Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-07-28

B ship, he said. II am making this
Il statement by your wish 65$ II
#s It Is the only, condition upon which
NJ I will consent to sell Mr.. Johnson my
4 estate" answered Lord Clavering. -
5ss The agent cleared his throat again.
y Mr.. Johnson he began, when you
u announced your desire to purchase
u his lordship's Scottish estate, then>in
Y the market, you understood that Lord
Ri Clavering was, only disposing Of 1t
1 under strong necessity? p "a IA ii5 ;41ls 81 8:
Johnson bowed. s5 e. 5s5..s IS 81 .
Il WI ;.s His lordship has lived here all his
+ life. He has no other home. His lord
II ship sells only on the understanding
that you permit him and his daughter
Il to occupy the lodge at your gates. ." 81 4
Johnson stared at the agent and
ffelt the blood dye his face. He had
y not understood that Lord Clavering
was SO poor, though he. knew that his
debts were heavy enough to eat up
y the price OF the SALE. He half regret
4. ted having been inclined to purchase.
:s ri II Is one thing for q. young Chicago
& man Sof seven and twenty to decide
TO buy a Scotch estate with the money
Il left by his Scotch father, always eager
to return to the land Of his ancestors,
& and dying before the wish could be
4 realized. But 1t is another,matter to
4 discover that the dream can be
q achieved only by causing sorrow to
! others i, 1 25s$ss5 NJ
81 would make a suggestion fall
y tered johnson. II Lord Clayering and
Lady Elinor will remain here as my
& guests until -until---"' he went on
vaguely, ana came to = standstill.
How long? Was he intending to in
vite them to be his guests forever!
"A quite impossible" broke in Lord
\ Clavering harshly. 1T .I@sell to Mr..
johnson we occupy the lodge"
s$ 'But the-the lack of dignity"
z urged the agent. 5.:5ss$s.t wv.
at Is the lodge or nothing" an
swered the old man.
.Well, / agree, them Johnson said
heartily. ""And / hope that. {,s.l
Mr.. johnson will find the castle va
Gated this day next month" interposed
the old man. "And now, II you are
/ ready with the lease, sir?" n: ia.
He turned to the agent with a final
ity in his manner which prevented fur
Their argument. ~
One month later Johnson came into
possession of the castle. His fathers
acquired wealth enabled him to supply
Q star of servants and to keep up his
position as the new lord Of the estate.
And It was a singularly lonely life that
unveiled itself before him. Vt
To begin with, he discovered that
the tenants regarded him as an in
3terloper. He had not anticipated that.
! IN his country, when one bought an
estate the goodwill of the neighbors
went with it as matter Of course.
81 Then there was Lord Clavering at
the gnte. 1t CALLED the young man to
zee the farmer, who passed him with
an uncomprehending stare, raise his
cap to the gatekeeper. And Johnson
began to understand something Of the
pride which permitted the old man to
occupy that mental position rather
than leave the place where he had
Z been born. 80 SIS
Then there was the matter Of the
automobiles, cousins Of Clavering.
Just returned from India, who drove
MP to the castle, heard Johnson's ex-
plantations with blank amazement, and
Immediately went to. the lodge. where
they spent festive afternoon. John
son heard their ringing laughter as
he sat moodily upon the balcony, a
boycotted man. s N
One thing alone kept him from
throwing up the castle in disgust, and
that was Lady Elinor. He had known