New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-07
CHAPTER MIMI.

II Is hard upon man OF means 10 become
suddenly poor through no fault Of his own and
every one who has undergone this revulsion OF
tate e sincerely 10 be pi.ied: more. he usually
finds the world compassionate; but there is a
graduation In the scale Of misfortune which r.
apt to be regarded with Indifference and yet
which is rot without its sufferngs to the vic
tim
When Sir Robert Anslie. who had never been
| a wealthy man. but who had nevertheless
lived in comfort became his position during
the greater part Of his life. found that year by
year he had less and less to live upon and
moro and more need to cut down every ex-
pense, his friends and acquaintances made
short work of his troubles.
They said he had only TO do as his neigh
bors did-et his place and go and live quietly
somewhere else till the bad times were over
and the agricultural depression which had
proved unknd TO the scottish lairds as
well as their English neighbors. thing Of
the past
This was all very easy to say but il WAS by
no means SO easy to do Their, were several
preliminary stages to DO passed through be-
fore anything could be done at all and each one
OF those in the case before us was a lion in
the path. Sir Robert had first 10 be talked over
then TO be induced to adopt it; finally. he had
to find his tenant At the last. when he had
become eager for this important piece to appear
on HE chessboard tenants had been coy.
At length. however. Roberts Tower had
passed for the time being into other hands.
and the baronet and his family had been
turned loose to craze In pastures new.
In the first rebound Of feeling consequent
on having the matter settled. things had gone
fairly we'll; but then had come a time when
moving about from place 10 place was no
longer novelty: when letting the family estate
was no longer pTnacea for every Ill: and when
all the grievances Of proprietor who beholds
from afar his own lands being lairded over
and enjoyed by an intcrloper were keeny felt
Adversely. which as rule brings out what
ever good stun there may be in "A man. had no
such apparent effect on Sir Robert Alnslie per-
haps because there was nothing In him to en-
noble. lie had been an amabe. he
n peevish nonentity. The loss OF money simply
made him blc To think of anything else
Lady Ainslic may be- described IN still fewer
worus. She was careless. kind hearted
woman OF fashion. who. If she sometimes blum
ddrcd when cndeavoring to further the inter
ests Of her friends. at all events was just a.
maadrOit and occasionally as unlucky when
looking after her own.
1t will be remembered that in her lndigna-
ton regarding certain episode Lady Car
ia" h'ho"iiNNN H'l hlllSWONldn rs
coarse and malignant. The latter term was un-
fair: the former perhaps, was. In certain de-
gree. just In fashionable circles the finer feel
inS5 are swiftly blunted; and one woman will
say things Of another. and assign to her mo-
tives and springs OF action which revolt the
more delicate ear, and that without malice
and without at all comprehending the extent
of the accusation. The speaker probably does
not see her own remarks in the light OF an
accusation at all
Thus. when Joanna Carnoustie was adiured
to bid her mother good speed in her implied
readiness to receive II son-in-law, no harm was
intended-but the contrary
1t may be safely affirmed that Lady Ainslie
meant to do good turn all round She was
gratihed that her house had been the meeting
place for two young people who took kindly
to one another: and even had nothing further