Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-05-23

showed evidences of dissipation.
This seems like home, but the little
mink that rules here has plenty of fire in
her small body" he remarked, without
changing his position to greet me in any
way
"She has courage to defend herself, at
least" replied, not very politely.
"Ahl All! soft is my lady's governess,
instead of Annie Wren3 l thought she
was the chosen one," said he in derision.
The dinner bell sounded. Lord Waiver
land left the drawing-room to meet the
friends he had brought with him. When
they were seated at dinner Lord Waiver
land said.
at seems the fairy genie of the place has
been in the kitchen, too, for here we have
q well cooked mail decently served"
There was now a merry party at Waiver
land. The ladies remained in their rooms
when Lord Waverland and his guests were
at home; for they were q wild, reckless
class and became very noisy under the in
fiuence of their evening potations. How
my heart rebelled against thisl There
could be no pleasant hours in the drawing
room now enlivened with music, as had
been our habit. Miss Everett was quite q
musician and Annie and l would join her
in singing, while my mother and Sir Wren
enjoyed quiet game of whist. But now
this rude, boisterous crowd of counts and
braggarts that composed Lord Waiver
lands party had taken possession Of the
house. The sheriff, with his band Of armed
soldiers, was in constant demand, evicting
tenants who would not or could not pay
the rent. That band of rough, registering
III fkav,oco1yao for,i1ia ~
about the place
Many of the tenants could not pay, and
some Of them were afraid of mourning the
displeasure Of the Land-League and dare
not pay the rack-rent demanded by Lord
Waverland. He would not lower his rents
so when the warrant was read it was a
severe struggle of eviction. Men were sent
out without work. or any means of saving
their families from starvation.
During the month that Lord Waverland
was at home, as afterward learned, more
than two hundred families were made
homeless. Some tenants were more afraid
OF eviction than Of the Land League and
paid no rent. One tenant Patrick O'Neil,
who had a large holding on my fathers
estate, paid his rent. A few days after /
saw him and he had a handkerchief tied
about his head
What is the matter, Pat'" asked.
"Och, and it's bad cold have"
THAT will never do, Pat. Let me see
your earsp'
After some demurring persuaded him
TO take off the kerchief, when, as had
been told he had lost both his ears
''How did it happen, Pat3" l asked, sor-
ry for the poor man.
'Yez see, the rule is, il one pays the rint
that is too high, some one is shore to foind
it out; and then yes have to pay the pin
atty. But what is mon to dor He will
be turned out if he does not pay and he
will lose his ears If he does. L thought L
had rather keep my home and lose my
ears"
ITS q bad state of affairs when a man
must choose between the two," l said,
feeling very much grieyed for the poor
tenant
But" said Pat, 1.-THE worst was when
our baby that was sick at the time, died.
Not one of our friends, not even my father
and mother, burst come to see us. But for
the swate LADY at the house, no one would
have come to wash and dress our dear
dead baby"
"Who did you say camel" 1 asked, for l
conld not think of any one ut Waverland
that would care for the poor tenants sor-
row.
"Why, the young lady in black"
miss Everett" / asked in astonish-
ment.
ayes, she always knows when any Of us
nre in trouble, and comes to help us IL she
can"
"Did no one come to help bury your
childi"
"No one but the priest. They dursent."
'These things are hard to bear" ] said,
soliloquizing TO myself.
'Yez may well say so, sorr. ! could
stand my own part Of it. But one is not
alone" said Pat, tears rolling down his
rough face There's me wife and child
ers that are dearer TO me than my own
life. cannot sorr, bear the thought OF
seeing thin starving and freezing by the
roadside. have given mp my ears TO save
thin, Do you blame me sorT"