The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-10-10
THE NEW AGENT.

s~tarvin'; and the Lord knows u chill
dren are poorly enough off. | tell you,
faint no use. I can't live so. Some
times when l get to thinkin' of it right
up and down-in earnest-I feel as
though I'd rather go to the work-house
and have done with it,"
"Iknow it's hard, Malcolm but, really
couldn't it be harder?"
Harder! Be harderl What can you
imagine harder'n what We have to en-
dure now?"
az was thinking of the health of our
little ones, Malcolm, and of u own
health too"
"Aye," exclaimed the weary man,
with a twist in his face that was conf
cal, for it was a comical idea that had
struck him, ''and jest see what the
health and r~obustousness of them
youngkets is costin' me. / sometimes
think they'll eat us all up afore they
get their growth"
Susan laughed, for she knew how
fondly and tenderly her husband loved
those same "youngkets," and how much
he would sacrifice for their sakes.
She was afraid he would be finally
giving up the farm.
She was born on it, and she loved it
dearly, and it would pull terrible upon
her heart-strings to leave it.
Her six children had been born be-
meath that same sheltering roof, and
altogether, her life had been o very
pleasant and happy one
Yet she knew they were paying an
exorbitant rent--altogether too much
more by far than the farm was worth.
But others did the same, and he and
she must bear with them.
All this she said to her husband as
he sat by the fire filling his pipe. She
spoke ~modestly, and kindly, and per-
suasiyely.
Malcolm lighted his pipe and smoked
for a time in silence. At length he
brought his foot down with a crash and
burst.
"Dang it ALL / didn't mean to tell
you, Susan, but I can't keep it no lon
ger. Carter says the squire's goin' to
make another rise on the rent"
aNo, no, Malcolm. You do not
mean it?'
Its just as true as gospel. Five
shillin's a month. That's three pounds
q year"
"Oh, Malcolm, don't believe the
squire's got any hand in the business.
Its Carriers own doin' now depend up
on it"
1--we thought of that myself, Susan;
but look. the young blood is away on
the Continent-in Paris, / believe,
here mes been ever since he came
from Cambridge, and he is spending
none fast. / tell ron / look to see the
whole grand estate, hall abbey, and all
put up to the highest bidder one of
these days. IA, faint as il was when
young Philips father was liyin'. We
wern't ground down then. He lived on
his place and looked out for himself,
and now ron see where the moneys
gong that he laid up--thousands upon
thousands Of poundsln
A further smoke in silence, and he
added:
IF anything should happen at Mas
Ger Philip sh0uld be obliged to begin to
sell, this farm would be the very frst
bit % property 10 go. It's the farthest
outlyin' farm of the estate. Jest think
:! 4! Were nigh on to Ave miles away
from the Hall, and yet he ownsa all the
land atween here and there-eyery rood
Of IT What q shame it Is 'at q young
man, without any family, only his moth
er and two sisters, should eat into such
q grand old heritage 30 ou~trageousiyi
Hallool I declare its rainin,."
Why, it's been raining this haIf-hour,
Malcolm"
Well, I never noticed it until now.
- who's that, 1 wonder?D
IL was a rap on the outer door. Nal
colin got up and took a candle and went
70 answer the
He found on a broad door stone q
young man, tall and strong, clad In q
rough forest garb, such as g~araekeepers
and f~oresters were wont to wear, leather
breaches and leather jacket. with strong
leather CATERS, and upon his head a
Highland bonnet. He carried in his
hand q fowling-piece with shot-pouch
and ppNvder-horn at his sides.
Malcom Wansley was not the man to
keep 4 wayfarer at his door to tell his
story when the whole story could be
read at D glance.
"Ah, strangherl got caught IN q
shower, eh2 Come right in. We,ey
- N~<.it&- ~ IAX . -