Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1921-12-29
HOW A Wife y
ruined HER
HUSBAND
THEIR HOME AND THEIR HOME
TOWN

l. nEth HUN Il AND K III Elm HUN Il
TOWN
Mrs. Bradley and her four beauti-
full children made a pretty picture on
the long, spacious porch of their at
tractive bungalow home-a home sit
uated in the heart of Booneville's resi-
Dental district. 1t was June, the birds
were singing and the day was of the
kind that fills you with the JOY of liv-
ing. Mrs. Bradley, attired in a dainty
dress in keeping with the season was
looking over current magazine, a.
waiting the arrival of the members
of the Literary Club which she was to
entertain that afternoon. The chill
dren, ranging IN ages from to ~
were playing with their toys and run
ing in and out of the house with laugh
ter and shouts of happiness and joy
filling the air.
Theirs was the ideal family life in
Bradley from the earnings that had
come to him from a legal business
which had confined him to the town he
loved so we'll for some twenty-five
years. Bradley, fresh from law-school
had hung out his shingle in Bonneville
with assets consisting of good edu-
cation, fertile brain and much hope.
Financially, he was no better off than
the riff-raff that now walk the streets
of Bonneville, and the town, once so
full of promise, is full of such, the rea-
son therefor being divulged later on
in this story.
During Bradley's first year in
Bonneville, he was compelled to ac-
business, naturally small at first, did
not bring him the returns that would
make it possible for him to maintain
himself in fashion becoming the Dig
nifty of his profession. But he had a
glikeable personality, he seemed to be
an honest young fellow, and the mer-
chants of Bonneville gladly extended
him credit and the banks loaned him
money with which to equip his Office
and "get agoing." He certainly was
treated royalty by all the business fac
tors in Bonneville While he soon JUS
titled the faith that was placed in him,
he never would have been able to make
start if the helping hand had not
been extended to him.
Bradley was a type. Thousands of
men throughout the country owe a
great deal to the merchants of their
home towns, whose liberal credit and
general helpfulness during the "strug-
Cling" days enabling them to get all
so necessary start in the right way.
These merchants are entitled to much
gratitude from those whom they help
ed in days gone by, but unfortunately
they don't always get it, as will be re-
vealed during the development of this
story.
Bradley proved to be one of the
real 'live-wire" attorneys of the town.
He early established reputation that
was the envy of his fellow members of
the bar, and before many years had
passed he was wealthy man. In the
meantime, he had taken unto himself
wife and soon his family grew to
such proportions that it was impera-
| tive that he build home. This he did
and an elaborate and extensive DOM
| icile it proved to be- Wealthy man,
though he had become in the meantime
he found is necessary to again call on
many of the merchants for credit and
funds were borrowed from the bank
to meet his heavy current expenses. He
was good for every penny borrowed
and every dollar of credit extended te
him, but the big point is that he coule
not have gone out of town and secur.
ed such assistance. The fact is thai
the merchants and bankers of Boone
willie literally made" this man Brad
ley. They gave him his start and the!
tided him over those periods when hi
expenses were greater than his IN
come.
Well, the years passed by, Bradle.
accumulated fortune that was
large one for having been acquires
ntirely from legal practice in tow
of only few thousands inhabitant
and our story is brought down to dat
with Mrs. Bradley and the children
the scene of the pretty picture men
toned in the opening paragraph.
p Now we would have you know tina
Mrs Bradley was some factor in tn
social and club life of Bonneville. Sh
was leader of thought and woma
;of action. What Mrs. Bradley migf
Judge was a good move to make We
lacquiesced in by practically all Of til
other women of the town. SIG we
{: one Of those magnetic persona,itie
y of which there is generally rat or
found in every town.