Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-08

manded of the leaseholders his
pound of flesh. Old Mrs. Granville OF
No. IA, after sending in her notice. re-
ceived morning call from Mr.. Bowling;
and, at his polite request, permitted him
to ramble with the parlormaid all over
the house. He poked his nose, ma am,
into every cupboard, said the maid. Il
don't know what he meant by it" But
what Mr.. Bowling meant was not long
left in doubt. There came with little de-
lay to Mrs. Granville an absurd thing en-
titled Schedule of Dilapdations, contain
Ing descriptions even of her smallest cup
boards, quotations from clauses and 6
of her stupid old leases; and a verbose
invitation to carry out the work specified
TO the satisfaction of Mr.. Bowling or to
pay to Mr.. Crunden e25O in lieu thereof.
But he is going to pull it down." said
tie old widow lady. Il won't pay one
penny. He owned himself he was going
to pull it down.
What the devil has that got to do with
IT.? said Mr.. Crunden warmly, when ex-
planning the matter to Lizzie and to his
clerk.
Lizzie and the clerk were both puzzled,
and inclined to think with Mrs. Granville
that it would be strange to paint and
paper house before knocking it to
pieces.
Il may pull it down or leave it stand
ng-that's my business. l don't want her
paint and paper; l want her money
what she owes. But if she won't paw. I'll
make her do the work. This obligation of
hers to pay two-fifty. or something like
IL, l nave bought and paid for; it was a
debt to Countess Haddenham under the
covenant-and / have bought the debt
and the covenant. Can't you understand
that?"
Certainly Mrs Granville and her friends
on the hill could not understand it. Mr..
Crunden was very unpopular at this time,
and the story of his most rapaciousiy i'm
pudent attempt rendered him mora hateful
than ever. But he will not get it-not
one penny. Mrs. Granville told him so to
his face.
no personal interview with her new land
lord. But, meeting his surveyor one day
on the bridge she gave that gentleman a
tremendous dressing. Mr.. Dowling-with
My Dear Madame, and so forth-endeav-
ored to defend the schedule and his client
but Mrs. Granville roundly told him that
ne ana his client were no better than a
couple of thieves-and threatened them
both with the law of the land
I'VE are not afraid" said Mr.. Bowling
at last thoroughly nettled "of the law of
the land. That is exactly what Mr.. Crun-
den intends to appeal to. If you don't pay
up precious quick now. 3 1t isn't
as if you hadn't the means to pay" said
MIR. Bowling excitedly-
Il won't pay one penny" said Mrs.
Granville.
Would you believe it? All of it was true
what Mr.. Bowling said. Old Mr.. Gar
rett-who had himself been a solicitor
told poor dear old Mrs. Granville that the
law of the land would not help her. Mr..
they would probably split the difference
and accept f225 And in the end she
paid that man two hundred and twenty
five golden pounds. Would you credit it?''
Nothing could well exceed the unpopu-
larity of Mr.. Crunden. He was the enemy
of the whole people; town and hill were
united in their feeling toward him. 1T
was so unnecessary" said Mr.. bowling,
speaking of the outbreak. Unpopular
we must have been-just at frst-because
of what we had in hand. And 1 knew
you'd made up your mind to tell them
plainly what we proposed doing But /
never did think you'd let fly like that-at
the whole world. 1t was SO unnecessary.
1t makes everything difficult that ought
to have been easy. Look at the delay in
getting plans passed by the council. They
didn't dare throw out the plans for those
cottages, because they were identical with
what they'd passed for me twice before
but they stopped fortnight and more.
Next time, you See-when it's house plans.
] tell you that speech will cost us dear
before it's forgotten"
II don't care d said Crunden. 1T
let EN- have it straight for once. l don't
grudge the COST
NO ClIlZen WOuIQ speak 10 MIN Wiling
ly-unless it was old Selby; and even he
snarled and glared at first when he en-
countered the owner of Hill Rise. The
old man was staring at the map on one
of the big boards when Crunden came by
on his way to the new road.
well Mr.. Selby, you see our plan Go
in and have a look round-if you care to-
Yes, L see. Mighty fine ta'ask you've
got"
Wish me luck Mr.. Selby''
wish ye luck" and the Old man glared
and his hands shook from anger Wish
We to empty my last houses to fill yours!
Yes-take my last tenants from me-and
leave me and me young wife to starve-
and wish ye luck
Il shan't do your houses any hurt
said Crunden. More likely do 'em good
by bringing new people into the place"
Then Mr.. Selby ceased to snarl- There.
young Crunden,' he said presently, Il
bear you no malice You OF another-it's
all one.
After this. Mr. Selby would often come
pottering about the estate watching the
roadmakers and the bricklayers, busily
at work; or clambering over the post
and-rail fences, he would make a circuit
of the meadows. and as he stood on the
higher ground at very little distance,
any one might have mistaken him for a
dismal shabby sCarecrow left, as not
worth removing, by the late owner. He
talked now to Crunden in friendly spirit
Young Crunden, what We going to do
with that shanty UP there-the Tennis
Clubhouse? IT'S but a shed. though they
ca allied it the house. I'm thinking l
might make We a bid for tiff ye'd let me
break it up on credit . Not yours
to sell? All we'll, I've been hav-
ing crack with your clerk. He tells me
yere doing gra andly-your cottages most
~ let before yere plate highland more
applications for your building plots than
we can find time TO answer. Is that a
faact2'
I'm doing all right, thank you, Mr..
Selby!'
All know. 1 know. Your clerk tells
the tale you tell him. Quite right. But
it's a mighty big ta'ask we've taken up"
Not bit too big" said Crunden reso-
lutely..
No townsman, except old Selby, ac-
costed him with friendly greeting. Bad
greeting the town gave him whenever he
showed himself. Mud was thrown at him
by gutter boys, who threw and fed;
stones sometimes came after the mud
men shook their fists at him soon as
his sturdy back was turned to them; and
always insulting shouts followed him.
"'Edge'og Crunden. 'Edge'og. earn,
void 'edge'og."
Never, since Medford was Incorporated
as borough, had any citizen been so un-
popular. And the hostile feeling seemed
week by week TO wax rather than to
wane. With November and Guy Fawkes
day came what ever after was locally
known as the riot There were guys in
replica that year. There could be but one
subject for guying, and they made of him
three or four copies. One of these guys,
borne through the streets at the work