The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-01

{ 2 leigh of Number 10 were following Sir. John to the Rsdmash and had taken villas within easy reach of him. No tices of departure from odd and even numbers poured In upon the new land lord. He had said. If you don't like my wayo, you FnayNgo," and they has, tened to show. him their dislike.
 Mir. Bowling. reading each fresh let ter from a tenant. shook his head and said. Tut. tut" but Mfr. Crunden only grunted. Mir. Bowling deeply regret ted that most injudicious speech of his client; spoke of 1t always as "the un- fortunate outbreak"
 That the Hill Rise tenants had 1t in their power thus to take Mir. Crunden at his word. was due to the outwardly magnificent and essentially unbusiness- like methods of Messrs. Firmin and Mir. A. The terms of the beautifully printed original short agreements had long since run out. and tenancies wore continued by the year. by the half year. and even by the quarter. Un- der these noble agreements the land-- lady was to do everything, the ten ants were to do nothing. For fifteen or twenty years no Hill Rise tenant had ever put hand in pocket for aught beyond the bare rent. There were however. three repairing leases--held by Mrs. Granville. Mrs. Padfield, and Mrs. Page. who paid lower rent than their neighbors. But the original pe- riods of these three really business like leases were also exhausted; the good ladies had stayed from year to year: they were never called upon to set their houses in order: and. as time wore on. they asked as boldly as any one else that Mir. A. should give com mands for such repair as they deemed desirable.
 Messrs. Griggs, the smart auction eers. were shocked by the state of af- fairs when they drew up the particu. lars for the Hill Rise sale. They would have wished to be able to say something after this style: "The houses are all let to responsible ten for terms varying from three to twen- ty years. and an assured income of f2.000 D. a. eau, therefore. be secured etc. etc." But they could say nothing of the kind. In the circumstances only an auctioneer would have known what to say. Messrs. Griggs made a proud boast of that which was truly a misfortune. The attention of inc tending purchasers,'' said boastfuI Griggs ''is called to the advantageous fact that vacant possession of all the hVaSoe S6h bc ObtA4nSA tWi6thh tWGltS months" And now 1t seemed that Mir. Crunden was to enjoy every advantage of vacant possession.
 Very great were the indignation and rage up and down the devastated hiIi- side. when 1t became. known that Mfr. Crunden demanded Of the lease e-h olders his pound of flesh. Old Mrs, Granville, of Number 14. after sending in her mo- tice, received a morning call from Mir. Bowling; and. at his polite request. permitted him to ramble with the par Tor maid all over the house. sTIe poked his nose, ma'am, into every cup board" said the maid. "f don't know what he meant by it." But what Mir. meant was not long left in doubt. There came with little delay to Mrs. Granville an absurd thing en- titled Schedule of Dilapidations, con- descriptions even of her small est cupboards, quotations from clauses five and six of her stupid old leases; and a verbose invitation to carry out the work specified to the satisfaction of MT. Bowling or to pay to Mir. 250 pounds m lieu thereof.
 But he, Is going to pull it down." said the ofd widow lady. T won't pay one penny. He owned himself he was gong to pull 1t down"
 What the devil has that got to do with it?" said Mir. Crunden warmly. when explaining the matter to Lizzie and to his clerk.