Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-05-13
SYNOPSIS.

known as the SnepnerQ Oh the 6lfuS. his
world is his mother and friends, his
little room, the flower garden of Judge
Crooker. and every flying thing he sees
from his window. The painting of pic
lures is his enjoyment, and little Pauline
Baker small daughter of a neighbor, the
object of his boyish affection. To him,
j. Patterson Bing, the first citizen or
Bingville, is the ideal of a really great
man.
CHAPTER 1.-THE village becomes
money mad, rejecting the great world in
it's state of unrest. The Bing family is
leader in the change. To them the village
has become provincial" Pauline Baker,
victim of her surroundings, elopes with
stranger, and her parents are unable to
trace her.
IT was soon TTTGr the party that Mr..
]. Patterson Bing sent for William
SnOdgrass, the carpenter. He wanted
an extension built on his house con-
tanning new bedrooms and baths and
a large sun parlor. The estimate of
SnOdgraSS was unexpectedly large. In
explanation of the fact the latter said:
eve work only eight hours a day now.
The men demand it and they must be
taken to and from their work. They
can get all they want to do on those
terms"
"And they demand seven dollars and
a half a day at that? It's big pay for
an ordinary mechanic" said J. Patter-
son.
There's plenty Of work to do"
SnOdgrass answered. 81 don't care the
snap O. my finger whether | get your
Job or not. I'm forty thousand ahead
O. the game and I feel like layin' off
for the summer and takin' a rest"
81 suppose l could get you TO work
overtime and hurry the job through if
I'm willing to pay for it," the million
aire inquired.
THE rate would be time an half
for work done after the eight hours
are up, but it's hard to get anyone to
work overtime these days"
''Well, 90 ahead and get all the work
you can out of these plutocrats of the
saw and hamRer I'll pay the bills"
said J. Patterson.
The terms created a record in Bing-
vile. But. as Mr.. Bing had agreed to
them, in his haste, they were estab-
lished.
Israel Sneed, the plumber. was
working with his men on job at Mil
lerton but he took on the plumbing
for the Bing house extension at prices
above all precedent, to he done as
soon as he could get to it on his re-
turn. The butTner and grocer had inn
proved the opportunity to raise their
prices. for Bing never questioned q
bill He set the pace. Prices stuck
where he put the peg. SO. unwilling
IN, the millionaire had created condi-
lions of life that were extremely diff
ficult.
Since prices had gone up the vii
lage of Bingville had been running
down at the heel 1t had been at best
and in the main, rather shiftlesS
and inert community. The weather
had worn the paint off many houses
before their owners had seen the need
of repainting. Not until the rain
drummed on the floor was the average
drOWsy intellect of Bingville reused to
action on the roof. 1t must be said.
however, that every one was busy,
every day, except Hiram BlenRinSOp,
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
people were selling goods, or teaming,
or working 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
largely dependent on the spasmodic
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 a wet summer in Bingville.
The day after the rains began. Pro
fessor Renfrew called at the house of
the sniffy Snodgrass-the nouyeau
richie and Opulent carpenter. lie sat
reading the morning paper with new
diamond ring on the third finger of his
left hand.
"My roof is leaking badly and it
will have to be fixed at once" the pro-
feSsOr announced.
SIN sorry, | can't do a thing for
you nOw," said Snodgrass. "Tve got
so much to do, | don't know which
way to turn"
"But you're not working this rainy
day, are you?' the professor asked.
No 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 it rains, l intend TO rest and get
acquainted with my family
He was firm but in no way disagree