The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-10-10
A Superstitious Tenant.

aa A SuperstitiOus Tenant.
The relations between landlords
and tenants would bo far am
icable than they commonly are il
both sides were not so often exact.
ing and hard to please. One par.
ty is inclined to think he gets too
little rent, and is called upon to
make repairs too often, in view Of
his heavy taxes, s,andb becomes gloomy
over the perishablo nature Of dwell.
lings made with hands; and the
other party thinks that his repeat
ed payments of rent would event.
ua lily amount to more than the
dwelling cost whom it was new;
and still, though a tenant his whole
life, he cannot lay claim to splip-
ter of it; and he sees no reason why
his Ian diord should be reluctant to
make any repairs he may ask, con.
sidering that it is but an improve.
ment upon the landlords own prop!
erty that he requests. Thus their
conflicting interests seldom leave
both parties satisfied.
Not long since a certain house.
keeper called and thoroughly in
speeted an old but substantial and
well-repaired house to let, and
seemed thoroughly satisfied with it;
when the landlord CHANGED to re-
mark that his last tenant was a gen.
tleman Of high respectability, and
had lived there for over thirty years
without ever desiring to change.
"And what made him 60 at last?'
"Why, madam, it wasn't his fault
nor mine. He lived here and died
hero i
An instant change darkened the
lady's countenance, and she gave a
small shrek. nuf
"Oh!" cried she, "dcar me! Died
here? Then this house will never
do for mo. 1 don't want to live in
a house whore anybody has ever
died" l.t..-e.4
"Itdon't hurt a house any ma'am,
to have person die in it,
"You may think. so, but l think
it upiucky. Besides, if live here,
l should always be thinking of the
dead man. l feel faint now, while
| think of it"
Tho man wasn't murdered, ma am.
He died natural death"
IL presume so; but | still think
it is unlucky to have any one die
in a house."
+" People must die somewhere,
ma'am." gj.
"I know ~"
3 Sand we certainly don't want to
die out Of doors"
81 know IT," repeated the lady.
firmly; but that don't alter i. a
bit. l always said, and always
shall, that | never would and never
could live whore person had
been and died, if / knew it. 0,
horrorl how could I ever como in
and out of Il front door where a body
had been carried; how could | en-
ter room where q man had died,
and been laid out, stone cold-and
| suppose he vas decorated in the
parlor tor visitors-best room, Of
course" .' -
"But what of that? Once gone
he'll never come back to bite you.
81 know it; but there the life has
departed out. of him, and out oI
the ouse--that's what | think of il
if l express myself-and when the
life goes out, it seems to me as if il
left unluckiness behind"
"Thcn, this is a very unlucky
world, ma'0m for unnumbered
millions have left it in the same
unlucky way; and there must be a
great many unlucky houses in this
unfortunate scene Of mortality
II suppose so, though l mover
thought of that before"
"Wo are living in little better
than a graveyard, ma'am. l have
no doubt that the world has been
Scared all over with graves, sc
many have got into this ugly habit
of dying. Life comes and goes like
the old woman soap" Htg
You appear to be q cheerful,
tempered man. | wish l coulC
take things SO easy"
=" lam $3.50. ma'am, for the mat
ter of that. But since you have
this superstitious dislike of a place
whore the life of n human being
has departed, what is opinion
of births, ma'am2'
"Births? Oh, dear, law, sir !
They are lucky. Ialways hold tt
that. Ishopld'nt want to live in
better place than where there arr
plenty of births. That is life
That is life coming in; and life il
lucky"
Then I can refer you to o hous'
that | think would suityou. Their
wero ten births in that house-al
children of one family"
"Ten children born in one house
Oh, heavenly goodnessl That wa
a lucky house, indeed. And wher
is it?' Hr g.
This is the house, ma'am, an
the children Of the gentleman VIII
died here" "Oh," exclaimed th
lady, heaving q sigh ofamazement
and throwing up her hand, with
stare, as if endeavorinS to strik
the balance between life and deatf
81 hope you'rea a true American
ma'am, and believe that the ma
jority ought torule. Only one lii
departed! in this house and TO
oonon;n nnn l;fa holnnnoa nna