Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-28

on the hill. Oh, visit I had you,
,grandpap's knack for doing things, I'd
take that old wooden box out in the
shed and make you sled. He could
ave done it, an well, too. Oh, he was
great man, son"
"And a great soldier" added Scotty
And his eyes raised to cheap crayon
portrait on the wall. 1t was of q fine
looking, strongly built man in his
prime. "Grandpap looks every inch 8
general" Scotty said. "Wisht could
do something great-something brave
like he did"
Granny sighed, "but grandpap had
to pay dearly for his bravery" she
said, shaking her head slowly. "He
was brave soldier-a fine officer after
he was made captain. All, he did his
duty for his country"
Eyes, Granny, he died for it." said
scotty. "He couldn't have done more. ;
Then Scotty went to the woodshed
to cut kindling for morning USE AS
he was pulling about among some
broken boxes his eye fell on big
packing box that his grandmother had
kept for some future use. "Ah," said
scotty, chats the box Granny said a
coaster-a little bobsled-could be
made from. Wonder If could make
one? Believe I'll try"
A little later Scotty was busy in the
kitchen, Granny watching him and CIV
ing suggestions concerning his work.
He had borrowed from neighbor a
saw, Ratchet and plane, and with the
addition of hts strong pocket knife and
a few nails soon had very good
''home made sled, with wooden run
ners, of course. But the runners
were nice and smooth, and put to-
gether securely. 1t was not Scotty' $
first carpenter work. He had built
kitchen shelves and benches and win
dow seats for old Granny" So he
knew how to use the tools and nails
to good advantage.
sNow a piece Of that old clothesline
will do for the 'front.'" said Granny"
And he went into the cellar and cut
from a loopedup clothesline five feet
of rope to tie to the front OF Scotty's
sled.
When all was done, the sled ready
for use, Scotty looked at the clock.
"Too late to try it tonight, Granny"
It's halfpast 10. Who could believe
that I have been three hours making
that sled? Well hours do fly when
one Is preparing for good time," he
said.
eyes, son, and hope you'll have
many pleasant hour on that hillside
with that little home made Sled" said
the dear old grandmother. "And now
we'll 70 to bed. You must get up early
in the morning, you know"
eyes, must sell all my morning
papers, getting ready for any after
noon extras" said Scotty.
The next day was Saturday and
Scotty had no night school to attend.
So he got through with his chores
and went out to the coasting hill to
enjoy an hour with his new sled.
Hardly had he appeared, however,
when the other children, who had fine
steel framed coasters to ride on. be-
gan to laugh at him and to ridicule
biz '<home made" sled. Look at it,"
cried one boy. "say, it must. have
come out Of the ark! Gee, It will go
like washtub! Just about as
Then a roar Of laughter went up at
Scotty's expense. His face redeemed.
but he was not coward, and dragged
his sled to the top of the hill, prepare
tory to coasting down. The children
stood In groups, discussing him and
his funny looking old home made
sled" But Scotty did not pay any
heed to their thrusts, and took COM
Portable position on the sled and
started down the hill. At the same
time a very fine sled started. also;
seated on 1t was the boy who had
cried out to him so insultingly Just a
minute before. They ran almost neck
and neck toward the bottom of the
hill, Scotty turning deaf ear to the
boys rude and unfriendly taunts about
his sled.
When about one hundred feet from
the bottom of the coasting hill, where
the sleds found q good landing place
On an untraveled road, crazed horse
hitched to fourwseeled dray dashed
round the cornor and made toward the
very spot that Scotty and his tormen-
tor would reach within the space of a
lew moments. Scotty was sitting up
right on his sled and knew that he
could manage to miss the runaway
horse and dray. But the boy who
raced beside him was lying face down
ward on his coaster, and evidently was
90 busy taunti,g Scotty to notice the
Danger that threatened I'm. Scotty
had no time to think. His first i'm.
pulse was carried out instantly. He
brew himself from his sled-which
vas few feet from the boys sled and
slightly in advance Of it-1ust in time
@ stop the sled's progress and to grasp
he boy in his arms. The two rolled
over two or three times In the snow
md their sleds went on toward the
bottom ofthe slippery slide.
When Scotty seized his racing op.
,onent, the fellow tried fighting him
off. What are you about, you numb
SKULL" he beloved in Scotty's face.
'I'll give you what you deserve for
his-if you call It joke"
But the watching crowd on top the
ill were cheering wildly, and after
wo or three brief seconds, when
scotty and his companion-in-arms
stopped rolling and sat up the latter
,oerd c,,ob ,,.ioo &C UTOOd for the