell his life, and swan unit
he could got a foothold. He then car
ried Larry TO the shore, took him to hi
home, wrapped him in some bed clothes
! built warm fire and dried his com
! panion's clothes. AS they were climbin,
IN the bank Jimmie saw the sled f!oatini
down the stream under the bridge. 1t i
! the loss of the sled more than the duck
ing the boys had or the danger they wer
in that gives the lads sorrow. :,