Democratic messenger., 1881-04-02

Having striped the townland and settled
| each mans holding at given rent, the
tenants found that they paid double the
former amount, and complained bitterly.
Mr.. O'Dowd, knowing the lrishman's
hopeful view of the future, said he
would not ask for any rent for six years,
during which time any one of the ten.
ants ought to be able to make money
enough to take him to America but al
the expiration of six years any one who
remained must pay up the entire arrear.
This seemed to the tenants a good offer.
Six years was long time, and God was
good At the end of the time Mr..
ODowd demanded all the arrears. The
tenants said they were ruined but il
two installments the entire amount was
paid, ms well rs the running gales ol
rent
Mr.. O'Dowd has not retired from
trade, as so many would have done Oh
the acquisition of SO much property as
he has bought. He is as keen man OF
business as ever, and looks upon his
property as a means for the increase oi
his business. When Paddy Miles was
met wearing a new hat, which he had
evidently bought in a rival establish.
ment, Mr.. O'Dowd ordered him to at.
tend at the Office at once and pay up his
account for rent and goods. 1t was
only by submitting to fine of half O
crown that Paddy escaped the threatened
ruin, for to pay up his account was i'm.
possible; and he has undertaken not
again TO break the rule of the property
by buying anything in any other house
than that of his landlord. 1t is un-
necessary to say that the rents on Mr..
O'Dowd's properties are much higher
than on properties belonging to the old
landlords, yet no tenants in the country
make bra0er show at mass or market.
Mr.. O'Dowd holds that tenants will cul-
tlvate up to their necessities, and only
so far. These necessities are rent, food,
and clothing; and the land, food and
clothes being supplied by him, he has a
fair idea of the amount that can he
borne by them. Tom Lahy complains
of being charged los. hundredweight
for guano. instead of 12s. Cd, which is
the price in the open market but she
will not have to pay for it for year,
the neighbors do not think he has any
cause for complaint. When he is asked
to pay mp an installment OF his account.
he will have forgotten all about that
item. Nor viii he suspect that his
twenty pounds weight of turnip seed
really consisted of half that quantity.
ten pounds being cheap seed of an
other description, duly scalded and
killed by the thoughtful seed merchant,
thatits termination might not expose the
fraud. Mr.. O'Dowd is strong ON the in
nocence of the transaction for is it not
well-known fact that people SOW all
seeds too thickly? and the little plan
only secures that seed be sown in the
proportion advised by good farmers.
Mr.. O'Dowd's best customers are the
women, whose adornments form the
greater portion of their husbands bills,
to the great injury of these patient
spouses. When Paddy Malley sold his
COW. and honestly determined to pay
the four or five pounds that he thought
his bill amounted to, he was sorely vex-
ed to find he owed ten pounds ten,
which was accounted for by the price of
his wife's new hat and shawl, and the
finely trimmed dress with which his
daughter dazzles the neighbors on Sun
days. Mrs. Malley did not hesitate a
moment in ordering on credit the green
silk hat with blue flowers and feathers
and pink strings for which twenty-five
shillings was charged in the bill. Who
knows what might turn up before pay
meat was asked And had Bill Gro
gan's daughter been dependent upon
the money in her purse she would have
choked with envy before she allowed
that passion to lead her into the extrava-
gance of ordering bonnet at thirty
shillings that must have twice as many
colors and much wider strings than
Biddy Malley's hat.
Mr.. O'Dowd is not poor-law guar
dian. That position would deprive hlm
of the advantage of contracting for the
food and clothing required in the work.
house. He has many customers on the
board, and can command the acceptance
of his tenders. The representation of
n division he regards as an empty
honor, the command of the representa-
tive solid advantage. After the par
tial failure of the potato crop of 1879
he soon read the signs of the times, and
determined that il money was to be dis
tributed his neighborhood must have
its share. He has adopted the stories
of famine to the fullest extent. II
money is to be obtained, there must be
a high bid made for it in the competi-
ton of destitution. He is an active
member Of the local relief committee,
and he declares the poverty of his ten
ants to be so great that special applica,
tions have been made by him in THEN
behalf Yet his offer of reduction OF
rent had curious ring to starving peo-
pie. All the tenants on Owenmackenna
who paid up the rent to the 1st of No.
vember were offered reduction of q
per cent. As Mr.. O'Dowd says that the
tenants owe him from two to five years
rent, the offer was a safe business trans
action to him, and those who have paid
have not been neglected in the lavish
supply of meal and seed from the differ.
ent charitable funds. Michael Heffer.
nan is one of the tenants Mr.. O'Dowd
declares to be five years in arrears.
Michael stoutly denies it, but he has nc
receipt to show. Mr.. O'Dowd's bust.
ness system is not calculated to encou.
age in his tenant the independence OF
the village blacksmith, who "owes moi
any man. When Heffernan went al
fairly regular intervals to pay his rent.
he was directed to the office, where he
was assured that the amount was credit.
ed in the book and no recent was neces.