Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-12-29

1 fat 1t beant for the want of movementn ''Very well, then, take this letter" and he
 banded him an epistle sealed with tremen- d0us seal. 'Take this letter to Mr. Quest at Roisingham, and wait for an answer. And look here, see you are about the place at II o'clock, for I expect MT. Quest to see me about the Moat farm"
 "Yes, sir"
 II suppose that you have heard nothing more from Janter, have you?"
 No, squire, nothing. He means to get the place at his own price or chuck it." And what is his priceF'
 Five shiIlings acre. You see sir it's this way. That army gent, Major Boston, as Is agent for all the college lands down the valley, he be poor weak fool; and when all these tenants come to him and say that they must either have the land at five shillings an acre or go, he gets scared, he dew, and down goes the rent of some of the best meadow land ill the country from thirty five shillings to five Of course it don't signify to him not half penny-the college must pay him his sal ary all the same-and he don't know no more about farming, nor land, nor northing, than my old mare yinder. We'll, and what comes of lts Of course every tenant on the place 1 hears that those college lands are going for five shlllings an acre. and they prick up their ears and say they must have their land at the same fgger; and it's all owing to that Boston varmint, who ought to be kicked through every holl on the place and then drowned to dead in dike."
 "Yes, you're right there, George; that silly man is public enemy, and ought to be treated as such; but the times are very bad with corn down to twenty-nine-very bad. |" m not saying that they ain't bad, squire, 1" said his retainer, his long face lighting up; 'they are bad, cruel bad, bad for everybody. And I'm not denying that they are bad for the tenants; but if they are bad for the ten | ants, they are wus for the landlord It all comes on his shoulders in the long run. If men find that they can get land at five shil- llngs an acre that's worth twenty, why it lsnt III human nature to pay twenty; and if they find that the landlord must go as they drive him, of course they'll lay on the whip why, bless you, sir, when a tenant comes and says that he is very sorry but he finds he can't pay his rent in nine cases out of ten, if you could just look at that mans bank book you'd find that the bank was paid, the tradesmen were paid, the doctors paid everybody's paid before he thinks about his rent Let the landlord suffer because he can't help himself but, Lord bless you. if a hundred pounds was overdue to the bank, it would have the innards out of him in no time. and he knows it Now, as for that varmint Janter to tell me that he can't pay fifteen shillings acre for the Moat farm is nonsense. only wish 1 had the capital to take it at the price"
 Well. George" said the squire, II think thaGlf 1t can be managed shall borrow the money and take the farm in hand am not going to let Jantcr have it at five shillings an acre"
 'Ah, sir, that's the best way. Bad as times are, it would go hard if I can't make the interest and the rent out of it too Be sides, squire, If you give way about this farm, all the others will come down on you. I'm not saying word ag'in your tenants, but where there's money to be made you can't trust no man."
 Well, well," said the squire, ''perhaps you are right and perhaps you ain't Right or wrong. you always talk like Solomon in all his glory Any way, be off with that note, and let me have the answer as soon as you get back. Mind you don't go loafing and jawins about down in Boisingham, because l want my answer"
 'So he means to borrow the money if he can get it, said Ida to herself as she sat, an in visible auditor, doing her kair by the open window. George can do more with him in five minutes than I can in a week, and I know that he hates Janter. I believe that Janter threw up thes farm because of his quarreling with George. We'll, suppose that we must take our chance"
 Meanwhile George had mounted his cart and departed upon the road to Boisingham urging his fat pony along though be meant to be there ill twenty minutes. But so soon as he was we'll out of the reach of the souire's shouts and sight of the castle gates, he delib- erately turned up q by lane and logged along for q mile or more to farm where he had s long confabulation with a man about thatch- {yNSr -tnl-- way to his own little place, where he pro- ceeded to comfortably get his breakfast, re- marking to his wife that he was of opinion that there was no hurry about the souire's letter, as ''laryers" wasn't in the habit of coming to office at in the morning.
 Breakfast over, the philosophic George got into his cart, the fat pony having been tied up outside, and leisurely drove into the pict- uresque old town which lay at the head of the valley. All along the main street he met many acQuaintances, and with each he found it necessary to stop and have a talk, indeed, with two be had modest half pint. At length, however, his labor over, he arrived. at MT. Quests office, that. as all the Boisingham world knows, is just opposite the church, of which MT. Quest is one of the church war dens, and which was but two years ago beau tifully restored, mainly owing to his efforts and generous contributions Driving up to the small and quiet looking doorway of a very unpretentious building, George de- scended and knocked, whereon 6 clerk opened the door, and ill answer to his in- quiries informed him that he believed Mr. Quest had just come over to the office
 In another minute he was shown into an inner room of the ordinary country office stamp, and there at the table sat Mr. Quest himself
 Mir. Quest was a man of about 40 years of age, rather under than over, with a pale, ascetic cast of face, and quiet and pleasant, though somewhat reserved, manner. Ills features were ill no way remarkable, with the exception of his eyes, which seemed to have been set in his head owing to some cu- rious error of nature. For whereas his gen eral tone was dark, his hair in particular being jet black, these eyes were gray, and jarred extraordinarily upon their companion features For the rest, he was man of some presence and with the manners of gentle man.
 Well, George" he said, "what is it that brings you to Botsingham9 A letter from the squirrel Thank you. Take seat, will you, while look through it. Umphl Wants me 70 come and see him at II o'clock. am very sorry, but can't manage that any way Ah, l see-ahout the Moat farm. Janter told ma he was going tO throw if mn. snd '