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D J h J iL is f. f 1 I p T L i JACOB JACOB WHITTLE newly elected Town Town W Councilor was excited n nL He e rushed up the we L s stairs t a 1 rs to the office of Martin I ar ti n G Gh Goodhand w who h 0 h had bad II d b been een president of th the e b board oard for a aI I time so 80 Ion long that th the memory of man run run- neth not to the contrary rJ Martin wll n Jacob be began nn shrilly as he burst into the room and mopped his brow with a huge blue blu hand e handkerchief an kerch Ie f we we been our duty Not Kot k Vin Martin nor but ne g I ec n aU all the same What Wha spose Martin is exis Jn in this town right u under d our noses without our seem it that has as got to b be e s stamS stamped t ou out e in pose pose the grasp of a Ir iron Q h hand an d What Martin leaned forward d' d ar his Jaw grimly setting Aint it nobody viola viol tin the is' is law they f i is Worse Worse n that And who'd ever eTer thought one of em would a a u up p rIg right t here in Sand Hill BiU I Its It's t s a monopoly one Martin unholy of th them monopolies monopolies' that's n t what swat It is 1 r I dont don't believe ber said M Martin tin that that kl judiciously you you'd d know a monopoly if it walked right up and stepp stepped d on your foot Jacob acob bristled I I guess I read the papers and the maga- maga rines and sigh sich and if feller a e er dont don't git it to know monoPOlies monopolies fro from m to flagpole flag flag- pole like he w was as b born orn and brought up in In t the h e same house with em h he e aint un t very ery quick in his mind Ive I've 1 e read rea d about railroads and trusts a and d pools and consolidations till I IDee kin kin see Dee em em w with t one hand t tied Ie d b behind me Monopolies I Well belna beins youre you're posted you might might's s 's swell swell we well out with it Whoa Who's 0 B in Sand Hill Its It s our one and only public service concern o cern Its It's our bus line that's what it is 1 Its It's t s Barney Barn y Beagle Look this thing In the eye Martin and tell me if theres there's any compe com com- pe petition lon Does any anyone one else own a bus What other feller carries passengers and trunks to the depot Nobody B BB Barney arney B Beagle e I e holds h us in In the holler of his hand He Hes He's s. s grasped gasped off this here necessity and is It to suit himself I tell ten you Martin Goodhand 1 If he took a notion he could raise the fare from from the depot to the hotel to a quarter instead of ten cents cents that's that's what he be could do He Be could charge folks fifty cents cents for em and their baggage to toa toa toa a train tram and wouldn't raise a hand band to per- per vent Tent him Now what you got to say Martin pondered pandered your idee he be asked finally t COMPETITION 1 As officers of this V. V hero here town its it's our bounden duty to look to the of all the folks that live here Who knows what minute Barney Beagle will shove his hands deeper into their pocketbooks by his prices Well We'll ell give him competition well we'll git into the field and haul baul people from depot to hotel for five cents that's my idee and idee-and and so bust the monopoly Well We'll start a n village bus line and the profits can come come off n n the taxes Its It's bound to be a 11 pop poplar lr measure measure meas meas- ure ore Martin with everybody Bar Bar- nay ney Martin Jacob Jacob Martin struck his table a tremendous tremendous tre- tre blow blow lm Im gratified 1 I didn't think you had It In you Jacob Youre You're a aman aman aman hid it all nU man of brains and how youve you've these years beats me I wouldn't be to see you sent to the Legislator after this no no bir sir I Howll we begin proceed ins in's Call Can a of the Council and summon summon summon sum sum- mon Barney Beagle in front of it Peaceful If hell he'll measures is best if they'll work never to raise his give gi bond and guarantee rates rales all aU right In that case he lie becomes one the Supreme of them monopolies spoke of by Court that eats out of the hand of the public without bitin off a finger If hes he's stiff stiff- tin kin with stronger meas meas- back backed d we ures Councilors were called together to- to Tillage village THE 1 gether and Jacob Whittles Whittle's discovery diE overy before them One and all sat JAas as laid calamity that that had bad wel well nigh nigh the aghast aghast at and all gazed on and one them overtaken o Jacob with ith eyes of or adm admiration and envy accepted as the mainspring spring be he was Tacitly general of the r I of war as the of their engine campaign against the monopoly of Barnabas Beagle Has Barney been sent for demanded Jacob I kin now the str street t comin up p Hes rattle of his bis bus said Abel Martin the hear Councilors waited breathlessly There The Barnabas and clattering on the stairs came a horse from every Beagle stout proclaiming curled that with hair cheek heek of feature red head and his little twists aU all over Sn in tight T that twinkled and a broad mouth blue bin eyes laughter than bentin bent bentin bentin open more often in hearty entered noisily smile in and all he be Afternoon gentlemen one What kin I do for you Tickled roared to the Council to be of service to death ordered President Goodhand Goodband 1 down Sot Set Theres a serious matter we want sternly matter the with a to talk over a you of the public of this here town interests Barnabas Start Im set responded bosses to rennin I 1 your lour 1 b e t 1 i i j ji i f t 51 I l 1 i J i Its Its been been discovered discovered began the president president president dent that youre you're a 8 monopoly Know what a 8 monopoly is I 1 Its It's where a feller has bas got all there is of it and Is reach in out for more Youve got the id idee e all right that describes describes describes de de- de- de scribes you to a T. T Youve You've got all the busses there is and for all aU we know you may be out after more You aint got no competition this here town lays at your mercy Havin no competition you kin raise prices you kin gouge us and hold us up and and up nobody knows when you'll up and do it That there is a possibility this here Council Is settin for the purpose of 1 Barnabas looked from one Councilor to to another and his eyes disappeared in a mass massof massof massof of wrinkles that always came came at the commencement com Com- commencement of a laugh Then he opened his hie mouth and roared until the lamp in its bracket threatened to fall faU He Be pounded the table and slapped his knee and stretched forth a powerful hand to dig Councilor Martin in the ribs At length he became preternaturally sober Gentlemen one and all he be said with solemnity youre right 1 It hadn't never never occurred to me before before never never Im I'm what you said eaid one of them monopolies Its It's a mean thing to be and a hard name to be called but like the dog said when he killed the sheep and was whether to eat it I might as well have the game as the name Therefore gentlemen one and all IU beins bein's Im I'm a monopoly Im I'm a goin a to monopolize a little out that line of from and after the present minute my rates for folks from the tho depot to the hotel is twenty-five twenty cents and for cartin em from their houses is half balf a n dollar That bein the case and seem as how bow my business business busi busi- ness has grooved so profitable it needs my attention why good afternoon gentlemen one and all nIl and I hope every everyone one of you is of soon I With that Mr Beagle stamped out of the room chuckling and leaving behind him a thunderstruck Town Council each ach member of which looked into his neighbors neighbor's face with dismay written on his features Simultaneously Simultaneously Simultaneously Simul Simul- all turned to Jacob Whittle who seemed lik likely ly to burst with suppressed emo emo- tion We got to fight 1 Jacob rasped We will not be trod on Well We'll run a line JIne and we e wont won't charge but half balf of Barn Barney's Barneys Barneys Barney's Bar Bar- n ney's ys y's old prices Then well we'll see where hell he'll be with his bis monopoly Meantime Barnabas Beagle hurried to the the printing office and had printed two huge The following morning the active campaign opened H Henry nry appeared at the depot platform on the seat of the band wagon just as Barnabas drove up on his bus placards with black letters on on red paper reading I II J I BARNABAS BEAGLE I Bus Monopoly l Prices Double DoUb c and Custom Solicited These hese he fastened o one e of 01 on each side of off r his bus and drove noisily down Main street treet JACOB TACOB WHITTLE with the burden of W the campaign on his willing shoulders gave thought to ways and means First it was clear a conveyance capable of transporting transporting transporting trans trans- porting passengers and baggage must be had For an hour Jacob vainly endeavored to scale this obstacle but his bis Indomitable will finally led him to a a path that might reach its crest The IThe path took the shape of the village wagon band-wagon a cumbersome affair on wheels consisting of a huge wooden body with l long ng parallel cloth upholstered cloth upholstered seats It was uncovered uncovered uncovered un un- covered but would serve its purpose It was owned by Henny Richards Forth sallied Jacob to the Richard home where behind the barn stood the objective vehicle It assumed an important entity as Jacob gazed upon it it became an instrument instrument ment of righteous justice a weapon placed In Sn his hand for the destruction of the octopus monopoly He lie summoned Henn Henny who emerged from the barn Henny Benny he began be you a 11 public- public spirited citizen I I be declared Benny drawing himself up I aint missed a vote since 1 1 I was twenty be willin to do a service for tor the community asked Jacob rubbing his hands Henny scratched his bis head bead Depends some on the service he hesi hesi- If it w was s lendin the age this here bere wagon band for a spell suggested th the diplomatic Jacob i f Gratis asked Henny Gratis nodded JacobIn JacobIn Jacob In that there thero case Henny said nid positively I 1 feel my public spirit out ra rapid pid Besides I Ive I've Ive I've vc I At this moment Barnabas Beagle appeared around the corner corne of the barn coughing and choking alarmingly He backed toward to Henn evidently e wishing to be pounded on the back back back-an an office which was performed with enjoyment and gusto Liked to choked I gasped Barnabas got stuck In my throat He glanced glance at Jacob and nodded I came to see you he said addressing Henny about this old bandwagon wagon of yourn Henny gazed at him open mouthed and felt feIt of his collar a collar a sign of helpless aston aston- But But he wheezed I I want want to hire it for a few weeks declared declared declared de de- Jacob seized Henny by the armI armI armI arm I Ivas was vas here first he said excitedly I 1 came first To borrow not borrow not to hire observed Henny who had bad resumed his bis usual calm Ill pay pay Ill Ill I'll pay I exclaimed Jacob How much Fifty cents a day Barnabas grunted scornfully Ill give seventy-five seventy he said Jacob glared at the tho monopolist A dollar dollar dollar dol dol- dol- dol lar I he shouted And a quarter bid Barnabas a half halt groaned Jacob Jacob- His Hii face working convulsively Two dollars raised Barnabas Ja Jacob ob hesitated until he saw aw Henny turn to his rival and open his mouth Two vo n a a half balf he bellowed Barnabas was silent Its ts t's observed Cashin yourn journ Henny Cash CashIn In advance Jacob paid over a n days day's rent rental l' l with reluctance reluctance re re- re- re his eyes fixed on the proprietor of th the local monopoly with a baleful glare He Be even even shook his fist come out of you Barney Beagle he vowed be made to pay Barnabas smiled tolerantly and Henny Richards doubled up with suppressed laugh laugh- ter Presently the latter recovered enough to ask If Jacob desired horses and driver I kin rent em to you jou and drive myself he offered r How flow much 1 Two dollars a a aday day for the h horses and anda a dollar a day f for r me Jacob recognized the price as reasonable and closed at once His campaign against monopoly was costing five dollars and fifty cents a aday day and h he was pledged to carry fares at half of Barnabas' Barnabas old rate He lIe hoped the opposition would be una unable le to hold holdout out long against such suc competition c THE following morning the active active campaign campaign campaign cam cam- opened Henny Benny appeared at the depot platform on the seat of the wagon band just as Barnabas drove up on his bus Barneys Barney's sign was still displayed on the wagon band-wagon was a legend which begged all aU spirited public-spirited people to help break the monopoly monopoly monopoly mo mo- and save saTe money at the same ame time Prices of five cents to the hotel and fifteen cents elsewhere were offered Barnabas serenely made demand for a quarter to the hotel botel and fifty cents beyond Jacob stood in the waiting room anxiously How he thought could any reasonable person person per per- son choose to ride with Barnabas when such sucha a bargain was vas offered by DY the municipal wagon band The Tho train drew In and a dozen people alighted Two were traveling tra men with heavy grips and with glad shouts as of those who sight an old acquaintance they hailed Barnabas Mutely but grinning he be pointed to his sign and to the band bandwagon They loudly demanded to be enlightened as asto asto asto to what they called the the joke then threw their baggage on the roof and entered the b bus s. s Two other Individuals chose the band band- wagon Next came Higgins Biggins the grocer returning from rom the city He took in the situation at a glance and with wry mouth climbed into Barnabas' Barnabas conveyance Four strangers took the band wagon all passengers passengers gers gelS beyond the hotel That was all all With cracking whips both equipages started on their way Barnabas carrying three passengers passengers passengers gers and collecting fares of one dollar the municipal carrier bearing six and collecting seventy five cents Barnabas chuckled That afternoon Jacob approached Grocer Higgins frowningly matter he demanded Aint you goin to help bust the monopoly Be you goin to let a restraint of trade rob you When Barney Beal Beagle Is It I am said Higgins His trade is more to me than savin sain a quarter two or three times a year rear So matters we went ton on on f for r a couple of weeks the reformers spending five fhe e dollars and fifty cents for tor their conveyance each day and never never taking in more than three dollars in fares The dead l loss ss o of sixteen or or eighteen 7 F V AI AND HILL writhed SAND and twisted ben beneath ath the heel of a corporation not who wholly 11 y bloodless which the council determined determined determined deter deter- mined to wreck and they went to work like trust trustbusters trustbusters trustbusters but busters on a holiday the trust an and J Barnabas seemed t to thrive most mysteriously I dollars a week week for for no trains attired arrived on Sunday Sunday was was carving great chips off their enthusiasm Barnabas' Barnabas earnings were bein being cut cut in in two of course Even with his bis increase in price he be did not make as much money as ai beo before e but he showed no sign of weakening Jacob alone of the Councilmen was In Indomitable indomitable indomitable in- in and he be Inspired his colleagues to fight on for another week Hell never hold out Jacob reiterated Hes got to come to terms Hes He's got to I J Then we kin git an ironclad agreement out of him and his monopoly will be busted Well We'll be able to |
