The daily Alaskan., 1919-04-01


 the Hudson, liberal grant of land, to be called a manor, of which the owner or patroon should be full proprietor and chief magistrate. The settlers were to be exempt from taxation for ten years, but under bond to stay in one place and develop it. In the be- ginning the patroon built houses and barns and furnished cattle, seed and tools. The tenants for themselves and their heirs agreed to pay him fixed rent forever in stock and produce and, further, to grind at the owners mill and neither to hunt nor fish.
 Judge Westbrook, In whose office l worked, was counsel and collector for the patroOns, notably for the manors of Livingston and Van Renssalaer- two little kingdoms in the heart of the great republic.
 Mir. Louis Latour of Jefferson coun- ty. whom l had met in the company of Mir. Dunkelberg, came during my last year there to study law in the office of the judge, a privilege for which he was indebted to the influence of Senator Wright, I understood. He was a gay Lothario, always boastlng of his love affairs, and had little to do with him.
 One day in May near the end of my two years in Coblesklll Judge Vest brook gave me two writs to serve on settlers In the neIghborhood of Bald win Heights for nOnpayment of rent. He told me what I knew, that there was bitter feeling against the patroons in that vicinity and that might en- counter opposition to the service of the wrlts. If so I was not to press the matter, but bring them back and he would give them to the sheriff. q do not Insist on your taking this task upon you," he added. "I want a man of tact to go and talk with these people and get their point of view. If you don't care to undertake it I'll send another man."
 q think I would enjoy the task" l said in ignorance of that hornets nest back in the hills.
 "Take Purvis with you" he said. "EIe can take care of the horses, and as those back-cOuntry folk are little lawlesS it will be just as we'll to have q witness with you. They tell me that PurYis Is man of nerve and vigor."
 had drafted my letters for the day and was about to close my desk and start on my journey when Louis La tour came in and announced that he had brought the writs from the judge and was going with me.
 q wouldn't miss 1t for q thousand dollars" he remarked. By love! think we'll have q bully time"
 "I don't object to your going but you must remember that l am in con- mand," I said, little taken back, for l had no good opinion either of his prudence or his company.
 "The judge told me that could go but that l should be under your or derS," he answered. "rm not going to be a fool. I'm trying to establish a reputation for good sense myself"
 We got our dinners and set out soon after one o'clock. I had read the deeds of the men we were to visit. They were brothers and lived on ad- Joining farms with leases which cov- cred three hundred and fifty acres of land. Their great-grandfather had agreed to pay a yearly rent forever of sixty-twO bushels of good, sweet, mer- chantable. winter wheat, eight yearling cattle and four sheep in good flesh and sixteen fat hens, all to be delivered In the city of Albany on the first day of January of each year. So, feeling that was engaged in just cause, brave ly determined to serve the writs if possible.
 rode in silence, thinking of Sally and of those beautiful days now reced- ing into the past and of my aunt and uncle. I had written letter to them every week and one or the other had answered 1t. Between the lines had detected the note of loneliness. They had told me the small news of the countryside. How narrow and mo- notonous it all seemed to me then Rodney Barnes had bought new farm; John Axtell had been hurt in runaway; my white mare had got spavip!
 Hello misterw
 I started out of my reYerIes with Q little jump of surprise. A big, rough