Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-09-23
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,
The Hero of Flint Hill.

Jed Parker had been counting Mary
Stevens for a year when he went to
her father to ask the usual question.
Jed was a young and worthy farmer
living at the top of Golden hill, and
Jim Stevens, as he was Familiarity call
ed, lived In the village at the foot of
the hill and was contractor. His
work was In the country around more
than in the village. He was well
liked, but people said he had some odd
ideas. Jed Parker bumped up against
one of those odd ideas as soon as he
had stated his case to the father.
"Look here, jed" was the reply. "Of
course I know that you have been
hanging around here a good deal, and
reasoned it out that Mary was the
attraction. You are spoken Of as a
fine young man, and have no Objec-
ton to you as son-in-law. / cannot
say yes, however, until you have done
something to distinguish yourself. I
had killed mad dog, shot at horse
thief and licked a lightning rod man
before l was your age. l like you,
Jed, but l want hero for son-in-
law, and the sooner you toe the mark
the sooner you and Mary can get mar
RED"
Jed didn't kick over the traces and
raise a row, but came to the house as
usual. Things were in statu quo when
December and the snow and ice came.
Golden hill was pretty steep hill, and
the road winding up was half mile
long. In winter, when the 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 to the top came
down with such momentum that they
were carried through the village and
to the foot Of hill on the other side.
Mr.. Stevens had in his employ as
contractor a gang Of Italians. AS win
ter came on they were just finishing up
grading the highway three miles away.
There was some misunderstanding
about the pay for overwork. They
made threats, but the contractor re-
fused to be bulldozed. They hung
about the village, muttering and men
acing, and finally decided to take the
law into their own hands. At o'clock
one evening a deputation called at Ste
vens' house and captured him before
he knew what was up. He was taken
out on the street and told that he must
either pay or hang. The villagers gath
cred, but they were not strong enough
to interfere. 1t was then that Mary
sent a boy speeding up the long hill to
bear the news to Jed.
"Go as fast as 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 his chance to be hero. Run
as you never ran before. and Ill give
you a dollar"
whats hero?'
Never mind. but fy!'
The road was packed with snow and
ice on top Of that, but the boy got
there.
"By goshw was Jed's only reply, and
he began to hustle.
He had been drawing up wood that
afternoon, and the bobsleds were in
front Of the house. He got his over
coat and fur cap and the family din
ner horn. and as he dragged the sled
down to the highway he said to the
boy: eo
"Jim, we are going down the hill
a-kiting. You SIT In front and begin
blowing the horn as soon as we start.
Blow, blow, blow! Hang on and blow.
I'll sit behind and steer. Now, then,
we're on"
The contractor was q man with
sand. Even when he saw the ropes in
the hands Of the excited and determin-
ed gang he would not give in. They
led him over the bridge to the foot Of
the hill, and as 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 the others pulled on
the rope and made 1t fast. Just as
there was every prospect that the
lynching business would be an un-
qualified success the blare Of horn
was heard up the hill. accompanied by
screeches and yells. Jed and the boy
and the bobsleds were coming. They
came like runaway locomotive. The
crowd hadn't time to take In the situa-
ton when the sled was upoL them.
It plowed through them like shovel
through -four 1t ran over some; II
flung others twenty feet away; 1t sent
others sky high. There was scarcely
q man left ON his feet when the sled
had passed, and this was the moment
when Mary and a citizen or two came
up and lowered the wriggling body
Over the bridge and through the VII
lage and half mile beyond went the
runaway. and by the time Jed got
back to the bridge on foot the con
tractor had been carried to his own
house and doctor was working over
him.
AS for the gang. no one was killed,
but there were broken legs and arms
and bruises galore, and the town was
little better than hospital for the
next month. There were two doctors