Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-04-21
MOAT-GRA.N,GE..
Br MHs. HExRY woon.

rushed into her heart that they might be going to visit it on her.
 Reuben spoke up; but he was old and weak, and powerless against so many, and he knew it; therefore his tone was more conciliating than it would otherwise have been.
 "What do you mean by molesting Mrs. Dalrymple? Stand away, Dyke, and let her pass. You wouldn't hurt her; if she is MT. Dalrymple's wife, she was the squire's daughter and he was always good to you.
 ''Stand away yourself, old man. Who said we was a going to hurt herP" roughly retorted Dyke. "Tain't like ly, and you've said the reason why. Ma am. do you see them ruinsP Does they make you blush?'
 ''1 am very sorry to see them, Dyke." answered Mrs: Dalrymple. "It is no fault of mine"
 '1s it hard upon us or not. that we should be turned out of the poor roofs that sheltered usp We paid our bit of rent, all on us, not one was 8 defaulter. How would you like to be turned out of your home, and told the poor-house was afore you and q order for it, if you ukeu to go there!
 Il can only say how very sorry I am." returned Mrs. Dalrymple, much distressed; as well as terrified. ''I wish l could help you. I wish 1 could put you into better cottages tomorrow, but I am as poweriess as you are"
 Twill you tell him to do it? We are a coming up to ask him. Will you tell him to come out and face us and look of thor,, r.,,inc onl fhnr our wives and babies huddling in barns, lent us out O charityP Tell him, ma'am. please"
 Dyke moved away, and Mrs. Dal- rymple lost no time in speeding away to the Grange. Reuben, when he had seen her safe in, returned home.
 MT. Dalrymple was in the oak par Tor, comfortless and cold-looking at that season without fire, when his wife entered. She threw herself into chair and burst into tears.
 II have been so terrified. As came by the commons with Reuben. the men were there, and"
 "IVhat menP" interrupted MT. Dal- rymple.
 Those you elected from the cottages. They were not insolent to me, but they stopped me, and began to speak about their wrongs"
 s'Their-w -wrongs-did you sayp''
 "Yes, and must say it." she firmly answered, goaded by fright and excite ment to remonstrate against the injus- tice she had hitherto not dared to in- terfere with. "Cruel wrongs. Oscar, if you go on like this, expressing all on the estate, you will be murdered as sure as you live. They will not bear it. :"
 'Who will not bear itaN
 "Any of them. hear that there is a meeting at Lee tonight"
 "Their chance of meeting on my es- tate will soon be ended" calmly re- sponded Oscar Dalrymple. "They are set of wretches, all; all in league against me, and that determined mo to get rid of them"
 "It is your own fault that they are against you. They never were against papa
 reply.
 "it is cruel to the farmers to turn them away, but it is doubly cruel tc these men to have forced them from their cottages" continued Selina, ''They paid their rents. Their wives and children, poor creatures, are to refuge in barns. The men said they would tell you to go out and look at them, huddling there. 1 would not have acted so, if had not shilling in the world, for should expect judg- ment to overtake me for my cruelty"
 MT. Dalrymple wheeled round his chair. and fixed his eyes on his wife.
 "Whose ~ruel conduct has been the cause of it?" he asked, in his cold voice, ten times worse than another s anger. "Who got into secret debt, to the tune of some six or seven thou sand pounds, and let the bills come in to me.'
 She dropped her eyes then. for his reproach was true.
 "And forced me to retrench almost to starvation, and grind down the ten- ants, to keep me from a prison? Was it you or I, Mrs. Dalrymple?"
 "But things need not have proceeded to these extremes" she replied. her courage returning. "I am sure the debts must be nearly liquidated by now, and we ought not to have lived in this niggard1y way, and made the Grange by-word in the county. The management of the estate might have gone on as it did in papa's lifetime, and no oppression or cruelty been ex- ercised. It would only have taken a little longer period to clear us. No, Oscar, though have never liked to say so much, it is is your mean, grasp ing spirit which has prompted to this, not the debts. foresee that when you are clear and in the enjoyment of your full income, you will still be a cruel landlord. It is your nature"
 '1f by exacting the last farthing from all who rent under me means cruelty, yes," he replied, "and shall never live otherwise than we are living now, so don't let your hopes involve you in disappointment The worlds against me, and I'll be against the world. I'll snap my fingers at it, and show that despise it.
 Suddenly an even tramp of feet wa. heard outside the house, and before il had struck Selina what it might be, and given time to bolt and bar the doors, the malcontents of the common were n