The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1886-05-12
CHAPTER VIII.

IhlngS were almost coming 10 re-
volt; never were poor tenant farmers
so ground down aud oppressed as those
on the estate of Moat-Grange. Rents
were raised, expenses, properly falling
on landlords, refused to be paid or al
lowed for. Mr.. Dalrymple, the present
owner, was ruling, with a hand OF
iron, hard and cruel.
As to the Grange itself, the dwelling
mansion, il was the dreariest Of the
dreary. When Oscar Dalrymple,
through the extravagance of his wife,
had been rendered liable for heavy
debts, he had sold or the better portion
of the furniture, retained two or three
of the rooms as habitable for himself,
wife and one servant, and closed the
shutters of the rest. There they lived
life Of penuriousness; and Selma,
Mrs. Dalrymple, would sometimes un.
lock the doors Of the once familiar
rooms, and pace alone about their dusty
floors, i'm anger and remorse almost un.
controllable--anger against her hus.
band, who need not have proceeded to
this extreme pass, and remorse for hei
own folly, which had led to it.
Three years went by and things grew
worse; more wretched indoors, more
oppression out. One day Mr.. Lee came
up to the Grange, a respectable farm
er, who had rented all his life, and his
father before HIM, under the Dalrym
pies.
"Sir," began Farmer Lee, without
any circumlocution, when he was ad
mitted to the presence Of his landlord
II am come up about that paper which
has been sent to me from Jones, your
lawyer. It's a notice that next Mi
.chaelmas, when my lease will expire
the rent is to be raised.
"WellP" said Mr.. Dalrymple.
"a pound an acre.
"Well?n
"a pound an acre." repeated Farmer
Lee, with increased emphasis, as il he
thought he was not heard. "Jonei
must have made a mistake; you never
eould have told him that, sir. Ny
daughters think he wrote it when he
was drunk; for every body knows that
he has fits Of drinking"
"They are the Instructions gave
him, Mr.. Lee"
"To raise my rent pound a acrer'
echoed the farmer, forgetting his gram
mar in his excitement.
Exactly. The farm viii bear it."
mo, it won't bear it, sir, and ]
won't pay it."
al am sorry for that, Mr.. Lee, be-
cause IL leaves only one alternative"
"And what's thatp" asked Mr.. Lee.
ITO substitute in its place anotice to
quit"
ITO quit! to quit the farm! forme to
quit my farm!' reiterated Mr.. Lee, in
his astonishment. "Why, it has been my
home all my life, sir, and 1t was my
fathers afore me. was born in that
farm, Mr. Dalrymple, years and years
before you ever came into the world,
and kmean TO die in il.
Mr.. Dalrymple did not acquiesce or
object in words. He only looked at
him with his impassive face, and cold,
colorless eye.
"It's my labor, sir, that has made II
what it is," continued the farmer.
when my poor old father died, it was
not half the farm it is now. Early and
late have | been at my post, working
myself and seeing that my men worked.
/ have spared neither labor nor money
TO bring 1t to it's present fine condition;
you can't deny, Mr.. Dalrymple, that
it's the best worked and most flourish
ing land on the estate"
"My good sir, l do not deny it. I say
cs you do; that 1t is too flourishing tc
remain at it's present low rent"