Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-02-12


occupier OF this inn, an old man,
named Blake, who had been for some
time in declining health, had at last
taken to his bed with unmistakable
signs OF a breakup. Armathwaite had
already visited him twice, and had
been much prepOssessed by the old
inn-keeper, an industrious and honest
man who, having fallen upon evil days,
was now in his last weeks of life
harasse1 by the thought of the debts
and difficulties he should leave for
his wife and children to contend with
The rent, in pa. ticular, having been
III arrears for some time, caused him
much anxiety. On his last visit, Ar
mathwaite, learning that the landlords
were Lord and Lady Kildonan, had as
sured Blake that they would certainly
not be had upon him. and advised
him to send letter, by one of the
childre-', to his lordship, who was the
kindest-hearted man in the world
But Blake shook his head and said be
knew his lordship better than a new
conner could, and that he was a hard
listed man when it came to a pull at
his purse-strings.
On this occasion, therefore, it was
with the greatest pleasure that Arma-
thwaite saw, as he tramped his way
up through the slush to the inn high
dog-cart standing at the door, with
Lady Kildonan in it. She was talking
in higE-pitched and excited voice, to
the inn-keeper's wife, who stood
humbly on the dooI-.teps below, and
from time to time wiped her eyes
with her apron, as she murmured a
broken word or two during the ladys
voluble address. The young doctor
/ was afraid, before he could hear any
words, that Blake must have died sud.
denly, ard that the lady was trying
to cheer his widow. But as he dew
nearer end stood by, waiting for an
| opportunity to address Lady Kildonan
without inteTrupting her, he was
! amazed to frd that, instead of com
fortirg the poor woman in her mis-
! fo. tunes, the mistress of The Crags
| was scOlding and even threatening
her, for the nonpayment of the rent
/ w hlAll " 90 ulC, white MI .. Dldke was
meekly protesting that it was no fault
of her gOod mans that he was behind
hand, that trade had been bad, and his
/ health sickly, and times had been very
! hard with them.
| On, yes; of course, it's always the
| same story" said Lady Kildonan, not
| with any ha shness, but fllppantly,
and with some impatience. THE
times ave not hard for you only. They
would lie hardest for us, If all our
tenants were to decline to pay their
/ rent because trade was slack. | might
! be inclined to let you off myself, per
haps, tut his lordship simply won't
hear of it. The house is a nice one,
in a good condition, and could, it APP
pears, be let again and again to pay
ing people, if only you were out of it.
I'm sure you can't complain that we
! haven't given you grace. Mr.. Cros-
mont has been really very kind to
you And now understand. you must
find one quarters rent-that's only
half what you owe-by this evening,
when Mr.. Crosmont goes to Liverpool
to pay the rents into the bank, or else
you must have notice to quit. Now
you understand. don't your"
But the woman, finding her tears
unavailiEg, had wiped her eyes and
plucked up a little spirit; for to be
trampled on and let off the payment
| of your rent, is q grievance that can
| be borne, but to be trampled on and
then threatened with notice to quit,
! is more than Woodworking flesh and
! blood can bear
Il understand your ladyship, and
perhaps | understand better than you
think" said Mrs. Blake, bitterly,
| "Lo.d Kildonan didn't use to be so
hard; 70, nor Mr. Crosmont didn't
threaten us with notice to quit, we
| that's been here all these years. It's
| like the times of your ladyships
grandfather back again, when, as I've
heard tell, the poor folk was pressed
and worried TO pay the last fal thing
| for him to squander on his pleasures
in foreign parts-that's what it's like
your ladyship and may | never say
no t!uer word. And if me and my
good man and the children's turned
out, why Wen go to his lordship him
self, as the new young doctor-bless
! him, for he's got heart, he has,
| told us to do. And Mr. Crosmonts
: own poor lady. for all they say she's
a bit strange in her ways, she's said
| the same to me. MS. Blake, says
! she, 90 to his lordship yourself and
| tell him all about it, And if he likes
to turn us out, why, after all, he's not
bred in these parts. and it's not as
hard a thing for him to do as it is in
you, my lady, what was reared here,
and who we've looked up to as our
own, for your fathers and mothers
sake
And Mrs. Blake, overcome with her
emotion, broke down and sobbed in
earnest. Lady KildOnan, who had sat
quite still while she listened to this
outburst, answered, in a quiet, hard