Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-03-17
Jake Bingharn's
Hired Man

-
O the triflin', lazy lummoxes | got
that was with the salt he put on the
aigs he ct for breakfast" complained
Old Man Somarindyk. Scenes like
the hired men you get these days jest
nachally don't want to work
Il d'know's they ever had the name
of hankerin' after it, remarked Sol
Baker. Most of 'em ! ever heared tell
of allus wanted to quit jest as soon's
it got little dark an was dead set
on talxin' more time off for meals.
I've heared my grand-daddy kick
about it forty year ago.
When / was a young Teller | hired
out, an / kinder expected to earn my
wages" declared the veteran. Il
didn't take no credit for it. | never
went around braggin' that I'd done a
days work. done done it, an that
was all there was to it. II / cd get
any three men to do two-thirds OF
what / done day in an day out, you
wouldn't hear no kick from me. | got
up o'clock, Summers, an 6, Winters,
an bumped my back as long as there
was anything to hump it to. You
never seen me stritched out in the
shade with my hat over my nose,
snorin' like a hawk when there was
hay to pitch or wood to cut or Gavin
to pillow or stock to feed. / didn't ex-
pect to go to ever circus that come
along or make a boiler at the good
yittels as was set afore me where
was at
Washington Hancock started up ex-
citedly. Il reckon I've got you placed
at last, Uncle" he cried. you
worked for Old Man Jake Bingham
at Cypress Bend, and you went by
the name of George By Gosh! l al
lus thought that the old man was
a-lyin'."
Old Man Somarindyk eyed him sour
ly. You're a liar yourself" he OBJ
served, Internationally.
IF that's so, take it all back said
Hancock, genially Il didn't think
that there was two acted UP that-a-
way, though. Reason l come to make
the mistake was l worked for Jake
Bingham myself when 1 was young,
I follerea right after the feIler I done
got you mixed up with He was
jim dandy, that Teller was, but I'm
glad you haint him, count I'd have tc
waller you right here, gray hair or nc
gray hairs. 1t was this-a-way:
81 was about busted financially one
time, an the only thing seen Cor me
to do was to go to work for some
buddy. I studied on it from all pints
but that was the only way seen an
right then Old Man Bingham came
along an offered me fifteen dollars
gold coin of the United States every
month, rain or shine, to hep him ou
on his farm. He was one of the nices
appearin' OF fellers I'd ever met III
with, an l took him up. l reckon IC
have took him up on ten, his whiskers
was so white an his voice was sc
soft an easy. Same time he looked
at me kinder dubersome."
Il wouldn't have blamed him." the
storekeeper put in.
He looked at me, with his specs
pushed up on his forrid," proceeded
Hancock, an then he shook his heat
kinder sad. You hain't George he
says.
NO says |, I hain't George, MOI
yet William, nor Richard nor Johr
nor Timothy, My names Washing.
ton Hancock, / done toll you"
says, I didn't aim to hurt your feel.
ms an I reeliZe you haint to blame
There hain't many Georges What
mean to say is that | don't believe
you're as husky, as what George was
George was smaller than you, but he
was powerful stout
I'm some stout myself I says
kinder miffed kin tote a two hun.
dred bag O. salt on my shoulder aboul
as fur as any man would want to tote
it,"
'Mabbe I'm mistooken about you
he says You may be most as goo6
man as George. That is, if you ain't
afraid O. work. George wasn't
never afraid o. work"
=" L hain't, neither told him. There
hain't no sense in bein' afraid of any.
thin that won't hurt you as long as
you let it alone
He sorter shook his haid at that
but the hull way out to his place he
was tellin' me about George an what
a hustler he was an how much him
an the oil woman thought OF him.
had took quite notion to myself in
them days, an told him that I'd back
myself against George for money,
chalk Or marbles six days in the week
an all day Sunday.
"Pd be plum tickled to death tc
find it SO, Washington, he says. !
don't deny that I've token a fancy
to you. You're mighty nice-lookin
boy an a mighty fine talkin' boy.
George
what did George die Off ash
him.
"'He amt daid, he says. He's in
Kansas
He'd a heap better be daid,' ]
says