The citizen., 1919-05-01

A Big, Rough Dressed, Bearded Man
Stood In the Middle Of the Road
With q Gun on His Shoulder.
non business for Judge westbrookr'
eyes"
"writs to server
"Yes," I answered with no thought
Of my imprudence
"Say. young man, by hokey nettiel
advise you to turn right around and
go back"
"whyr
"'Cause II ye try to serve any writs
yell git into trouble"
am not seeking a quarrel. but I do
want to see how the people feel about
the payment Of their rents"
"Say mister, look down into that val
ley there" the stranger began. "See
all them houses-they're the little
houses o. the poor. See how smooth
the land Isl Who built them houses7
Who cleaned that land7 Was 1t Mr..
Livingston BY hokey nettiei guess
not. The men who live there built the
houses an cleaned the land. We amt
got nothin' else-not a dollarl It's all
gone to the landlord. I am for the
men who made every rod o. that land
an who own not a single rod of 1t.
Years an years ago king gave 1t to
a man who never cut one tree or laid
one stone on another. The deeds say
that we must pay a rent o. so many
bushels o. wheat a year but the land is
NO good for wheat. an amt been for
a hundred years. Why. ye see. mis-
ter. a good many things have happened
In three hundred years. The land was
willin' to give wheat then an a good
many folks was wlllin' to be slaves. BY
hokey nettiei they had got used to II.
Kings an magistrates an slavery
didn't look so bad to 'em as they do
now. Our brains have changed-that's
what's the matter-same as the soil
has changed. We want to be free like
other folks In this country. America
has growed up around us but here we
Are livin' back In old Holland three
hundred years ago. 1t don't set good.
We see lots O. people that don't have
to be slaves. They own their land an
they amt worked any harder than we
have or been any more savin'. That's
why ! say we cant pay the rents no
more an ye mustn't try to make us.
BY hokey nettiel You'll have trouble
II ye do"
The truth had flashed upon me out
cf the words of this simple man. Un-
Ill then l had heard only one side of
the case. II l were to be the servant
Of justice. as Mr.. Wright had advised,
what was to do1 These tenants had
been Grimshawed and were being
Grimshawed out of the Just fruits of
their toll by the feudal chief whose
remote ancestor had been a kings ia
vorite. For half a moment I watched
the wavering needle Of my compass
and then:
"If what you say is true I think you
are right" I said.
II don't agree with you." said young
Latour. "The PATRONS have a clear
title to this land. II the tenants don't
want to pay the rents they ought to
get out and make way for Others"
Look here, young man. my name is
Josiah Curtis" said the stranger. 81
live In the first house on the right
hand side o. the road. You may tell
the Judge that I won't pay rent no
nore-not as long as I live-and I
won't git out, either"
"Mr. Latour, you and Purvis may 20
on slowly-rll overtake you soon," I
said.
They went on and left me alone with
Curtis. He was getting excited and
wished to allay his fears.
"Don't let him try to serve no writs
or there'll be hell to pay In this val
ley" said Curtis.
"In that case shall not try to serve
the writs. I don't want to stir up the
neighborhood. but want to know the
facts. shall try TO see other tenants
and report what they say. It may lead
to settlement"
We went ON together to the top of
the hill near which we had been stand
ing. Far ahead l saw a cloud OF dust
but no signs Of Latour and Purvis.
They must have spurred their horses
into a run. The fear came TO me that
Latour would try to serve the writs In
spite Of me. They were In his pocket.
What a fool I had been not to call for
them NV cOmpaniOn saw the look OF
concern In my face.
II don't like that young feller," said
Curtis. "He's In fer trouble"
He ran toward his house, which was
cnly a few rods beyond us, while l
started on In pursuit OF the two men
at top speed. Before my horse had
taken a dozen jumps ! heard q. horn