Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-02-09
CHAPTER XXI

There was horrible, frowsy portion
of the town into which people of the
respectable classes rarely ventured. Prob
ably the doctor and the rent collector
were the only men who with any APP
proach to frequency carried a decent coat
into that squalid quarter. The spot was
vile enough to scare away anybody un-
tOughened by custom for the endurance
of its horrors. fostering pools of weedy
water lay at the very doors of the ram
shackle, aged blackened houses The
buildings themselves had sunk bodily
into the slime of their foundations, until
the ground without was foot higher
than the floor within, and in sinking
they had canted helplessly over to be
propped up on either side by slanting
beams of timber. The supporting baulks
were rotten with age and moisture, and
might be carved with the thumb nail.
Vile as the place was, it was highly
priced by Mr.. Horatio Lowther and by
Mr.. John Howarth, who between them
owned the whole abominable plot of land
and all the tumble-down bricks and NOR
tar on it. Both were keen hands at n
bargain, and both We're dearly fond of
a good investment. Holly Row had PROV
ed u noble investment for each of them.
The wretched tenements were let out in
rooms. and brought in a far higher rent
than wholesome houses of the same class.
let in the ordinary fashion. would have
done. There was Board of Commits
sioners in the town. whose obvious duty
it was to see that this rookery was clear
ed; but it was not held fair or neighbor-
ly for the board TO go poking its nose
too closely into peoples private bust
ness. Mr.. Lowther was not only pri-
vate citizen of repute. but a parsonage
renowned in religious circles. and so good
q man was safely to be left TO his own
way of business; HOwarth was known
TO be warm, and was naturally respected
on that account. Nobody knew much
about the board, except that it was elect
Ell Mt stated intervals ard without excite
ment of any kind. and Mr.. Lowther who
was active in good works was mem
Der of it. year in and year out.
Now il befell whilst VIII Hackett was
away and his deserted wife was patient
ly teaching her infant scholars and nurs-
ing her own heart-break. that clerk of
John HOwarth's who had been wont, in
the pursuance of his regular weekly
round OF duties. TO collect his employers
rents, fell i'll. and for while the task
fell upon the builders shoulders.
Ii CHANGED further that one of How
arth's tenants. who of course could new
er have dwelt in Holly Row at all un-
less he had been in a state of abject pow
erty, sickened at the beginning of the
hot weather and discovered that even
he that is down may have fall in fear.
He had been slack in payment always.
being of a feeble aud siekly constitution.
and now the payments stopped altogeth-
er. HOwarfh was not the man to stand
this sort OF nonsense. and having never
been slOthful in business. went in person
70 super.ntend the non-paying tenants
eviction.
The non-paying tenant lay on dirty
mattress on the floor. and though the day
was sweltering hot. and hotter in that
damp and bre0thleSS shelter than in most
places, he was Shivering under a foul
and ragged blanket Mr. Hewarth dis
gustedly remarked witEia himself that
there was no stick Of furniture about the
place which eould have realized six
renee. He fingered lis seals and Stroked
his chin between his thumb and forein-
ser. and looked extremely large and inn
portant.
About th.t there rent Malarl? Ehg
Come now. About thar there rents"
II ART get as mUch IS 3 single pen
nv" said the slefaulting tenant.
"Ohg' said Howarth THAT helm the
rase. you'll have to get OUT o this"
why" returned the defaulung cred
ftor. shivering. and staring At him with
uninteresred eyes. y can't move 4 foot.
Sor yet hardy a finger
You'll have 10 move foot and finger.
said the landlord, magisterially. Out
you 50"
! He had no idea he was hEstal. 1t new