The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-01-20


ter a cordial hand-shake, said
Mike, would you like to give up your
holding and hire out to me?"
''Och, thin, ye're going to be worse thin
the ould masther and turn us out all to-
either" he said, shaking his powerful fist
by way of emphasis; while the woman
came nearer in threatening manner.
"No, Mike" | said, in friendly way,
"you mistake me. l want to make you
more comfortable. On your small holding
you can hardly raise enough to keep your
family from want. But if you will work
fol me, 1 will give you good wages for
yourself, your wife, and all the children
that are large enough to work.
My father lived here and his father be-
fore him; and now as soon as yere mas
ther ye come to root us out of the soil!'' he
said, shaking his fist in my face, while his
wife kept coming nearer and showing the
spirit of an angry tigress about to spring.
But, Mike" I protested, Il want you
to live more comfortable. 1t is hard work
to live i'll this way" pointing to the pigs
and cow
EYER want the COW turned out to die, SO
we can't pay our rint,' said Mike, thin
ye'd turn us from our home. No. yer may
leave us to Ourselves" d"
/ tried to reason with him, but could not
make him believe but that | meant to
harm him. Mike was honest, industrious
and sober. but the few acres he held were
not enough to keep his family from want
1t he never paid any rent. Yet | could not
make him believe it was for his good /
made the offer.
| visited dozen farmers, but they were
all OF the same opinion as Mike, and pre-
ferred to live in filth and degradation
rather than give up their little holdings.
Instead of helping them as l had planned
to do, nearly caused an insurrection. The
men gathered together and were ready to
fight if l persisted in asking them to
change. I soon found the reason for such
filthy yards and houses was fear of the
rent being raised if the place looked thrift
ty. Very carefully set to work to over
come their mistaken prejudices.
| had commenced the work of improve
ment before Stella had left, as she had ad
yised Oh that day which seemed to me
years ago. O. why was silent that morn
ing, If | had only spoken the loving words
within my heart l might have kept her by
my side. How much missed her now! l
had learned to value her words of counsel.
Her ready tact would influence the tenants
to do her will, as often found When l
offered any plan for change if she had ever
spoken of it to them they were very will
ing to accept it. Gradually l had to learn
her way of dealing with the people and
was guided accordingly. 1t was the story
of Topsy and Eva over again. Stella was
the Eva to teach me there must be sympa-
thy to win regard. AS followed out that
principle the tenants began to trust me l.
started improvements that gave them
work, and the wages gave them good
many comforts
After good deal of thought and some
expense had the satisfaction of knowing
that every tenant had a comfortable house
and that the pigs and cows were sheltered
without being members of the family.
1t was beautiful morning in january;
the trees and shrubs We're clothed with the
fairy garb that Jack Frost loves to deck
| the world in, when | rode over to Sir
| Wren's to receive instructions for my Lon
| don visit He was in his favorite place,
the library. He looked up as entered,
and extended his hand, saying:
II began to think you had forgotten
your promise Lloyd. But there is time
enough yet. O, by the way, your new
theory did not work; came near having a
row, hear"
''Yes, Sir Wren I thought had got into
a hornets nest. Even the WoMcn were
ready to fight me. How did you make the
changer"
1T was mostly done before I bought the
estate. The former owner, Lord Sanders,
had used it for Il, pasture farm, and had
very few tenants Is had time clearing
it, as there were some two or three hun
dred families on the estate when he bought
it, He had them all eyicted, though every
one had paid his rent quite promptly
| Father O'Hale said it was the saddest
sight he ever saw when that whole village
were turned from home without food o1
shelter He said some among them Were
sick and the excitement and exposure were
more than they could stand. He was called
to offer consolation to the dying VINO lay
by the roadside in the rain and cold
Every tenant house in the whole village
was burned. Lord Sanders never dared se