The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-12-10
The Hero of Flint Hill.

Copyright 1908, by Il. c. McClure.l
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
diving 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 Il 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
hanging around here a good deal. and
l reasoned it out that Mary was the
attraction You are spoken of as a
fine young man, and l have no objec
ton to you as a son-in-law | cannot
| say yes, however, until you have done
| something to distinguish yourself. |
had killed a mad dog, shot at horse
| thief and licked lightning rod man
| before | was your age. | like you,
Jed. but | want q hero for a son-in
| law. and the sooner you toe the mark
the sooner YOU and Mary can get mar
ried"
Jed didn't kick over the traces and
raise Il row, but came to the house as
usual. Things We're in statu quo when
| December and the snow and ice came
Golden hill was a pretty steep hill, and
the road winding up was half mile
| long. In winter, when the road was
slippery, teams went q 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
We're 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
d'lllS. dlu l4llallS ueSlIcu w liihc tut
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 OH 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 cam" she said
Tell Jed that they are going to hang
father. Tell him to come to the res
cue. Tell him that l sent you. Tell
him it's his chance to be hero. Run
as YOU never ran before, and III give
YOU Il dollar
whats a hero?'
Never mind. but fly"
The road was packed with snow and
ice on top of that, but the boy got
there.
by gosh!' 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
her horn, and as he dragged the sled
down to the highway he said to the
boy:
Jim. we are going down the hill
akiting. 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 off,
The contractor was 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 it fast. Just as
there was every prospect that the
lynching business would be an I'M
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 a runaway locomotive. The
! crowd hadn't time to take in the situa-
, ton when the sled was upon them.
! 1t plowed through them like a shovel
through -four 1t ran over some; il
flung others twenty feet away; it sent
: others sky high. There was scarcely
man left on his feet when the sled
had passed. and this was the moment
when Mary and citizen or two came
up and lowered the wriggling body
Over the bridge and through the vii
lage and half a 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 owl
! house and doctor was working over