The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-10-04
tCopyrlght BY Irving Bachellerl
CHAPTER xv-continued.


'Up to the Van Heusen place."
"Where do We hail from2"
SCobleskill."
"On business for Judge WestbrookT
eyes"
"Writs to server
~Yes." I answered with no thought
Of my imprudence
"Say, young man. by hockey nettiel
I advise you to turn right around and
go back"
"Whyf"
"'Cause if ye try to serve any writs
yell git into trouble"
'SThat's interesting" answered. II
am not seeking quarrel, but l 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-iAey're the little
houses O. the poor. See how smooth
the land Is? Who built them houses?
Who cleaned that land? Was it Mr..
Lvingston? BY hockey nettie! I guess
not. The men who live there built the
houses an cleaned the land. We amt
got nothin' else-not dollar! It's all
gone to the landlord. / am for the
men who made every rod O. that land
an who own not a single rod Of It.
Years an years ago a king gave 1t to
a man who never cut one tree or laid
one stone on another. The deeds say
that we must pay rent O. so many
Bushels O. wheat year but the land is
nc good for wheat, an amt been for
a hundred years, Why, We see, mis-
ter, good many things have happened
IN three hundred years. The land was
wtllin' to give wheat then an a good
many folks was willin' to be slaves. BY
hockey nettie! they had got used to it.
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 Twin back in old Holland three
= HUNDRED. years AGO. It 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 can't pay the rents no
more an We mustn't try to make US.
BY hockey nettie! You'll have trouble
If We do"
The truth had flashed upon me out
of the words of this simple man. I'm
I'll then had heard only one side of
the case. If were to be the servant
of justice. as Mr.. Wright had advised
what was l to do? These tenants had
been Grimshawed and were being
aGriInshawed out of the just fruits of
their toll by the feudal chief whose
remote ancestor had been kings ia.
vorite. Tor half moment I watched
the wavering needle of my compass
and then:
eff what you say is true think you
are right" said.
Il don't agree with you" said young
Latour. 1.-THE PATRONS have a clear
title to this land. If the tenants don't
want to pay the rents they ought tC
get out and make way for Others"
Look here, young man, my name Il
Josiah Curtis" said the stranger. I"
live in the first house on the right
hand side O. the road. You may tel
the judge that wont pay rent NJ
more-not as long as l live-and
won't git ont, either"
".Mr. Latour, you and Puryis may e
on slowly-Tll overtake you SOON"
said
They went on and left me alone with
Curtis. lie was getting excited and
wished to allay his fears.
''Don't let him try to serve no writ!
or there'll be hell to pay in this val
ley" said Curtis.
'In that case / shall not try to serv;
the writs. don't want to stir up thu
neighborhood, but want to know tn,
facts. shall try to see other tenants
and report what they say. It may LEAF
to settlement"
We. went ON together to the top o
the hill near which we had been stand
Ing. Far ahead saw q cloud Of dts
hut no signs Of Latour and PIrvis
They must have spurred their horse
into a run. The fear came to me tina
Iatour would try to serve the writs II
spite of me. They were in his pocket
What a fool / had been not to call TO
them. My companion saw the look O
concern in my face.
II don't like that young Teller" sat
Curtis. "He's in fer trouble"
He ran toward his house, which wa
enIy few rods beyond us, while
started on in pursuit of the two me-
mt top speed. Before my horse ha
taken a dozen jumps / heard nor
Blowing behind me and its echo In Tn
hills. Within half moment doze
horns were sounding in the valley
around me. What contrast to tn
auiet in which we had been riding wa
this pandemoniurn which had broke
3oosc in the countryside. A little ahea
could see men running out OF TO
saelda, My horse had begun to latnel