Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-10-20
Frenchman vs.. Yankee.

ONE WAY TO NULLIFY BAD LEASE.
There is shrewd and wealthy Yankee
landlord away down in Maine, who is noted
for driving his sharp bargains'-by which
he has amassed large amount of property.
He is the owner of great number of dwell
ing houses, and it is said Of him that he is
not over-scrupulous in his rental charges,
whenever he finds a customer whom he
knows to be responsible. His object is al
ways to lease his houses for term of
years, to the best tenants, and get the ut
most farthing in the shape of rent.
A diminutive Frenchman called on him
last winter to hire dwelling he owned in
empty. References were given and the
Yankee landlord ascertaining that his ap-
plicant was man after his own heart for
a tenant, Immediately commenced to jew
him. He found that the tenement appear
ed 10 suit the little Frenchman, and he
placed an exhorbitant price upon it, but the
lease was drawn and duly executed, and
the tenant moved into his new quarters.
Upon the kindling of fires in the house.
it was found that the chimneys wouldn
draw, and the house was filled with smoke.
The window sashes ratified in the wind at
night, and the cold air rushed through 8
hundred crevices about the house, until
now unnoticed. The snow melted upon
the roof, and the attics were drenched from
leaking. The rain pelted, and our French
man found a natural bathroom upon the
cellar floor-but the lease was signed anc
the landlord chuckled.
4 have been vat you sal call suck in
Wis dis dam nlaison'-muttered our victim
to himself, week afterwards-'but min
porte-ve sal see vat We sal seeP
Next morning he rose bright and early
and passing down town, he encountered the
landlord.
"A ha! Bon jour, monsieur said he ii
his happiest manner
Good day, sir. How do you like YOU
house2'
'Ah! Monsieur-e elegant, beautiful, mag
niicent! Eth, bien, monsieur: hav but x
one regret -
'Ah! What is that?'
sMonsieur-I sal live in zat house bu
tree little year.
How so?'
4 have find by vot you sal call re lease
f cat you hav give me re house for but tre
f year, an hav ver' much sorrow for Eat.
sBut you can have it longer if you wish.
sAh, monsieur sal be ver' mooch gla.
if / can hav Eat house so long as | pleas
-eh, monsieur?'
I sOh, certainly-certainly, sir
. Tres bien, monsieur! sal walk rite tt
, your offices-an' you sal give vot you cal
! re lease, for Eat maison jes so long as | sa
want re house. Eh monsieur?
; - Certainly, sir. You shall stay Their
/ your life time, if you like
: sAh, Monsieur-l have ver' mooch tank
for zis accommodation
r The old leases were destroyed and a anes
one was delivered in form to the Frenc
f gentleman, giving him the premises 70
2 such period, as the lessee may desire tn
, same, he paying the rent therefor, prompt
3 ly, &c.
The next morning, our crafty landlor
] was passing the house just as the French
, mans last load Of furniture was being start
, ed from the door; and an hour afterwards
messenger called on him with 9ega
t tender for the rent for eight days, accom-
r panied with note as follows:
! "Monsieur, .sE.
hav bin smoke-I hav bin drowned
hay bin frees to death, in re house vot
r hav hire of you, 'for re period as | may dc
. sire.' | hav stay in re dam house Jest S
r long as pleese, an re bearer of zis vi
: give you re key!-Bon jour, monsieur!'
t 1t is needless to say that our Yanke
S Landlord has never since been known
b give up "a bird in the hand for one in tn
/, bush.' -....-.s ..... a.~. -~