The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1921-04-01
CHAPTER Two-continued.

Israel Sneed, the plumber was
working with his men on job at Mil
erton, but he took on the plumbing
for the Bing house extension. at prices
above all precedent, to be done as
soon as he could get 10 1t on his re-
turn. The butcher and grocer had i'm
proved the opportunity to raise their
prices, for Bling never questioned a
bill. He set the pace. Prices stuck
where he put the peg. So, unwilling
ly, the millionaire had created condi-
tions of life that were extremely diff
ficult.
Since prices had gone up the vii
lage of Bingvile had been running
down at the heel 1t had been at hest
and, in the main. a rather shiftless
and inert community. The weather
had worn the paint off many houses
before their owners had seen the need
of repaintng. Not until the rain
drummed on the floor was the average,
drowsy intellect of Bngville reused to
action on the roof II must be said,
however, that every one was busy,
every day, except Hiram Blenkinsop.
who often INDUCED in ante norton
slumbers in the graveyard or went out
on the river with his dog Christmas.
his bottle and his fishing rod. The
iunge selling goods or teaming.
~ Wofkfig in The two hotels or the
machine shop or the electric light
plant or the mill. or keeping the hay
off the lawns. or building. or teaching
in the schools. The gardens were
industry of schoolboys and old men.
SO it will be seen that the work of the
community had little effect on the sup
ply of things necessary to life. In
deed a general habit of extravaganza
had been growing in the village. Peo-
pie were not so careful of food, fuel
and clothing as they had been.
1t was wet summer in Bingville.
The day after the rains began, Pro
fessor Renfrew called at the house of
the sniffy Snodgrass-the nouveau
richie and opuent carpenter. He sat
reading the morning paper with new
diamond ring on the third finger of his
left hand.
my roof is leaking badly and II
will have to be fixed at once" the pro-
fesso~ announced.
I'm sorry. | can't do thing for
YOU now" said Snodgrass. "I'ye got
so much to do, / don't know which
way TO turn"
"But you're not working this rainy
tIn oil
mo. and don't propose to work in
this rain for anybody; If | did I'd fix
my own roof To tell you the truth. ]
don't have TO work at all | calculate
that I've got all the money | need. SO.
when 1t rains. | intend to rest and get
acquainted with my family"
He was firm but in no way disagree.
able about 1t.
Some of the half-dozen men who. in
like trouble, called on him for help
that day were inclined to resent his
declaration of independence and his
devotion to leisure, but really Mr..
Snodgrass was well within his rights
II was more serious matter when
judge Crooker's plumbing leaked and
flooded bis kitchen and cellar. Israel
Sneed was in Millerton every day and
working overtime more or less lie
refused to put a hand on the judges
pipes. He was sorry but he couldn't
make a horse Of himself and even If
he could the time was past when he
had to do II. Judge Croker brought
a plumber from Hazemead, sixty
miles in motorcar. and had 10 pay
seventy dollars for time. labor and
materials. This mechanic declared
that there was too much pressure on
the pipes. judgment of whose ac=
curacy we have abundant proof in the
history of the next week or so. Never
had there been such a bursting of
pipes and flooding of cellars. That
little lake up in the hills which sup
piled the water Of Bingville seemed to
haze got the common notion of moving |
INTO the village. A dozen cellars were
turned into swimming pools. Modern |
improvements were going out of COM
mission A committee went 10 Hazel
mead and after weeks pleading got
/ pair of young and inexperienced |
plumbers to come to Bingville.
"They must "a plugged 'em with
,old," said Deacon Hosley. when the
Nil arrived. |