Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-05-27
Continued from last week.
SYNOPSIS.


known as the Shepherd of the Birds. His
world is his mother and friends his
little room, the flower garden of Judge
Croker, 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 of
Bingville. is the ideal Of really great
man.
CHAPTER 1.-THE village becomes
money mad, rejecting the great world in
it's state of unrest. The Bing family is a
leader in the change. To them the village
has become provincial" Pauline Baker,
victim of her surroundings elopes with a
stranger. and her parents are unable to
trace her.
CHAPTER III.-Severe winter weather
brings distress to Bingville. Spoiled by
false prosperity the citizens have failed
to look ahead, and many suffer absolute
privation. The Reverend Otis Singleton,
one of the few in the village who seek to
stem the tide of extravaganza and folly,
effects a reformation in Hiram Blenkin-
sop, town drunkard and general "black
sheep"
It was not easy to bring a smile to
the face of the little Shepherd those
dayS. A number of his friends had
died and others were sick and he was
helpless. Moreover, his mother had
told him of the disappearance of Pau
line and that her parents feared she
was in great trouble. This had Wor-
ried him, and the more because his
mother had declared that the girl was
probably worse than dead. He could
not quite understand it and his happy
spirit was clouded. The good Father
cheered him with merry jeSts. Near
the end of their talk the boy said
There's one thing in this room that
makes me unhappy. It's that gold
piece in the drawer. 1t does nothing
hut lie there and SILVER and talk to
me. Seems as if it complained of the
cold. 1t says that it wants to move
around and get warm. Every time
I hear of some poor person that needs
food or fuel, it calls out to me there
in the little drawer and says, How
cold | am! How cold ann My moth
er wishes me to keep it for some time
of trouble that may come to US, but
l can't 1t makes me unhappy. Please
take it away and let it do what it can
to keep the poor people warm"
"Well done, bOys!' Mr.. BlOggs
seemed to say with a look of joy as if
he now perceived that the enemy was
in full retreat.
There's no worse company, these
days, than a boarded coin" said the
priest. 81 won't let it plague you any
more"
Father O'Neil took the coin from
the drawer 1t fell from his fingers
with a merry laugh as it bounded on
the floor and whirled toward the door
way like one OverjOyed and eager to
be off
"God bless you. my boy! May it
buy for you the dearest wish of your
heart"
"Ha! har' laughed the little tin
soldier, for he knew the dearest wish
of the boy far better than the priest
knew it.
Mr.. Singleton called soon after Fa-
Their O'Neil had gone away.
"The top of the morning to yOu!"
he shouted, as he came into BOb's
room.
Its all right top and bottom" Bob
answered cheerfully.
rs there anything can do for your?
the minister went on. 'Tm regular
Santa Claus this morning. I've got q
thousand dollars that Mr.. Bing sent
80 +1~ fo,, INV ono +hot moods holm -
"We'il be all right as soon as our
load of wood comes. It will be here
tomorrow morning." said the Shop
herd.
'Pll come and cut and split it with
you,'' the minister proposed. "The
elouuence of the AK is better than
that of the tongue these days. Mean
while I'm going to bring you little
jag in my wheelbarrow. How about
beefsteak and bacon and eggs and
all that?"
st guess we've got enough to eat
thank YOU" This was not quite true
for Bob, thinking of the sick, whose
people could not go to market. was
inclined TO hlde his own hunger.
'HO, hO" exclaimed Mr.. Bloggs, for
he knew very well that the boy was
hiding his hunger
do you call that lie?" the Shep-
herd asked as soon as the minister
had gone.
"a little one! But in my opinion ii
don't count" said Mr.. Bloggs. "You
were thinking of those who need food
more than you and that turns it square
around. | call it a golden lie--I do
The minister had scarcely turned
the corner of the street, when he met
Hiram Blenkinsop, who was shiverina
along without an Overcoat, the dog
Christmas at his heels.
Mr.. Singleton stopped him.
"Why, man! Haven't you an over