The daily Alaskan., 1908-10-16

The Hero of Flint HiII.

fconyrIrht lsOS. by T C. MeClure.l

LcOpyright 1908. by T. c. McClure.l
 led Parker had been cOurtiDg Mary Stevens for a year when be went to her father to ask the usual question Jed was young and worthy farmer living at the top of Golden hill, and Jim Stevens. as he was familiarity call cd, lived In the village at the foot or 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 10 the father.
 Look here. Jed" was the reply. "Of course I know that you have been hanging around here good deal, and I reasoned 1t out that Mary was the attraction. You are spoken of as fine young man, and have no obJec' ton to you as d sOu-m-lNw. l cannot say yes. however, until you have done something to distinguish yourself. | had killed a mad dog. shot at horse thief and licked a lightning rod man before was your age. like you' Jed but I want hero for a son-in- law, and 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 to the house as usual. Things were In statu quo when December and the snow and ice came Golden hlll was a pretty steep hill, and the road winding up was half a 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 10 drag their sIeds to the top came down with such momentum that they were carried through the village and to the foot of a hlll on the other side,
 MT. 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 Co be hulldO2ed. They hung about the village, mutterlng and men acing. and finally decided to take the law into their own hands At : o'clock one evening a dcputatlOn called at Ste vcnS' house and captured him before hc knew what was up. He was taken out on tho street and told that he must either pay or hang The villagers gath cred. but they were not strong enough to interfere It was then that Mary sent boy speeding np the long hi'l to bear the news tO led.
 "Go as fast as you cau." she said. Tell Jed that they gre 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 III give yog a dollar. N
 Whats a hcro"
 Never mind. but fly"
 The road was packed with snow and ice on top Of that but tue 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 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 blow. Hang on and blow. Tn sit behind and steer, Now, then, we're ofr."
 The contractor was a man with sand Even when he saw the ropes in the hands of the excited and detcrmln- cd gang he would not give in. They ,rd him over the bridge to the foot Of the hill. and as he was still obstinate they prepared tO hang him to 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 tle rope and made it fast Just as there was every prospect that the lyuching 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 situ2- ton when the sled was upon theTn. It plowed through them like q shovel through flour. It ran over some; 1t flung others twenty feet away; 1t sent others sky high. There was scarcely a 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 wrigging body. Over th, bridge and through the vU- 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 bppn carried tO his own