The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-08-14
The Hero of Flint HiIL

Stevens for a year when he went 10
her father to ask the usual question.
Jed was Young ana worthy farmer
living at the top OF Golden bill. and
Jim Stevens. ns he was familiarly call
ed. lived in the village at the foot OF
the bill and was n CONTRACTOR. Ills
work was in the country around more
than In the village. 1e was well
liked, but people said he had some oda
ldease Jed Parker bumped up against
one Of those old ideas as soon as be
had stated his case to the father
Look here, Jed" was the reply. "Of
Fourse | know that you have been
hanging tround here a good deal. aud
| reasoned It ont that Mary was the
attraction. You are spoken Of az
fine young man. and have no objee-
tion to you az son-ir,law. I cannot
say yes. however, until you have done
something TO distinguish yourself. |
had killed a mad dog. shot at horse
'hief and licked lightning rod man
before | was your age. like you.
jed, but l want a hero for son-in-
law, aud the sooner you toe the mark
the sooner you and Mary can get mar
rled"
Jed didn't Kick over the traces and
raise a row, but came 10 the house as
usual Things were ia statu quo when
December and thc snow and ice came.
I Golden hill WIS y pretty steep bill. aud
| the road winding - wus hair 4 mile
long In winter, wien .he road was
slippery, teams went mile around
rather than go up or down Such OF
the village boys as had the ambition
TO drag their sleds 60 the top came
down with such momentum that they
were carrlcd through the village aud
TO the foot Of hill on the other side
Mr.. Stevens had In his employ as
contractor gang OF Italians As win
Ter came on thcy were Just finishing up
grading thNtiRhway three niles away.
There was some misunderstanding
about the pay for overwork. They
made threats. bat the contractor rec
fused 20 be bulldozcd. They hung
about the village, muttering and men
| acing, and finally decided 70 take the
law into their own hands At o'clock
one evclting a dcpntatlon called at Ste
yens' house aud captured him before
he knew what was up. He was taken
ont on the street and told that he must
either pay or hang The Villagers gath
cred but they were not strong enough
to Interfere. II WAS then that Mary
seut Il boy speeding up the long hill to
bear the news 10 Jed.
go as fast rs you can" she said
"Tell Jed that they are going TO hang
father Tell him to come to the res
cue. Tell him that ! sent you. Tell
him It's lis chance TO be hero Run
as you never ran before, and m give
you a dollar"
"Whats n hero7"
Never mind. but hyw
The road was packed with snow and
lee on top Of that, but the boy got
there.
"Ry goshl' was Jed's only reply. and
he began TO hustle.
He had been drawing up wood that
afternoon. and the bobsleds were liz
front Of the house lie got his over
coat and fur cap aud the family din
ner horn, and as he dragged the sled
down to the highway he said TO the
boy
Jim we are going down the hill
a-kitlng You sit IN front and begin
blowing the horn as soon as we start.
Blow, blow blowi Hang on and blow.
III sit behind ana steer Now, then.
we're of"
The contractor was man with
, sand. Even NlitA he saw the ropes IN
The hands OF the excited and deterpln-
ed gang he would not give m They
led him over the bridge 70 the foot Of
the hill and ms he was still obstinate
they prepared to hang him to a handy
limb In fact they did hang him.
There were thirty in the gang and
while some kept back the villagers
with their knives tbe others pulled on
the rope ard ;aade Il fast Just as
! there WIS every PROSPECT that the
lynching business woaid be an Gn-
qualified success tlss blare OF horn
WAS heard up tho h,ii, accompanied by
J scrccches and yels Jed and the boy
! and the holsleds were coming. They
came Ike runaway locomotive The
crowd hain't Time 10 take Ia tie slfia-
J lion Whom the sled was upoE them.
u p0wod through them Ike shovel
flung others twenty feet away; e sent
others SKY high Thegc was scarcely
man left 0n his feet when the sled
had passed aud this was the moment
when Mary and citizen or two came
up aud lowered the wrlggling body.
over The bridge and through the viii
lage aud half q mile hcyoad went the
runaway and hy The time jed got
back 70 the bridge on foot the con.
tractor bad been carried TO his own
house aud doctor was working over
him.
As for the gapg NO one was killed.
bat there were broken legs and arms
aud bruises galore, and the town was
lhue better thuu a hospital for the
ueyt month There were two doctors
10 the town. and they bad twenty.six
patients 20 look efter -Four days
after the hanging Mr. Stevens sent for
Ia ~ a.