The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-08-16

TO say lhlS was the way he
dealt with me when the kitchen fire.
place fell out and the states came off
scullery. But, thought l, if there
is anything unmistakable, it is "drains,"
and he can't say its ''not the landlords
business" as he did when that hun
.redweight of stucco came off the por-
tico.
So l called on Mr.. FULTON at his office
in Church Street, Islingt0n, on my way
to the city. l was bland. introduced
the subject as a %'little matter" that
would not take him one minute if he
would kindly step round to the house.
AT the mention of the word "drainsnn
his face fell. / thought I had him. He
very busy that day; he had to meet
his wife's mother at Waterloo Station;
but tomorrow early he would be sure
to look round.
When 1 got home that evening 1
found Lucy's father there. Mr.. Briggs
of an ever-so-many ton something. He
well by me, l have no doubt, but
he has sometimes a ways of looking
after his daughters interests which
tends to get my back up. Lucy had
told him our trouble and he was some
what disturbed, though sufficiently self
possessed to be smoking that particular
''i~ntimidad" 1 had fondly hoped L had
hidden away for my W delectation.
'sThis must be attended to at once,
boy" said mynayal relation, in aspeak-
ing-trumpet bass.
"T'm doing all 1 can," I replied, and
told them of my interview with MI.
FULTON.
s'But you cannot wait for 4 humbug-
ging landlords" he calculated. Prompt
action is necessary. No time like the
present." So it seemed with my intim-
idad.
'But what can we do2" said Lucy;
''advise us, dear papa; I know Tom will
only be too glad to be guided by you"
absolutely" 1 said, wincing. L had
been guided by Mr.. Briggs once before
in a little matter of mining shares, and
remembered it.
"Then my advice is to get out of the
house as quickly as possible" returned
papa, i" and then have it out with the
landlord. You had better be off to the
| seaside"
"But 1 shall beso sorryto leave Tom,"
pleady Lucy, the darling, ''and it's Sc
expensive, too"
Mr.. Briggs drew up his eyebrows.
80, that shall be no consideration, Of
course" 1 fastened to say, catching the
kindle in the naval eye.
.Leave the house you must, and the
seaside will do you all good"
'tBut 1 cannot leave you all alone,
and Anne would have to go with the
children" she pleaded, her soft eyes be
dimmed with tears. "But ah!" she
said, starting, ''there's Mrs. Hedges
the char-woman, she can come an6
look after you; she's most Trustworthy
Idrew rather a long face at the pro
posed propinquity of Mrs. Hedges;
female who, no doubt, as a Precipitation
for her sins, went about literallyiu sack
cloth and ashes. ''She's dirty to lool
at, 1 know, DEAR" Lucy continued
''but then she's so clean in her work
sWell, it won't be for ever, love; yol
shall go to Margate tomorrow for
fortnight. By that time all will b
straight again." 1 said.
Lucy cried a little on my shoulder
Her father saidI was Just the man h
always took me for, and had / any NOR
cigars of the same brand, as his cas-
was emptyP
The basement manifestations wer
worse than ever next day, and, Q
course, the landlord did not come. n
doubt he had to take his wife's mothe
back to Waterloo. The day after that
Saturday, 1 took my wife and childre
to Margate. 1 found them nice lodo
ings facing the sea, five guineas a week
but that was very cheap, as Luc
pointed out, as it included the washin
of the table-linen, which in your two
guinea apartments is charged as a
, extra. We spent a delightful Sunday
and on Monday I returned to town fu
of vigor to attack Mr.. FULTON.
Mrs. Hedges, the charwoman-rightl
so called, for she charred ~everythin
she cooked-met me on my threshold
dirtier than ever to look at Enough I
: doubt clean in her work.. Her wore
of greeting were that ''the stinks W:
awful" In self-defense she had bee
compelled to open (anG s1npIy) a bott
. of our whisky, and to call in two fema
: friends to support her in the trying CT
> cumstances, and help her with sever
things, the whisky among them. Al
the drains really were very bad. {
. course FULTON had not been, and thoue
]! I called day after day to reno
strate, he did not come. Meantim
e was simply unbearable; the brea
5 better. Mrs. Hedges and 1 were driv,
e permanently to the floor above, al
; meditated flight to the attics. The on
thing which consoled me during til
time of trial was Lucy's daily lette
She was so happy, she said; and t
dear children were getting such acolo
and the landlady was SC Gerry attentiV
e that she was almost compensated f
having to leave her dear hub. On t
l. Saturday 1 went down; before startin
however, I gave my lawyer instructio
: to stir up Mr.. FULTON with a siX-an
e~ight-penny pole, threatening that
e the matter was not seen to by the fl
h lowing Wednesday, the house would
h left and the rent not paid.
Saturday and Sunday passed deligl
fully. "'But 1 long to come home agai
If Tom DEAR" Lucy said, as l leaned @
e of the carriage-window to bid her GOO
by on the Monday morning.
l. GAS soon as ever that confound
" landlord has put the house to rigl
IS you shall"
,r "Have you done what you al yol
" self? Have you searched to see if the
I are any pipes broken on the kitch
l. fioorP" she inquired, innocently.
IS 'Drain-pipes are not laid on kitch
ic floors, pussy" I replied, as the trs
lie began to move on. She walked best
] the carriage a few steps.
S. No, of course; but there's that CT
p board under the kitchen stairs. Ha
d you looked in there? Perhaps j
= something moldering: r,ots or son
20 thing" She waved her parasol, ant
Of blew her a kiss, smiling at her absu
conjecture about the boots.
On Wednesday evening Mr.. Pultol
- grace would expire, and I had a NJ
ly from him in the morning to say
would be there without fail at eight
m. Meantime, there was no dimil
10 ton of the nuisance, and [ expect
tie every day to be indicted by the neis
- o+o,+oJ for honoo oor1u ri