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About Plattsmouth weekly herald. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1882-1892 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1892)
WAVERLAND. i MTtali of our coming landlords. ST SARAH MABIE BRIQHA. 1 Copyri-ihUd, 1SS8. Ugt at innt nn tha rMrri ntrrlil iif toad gathered In the west, and we saw Aia Neptune lashed Into fury by a most terrific thunder storm. The great ship was dashed from side to side like a toy. Then I found that sea sickness is one of the usu al penalties for crossing the ocean. Brack ing myself with my umbrella, I was ready to surrender all, even to my boots. All night I heard something on my cabin floor rolling to and fro as the great ship rolled from side to side on the mountainous waves, but I was too sick to care to ex- amine what it was. When morning cams I and the storm without and the tempest ' in had subsided, I saw my beautiful i ew silk hat (and what Englishman is i er without one?) with the rim worn off i .,ni minus a crown. It had fallen to tha I i'uui wi ma ruiiieu. a storm at bos makes one feel very helpless. A terrible r ' storm on land Is a trial to people's nerves, ( but there you are only threatened with danger from above. At sea you are like an atom tossed about, as helpless as a leaf In the wind. I thought of the philosophy An.l .. I I , - ' - A of Ba asH of Sambo when he said, "Ef de cahs run de track, dah ye is; ef de boat goes to ea, whan Is ye?" was a grand sight that met our view as' the sun rose over the black cloud thai i 7 bad just passed over us. The waters were rolling mountains high and every wave . teemed determined to engulf the ship. V That was the only storm we had during our voyage. After it was over I was glad i J ef having had the experience of seeing the 1 1 mighty ocean when maddened into fury. , One evening a call was made for the r vouncr violinist. While she is not cnmhlncr. ly beautiful, she has a bright look that is very attractive. She has a clear complex ion tinged with the rosy glow of health, dark eyes, an expressive mouth, and slight ly Roman nose. As she took her position the was greeted with hearty cheers. Mak ing a slight bow of thanks, she held her violin in her white, tapering fingers and With their skillful touch and the graceful movements of the bow she sent forth the most delicate melodies selected from her favorite operas, and some choice gems from the old masters she rendered with an ease and skill that Ole Bull himself might haV(6 tried in vain to surpass. I thought of , Stella, how she would have enjoyed the treat. But where was my lost friend? , i Was I leaving her behind, or would I find Vier in the new world scattering sunshine 1 Nand gladness ? .There is no place where one is so tempt ed to peep into his neighbor's life as oo iiip board. One day as I was standing on fleck thinking of my lost friend, the duke Hme to me, and, placing his hand upon i J shoulder, said: 1'A penny lor your thoughts! You look gravel" )J For a moment 1 was startled. I had been thinking so intently that I had for gotten everything. At first I made no re jT ply; then I said: r s "May I ask yon a question V "Yes, a dozen if you like," he said, ,;f laughing. 'i "Have you never seen any one that you loved well enough to make her your wife, i. that you are still a bachelor? " ' .4 To.mj tut mon i TT "Yes, my surprise he looked annoyed, but moment said: a young girl won all the love of my heart once. But Bhe was not free to ') choose. When but a child her father ' promised her hand in marriage to a friend of his. She never knew how dear she was to me. She married the man of her fath er's choice. Now she is a widow, beauti ful, they say, and immensely rich. I have never seen her since her marriage. Her home is in Iiondon, and I often hear ,.of her, but I never care to meet her ; now. The pure, sweet girl that I have gloved for years must now be changed into woman of fashion, without love or sym pathy." J I was astonished, I had thought of the 'Duke of Melvorue as a shrewd business ; man, ready for any undertaking to make "I wonder if they are American?' loney. liut here was a new side to uis haracter; a fond memory of other days eld a warm place In his heart. "Now," he said, after a few moment's silence, "for an answer to my question. Of what were you dreaming when I dis turbed your reverie?" 'l was dreaming of one I long to see. I, too, have loved and lost, but not in the way you did. My love was among the tumble class, not rich or proud, but a ; iood, pure woman, who gave me the first impulse toward a useful Me tnat ever stirred in my breast. I was a careless, thoughtless follow, when she came to Wa- verland. Then her active, happy life made me ashamed of the idle one I led. From her Influence I have tried to do some good, My father was an absentee landlord, and hit estate had been neglected until the old house itself was going to decay. She came as governess to my little sister, and toon the was governess, housekeeper and al most estate keeper. By an unfortunate word from my mother she was made to feel her dependence, and the left Waver land one day when I was away from home. Bhe did not know how dear she was to me. Though I have sought her far and near, 1 an find no clew to her whereabouts. That It my story. It was of her that I was thinking when you came to me." "I have often thought what little things can change our IJves," said the duke. "'Yet they are not the little things; they etre the real, sensitive, living, though un seen, parts of om existence." After that exchange of confidence the duke Mid I were greater friends than ever. We had many pleasant visits ere wi reached the new world, whose first centen nial birthday was still fresh in everybody'! mind. We reached Sanely Hook at night Tha water was made brilliant by the har bor buoys, each of which carried a won derful electric Usrbt. . 1 followed tne duke. We extricated our elves from the throng at the wharf, and were soon comfortable in our rooms at th hotel. Aftr a good night's rest we weut out to see the wonders of the city. A ride on the elevated railway gave me a pecu liar sensation. It seemed as if we were flying through space, only we could look luto people's houses in oar flight. We visited the art galleries and were sur prised that American artists can hold to high a' position in the world of art. One day we were standing near the court house steps, when a fine looking gentle man, little past the middle of lift), passed up into the building. "That," said the duke, "is Mr. Arthur, the ex-president of the United States." "A fine looking man," 1 said. "But what a 'queer way they have here of disposing of tliose who have held the highest office in tne nation. They do not have even a badge of honor preseuted to theinl "When ex-president Grant was In En gland I attended a reception given him on one occasion. The diplomatic corps were Invited to meet him. A question was raised as to who should occupy the seat ol honor at table. The embassadors who re presented their sovereigns would not ac cord the seat to Mr. Grant (u private citi zen.) But at last an airangcinent waf made by which no one held the seat ol honor. It was a most awkward position lor the generuL" "It seems to me that the ex-presidenU Bhould have some well defined official rank. As wealthy us this people are and as proud as they are of their grest nation, it is strange that they will permit thosi who have been extdted to the highest plod in the gift of the people to settle back lntc the rank of private citizens again," I said "That is their Idea of democracy. It de ttroys distinctions in all, rather than foa terthem." i "But a man's knowledge after a term ol service would be of vulue to this country.' "So it would, but they choose to deprive themselves of that and send him back anions the people, merely as an object ol curiosity. But they are beginning to talk about it, and some honorable position with proper pay will le provided for ex-presi dents and perhaps for ex-senators also, one of these days." At the close of one of our busy days ol syht seeing, as we sat in our room enjoy ing a rest, I said: "I do not wonder now, where Parnell got his Independence of character when 1 remember that his mother was an Ameri can woman." "Why so?" asked the duke, looking puz zled. "These people have such a live, energet ic way. I see now where the nerve and pluck came from that dared to make Bos ton Harbor into a huge teakettle, and tc put a whole ship load of tea into it for one steeping." "That's a new idea," laughed the duke. "But the Yankees are a shrewd, brave people, that will dare anything for prin pb." "The very air has caught the spirit of the inhabitants. There is no drowsy fog to keep one in bed till teu o'clock in the morning here. I would caution the na tions of the old world to look ulive before they pick a quarrel with this strange peo ple," I said. "But with all this energy, pluck and thrift, they are allowing one of the most vital principles of their institutions to pass out of their Dossesslons. Their lands are being sold, stolen or given away at an enormously rapid rate. In a very few years not a foot of land worth the having will belong to the government, or be in reach of the common people." "1 am surprised at that, for with the ex ample of ancient Home, and the later one of Ireland, with its terrible want and suf fering which has risen from the unjust iun 'I monopoly, I should think that they would tako warning and keep the land for the many and not grant thorn to the few." "The people have not awakened to the tnjli of the situation as yet. When they do it will le too late unless they tan re deem what is now held by fraud, and there will ba a terrible struggle If they ever try thut.. The men who hold the lands will never yield oue acre unless compelled to do so." "You might have to give up some of your possessions if it came to that," I said. "Yes. So I am going to begin now and prepare for it by buying only farms with bona fife titles. I can hold the other lands till they pay me well for my investments and then sell." "Where are yon thinking of buying?" "In Illinois, I think. From Lord San ders' account, that is a good state for land lords." "In what way Is Illinois better than the other states?" I aakefl. "Lord Sanders says the legislature has passed every law that the landlords have asked for to ' protect the land owners. There you can make any bargain you like with your tenants, and if they fail to live up to the agreement you can turn them off Just as reudily and roughly as in Ireland." "Why, can that be true?" I asked, as I thought of the blight picture 1 had painted of America us a nation of homes with no landlords to grind the poor tenants down to degradation and poverty, but a free and happy people with their little vine-covered cottages and broad fertile acres in fee simple! CHAPTER. XII. 6I0HT SEEING. CMr-nso! What wonder of the age, whose first Suurtay-sehool teacher is still living) What shall I say for itl Twice it has been laid waste by fire. Iiut with the nerve anvi push peculiar to this people of the West, they have rebuilt with greater beauty than before. We took a morning drive through the parks that surround the city like selected remnants from the garden of Eden. Here those who long for the beauty of nature, the fragrance of flowers and the songs of bird), can enjoy them while resting from the noise and confusion of the busy city. This drive is an extended boulevard that surrounds the city with a belt of beauty. The parks were brilliantly beautiful with the rich green of the grass mingled with the gay colors of flowers and shrubs. the business streets f Chicago are a living throng. Each die rushing on to at tend to his own affairs, forgetful of the crowd and heedless of all about him. But that, we found, is characteristic of the peo ple of the West. One evening we stood by the bridge on Wells street, near the great Northwestern depot, watching a tug bout towing in a large vessel, when the whistle founded for the bridge to turn. Men grabbed by the arm the ladles that were walking with them and rushed ahead. Children ran on tugging at the skirts of their mothers who could not run. All was bustle and confusion. I thought there surely must be but one train per day, and all must reach that or go without their UlUUCtB. Just at the bridge began to turn a quern-' lout old woman, her arms full of bundles, and an umbrella in her hand, came rush- lug up the walk; turning to a bright-eyed, rosy-cheeked girl who waa with her, the id: "There, we'll be left! That is onr train atanding there just ready to go! Sanian tha Jane'll think we're lost!" Oh, aunt, its only an hour to the next train, what if we do miss this one," said the young lady with composure. "Only an hour? " I said to the duke. "Why. I thought it would be a week, at least, from the fuss and hurry these people make." "You'll get used to this," laughed the duke. "They must hurry to make room for the next crowd. There are one hundred and fifty thousand persons who come and go In this city every day." "Then I do not wonder at the rush, it seems strange where so many people come from and go to," I said, soliloquizing. The Board of Trade attracted our atten tion. It is a very large edifice built of stone and marble, very finely finished. Having tickets we were admitted to the visitors gallery. It is a magnificent room, wUh massive marble columns, frescoed ceilings, beautiful pictures and finely wrought bal conies. "The people of Chicago may justly be proud of this building," said the duke. "It is the third one they have built since the fire of 1871. The first was a little wooden structure. Then a fine stone building was erected. This In turn became too small and plain for them, so they have built this one." "Well, this ought to satisfy them for some time to come. What a babel of voi ces. One might almost think that he was at the ancient tower ou the plains of Shlnar." "Only see how few of the men are of even middle age," said the duke. "Some look like school boys; yet here they are in this wild exciting rush of speculation, In toxicated with the hope of success, or vain ly struggling against defeat." "Are you familiar with their workings?" I asked. "I understand it takes thousands of dol lars to become a member." "What do they mean by throwing their hands out lu that frantic style?" "They are bidding; and in that very act some one may be financially ruined." "How can that be?" I asked, puz.led to know how such an act could harm anyone, "They buy and sell on what they call a margin, and they may exceed the amount they have on deposit. The prices of crops are in a measure established iiere before the seed is sown or the crops grown." From the Board of Trade we visited the panorama buildings where the buttles of Shlloli, Missionary Itidgo and Gettysburg were represented. In these great triumphs of art the haud of man has so skillfully re presented the spirit of the scenes that all we needed to make us dodge was the 80undof whistling bullets and bursting shells. The wounded, dead and dying were so life-like that we felt like offering our aid to help care for the suffering. Ax we stood leaning over the railing trying to separate the real from the Ideal, a tall, fine-looking man standing near us said: "There, that man on the bay horse in the gray uniform occupies the position I held in that battle." When he ceased speaking, a slender man with a gray beard turned toward him, say ing: "That man on the gray horse In the blue coat is occupying the position I held in the tame battle. "Then you are General Prentiss," said the. first speaker. "And you are Marmaduke," was the an swer. They shook hands as cordially as though they had never drawn swords against each other in deadly conflict. On inquiry we learned that nearly one thou sand men who were in the battle of Shiloh have visited this wonderful painting. Our stay in Chicago was a continual round of excursions and sight-seeing. One morning we ascended the 276 steps and found ourselves In the tower of the water works. The city lay beneath us almost a solid block of masonry and architecture The crib In the lake, two miles distant, seemed but a very few rods away. It was a clear calm morning. The lake was like an immense mirror reflecting back every image cost upon its bosom. The sails and steamers came into port with a quiet ma jesty, ascending the slips and canals that penetrate the city, until the great prairie landscape bristled with masts and spars along the extended and stilL extending wharfage. It was a scene of beauty, ming led with business of nature and com merce, of God and man. We remained silent a long time, trying to grasp the ex tent of the scene and the most interesting points, when the duke broke the silence by saying: 1 "This Is, indeed, a wonderful city, when we remember that not one generation has passed away since the country here was all a marshy waste, an Impassable, uninhabit able swamp. "Yes," said I, "and remember the great fires that have swept through it. Two or three times the electric wires have thrilled With the terrible words, "Chicago is burn ing!" until it seemed there could be noth ing left to burn." "Yet look around and see the stately buildings that greet the eye on every side, while from every point the masts and spars proclaim a great trade center." "Are there so many br inches of the river?" I asked. "No, those," said the duke, pointing out the different lines, "are canals or Mip: opened by the people. Whenever trade or business needs more room, or an outlet to the lake, men are ready to do the work for the earth that is to be removed. It is taken to other parts of the city where it is used to bring the grade up to the city level." "Then here the old adage is followed out, that nothing should ever be wasted." "Yes, even the debris from the burnt district made the foundation for one of the finest avenues in the city." After the noon lunch I suggested that we visit Lincoln Park. "Shall we take a carriage or the street cars?" asked the duke, as we left the lunch room. "Oh, let us walk," I said. So we started along leisnrely, enjoying the different ob jects of interest. "Do you know what that building is that is covered with vines and shaded by those great trees that seem older than the city itself?" I inquired as we came to a hand some stone building. "No, but I think it must be some old mo nastery built by theJesulU when they roamed over the western world," said the duke. "And those fine buildings in the yard must be the different seats of learning," suggested, "Hers Is a man in uniform, I'll ak him," said the duke, stepping forward "Sir. what Is this old building, covered with lvyr "Potter Palmer't residence, sir!" said the man, looking very much surprised that anyone need to ask such a question. "And those outer buildings, what are they?" "Potter Palmer's stables, sir!" said the man with a peculiar smile. We had been the guests of Mr. Talmer't hotel and now we had seen his home. You may imagine our surprise, and, 1 must confess, chagrin, to think that we had mistaken a private residence for anything to grand and old. After that "Putter Pal mer'l residence" became a byword with us. Iiincoln Park Is one of the finest in the city. It is the coologtcal garden of Chi cago, and full of Interest from the entrance gateway to the farthest nook. The objects that called for our special attention were the sea lions. They were playing In the water, diving and swimming or sunulng themselves in the little artistic lakes and caves that had been prepared for their use. The little prairie dogs were a novelty to us. Their little mounds of earth gave me my first view of life on the great plains of the West. "These animals we never see in the old world," I said, as we stood looking at them, busy at their play. "1 hey are found only in America, and then only west of the Mississippi river. Washington Irving has given a very In teresting description of their habits of life in one of his beautiful sketches." "Here are the bear pits. See that old fellow hanging by ono foot to the limb of that old stump," I said, as we came to the caves of the black and brown bears. One of the brown bears seemed perfectly at home on the limb of an old stump in hit pit, trying to catch the peanuts that the children were throwing to him. But the bear at the foot hod the feast while the one in the tree was working hard for little pay The great grizzly bear, looking npfroin the mouth of his cave, was the greatest curiosity. I had never seen one before, but had often reud of them. "He's a fierce looking fellow," said the duke, as we stood looking down at him. He was constantly tramping back and forth, as though chafing under his confine ment. ' "They are savage beasts," continued the duke, "and very dangeroun. I was with a party once that were exploring some of the mountain gorges in Colorado. Just as we were leaving one of the long defiles, we I tntervtewfl an old man uJio liad heen cultivating the corn. heard a noise behind us. Ijoklng round we saw a huge grizzly seated on hit haunches. One of our party fired at the beast. For a moment he seemed dazed, then uttering a most terrific growl he sprang forward, bringing down the man who had fired at him. We realized in an instant that it was death to our comrade or the bear. Every one of our party leveled his weapon at the bead of the furious beast. Fortunately for the man the bear rolled over In mwrtal agony. The flesh was torn from the poor man's arm and he was frightened almost to death. That was my first acquaintance with his majesty, the grizzly bear. I never want to meet an other, unless he Is in close confinement or under marching orders." We visited one den or cage after anoth er, until we had teen all the animals on exhibition. We enjoyed a ride on the little lakes passing under artistic bridges, and through long straits bordered by beautiful flowers. At last we found ourselves at the artesian well. We saw ttie wondrous fount from which flows the supply of water for the lakes, rivulets and fountains of the nark. The artistic skill displayed in mak ing falls and fountains, lakes and rivers, caves and mounds is wonderful! "This morning," Bald the duke as we left the Palmer House, "we are going out on business." "What is the nature of the business, if I may ask?" "Real estate." answered the duke. "Yon are to go with me and see how business it conducted in America." We soon saw a sign Indicating the place we sought. On entering, the duke began at once to ask questions and examine maps. t "How do you get possession of so mnch land for sale?" asked the duke, after being shown an Immense quantity in nearly every county In the state, it seemed to me, "A greut many farmers mortgage their lands, and failing to pay when due, we buy the lands," said the agent; "or they place their farms in our hands to sell, to raise money to meet the mortgages, hop ing to save somethiug In that way." "What do you do with the lands you hold before you get a buyer?" asked the duke. "There are always plenty of men who want to rent. We get good terms. We ften rent to the former owners. They make good tenant," said the agent. "Then you are sure there will be no trouble in getting good tenants If I should buy the lands we have been talking of." "None at all. There are more tenant thau farms, and you can make yonr own terms," said the agent, eager for a sale, "Then, if agreeable, we will go and take a look at some of your best bargains," said the duke. Very soon we were at the depot ready to start. We went sonth from Chicago. The green landscape was dotted with happy homes. IJttle villages nestled In the val leys, and prosperity seemed to reign su- prem - Woll-flUed corn cribs attracted onr attention. We passed the Joliet prison and taw some of the unfortunate beings at work In the stone quarry near by. We were delighted with the countrv, The greatf fields of wheat and corn, the beautiful rivers, bordered with good tlm bcr, and the delightful climate were per fect! fascinatlntr. --ni a contrast! 1 have not needed my umbrella once since I came into lilt nois. In I)ndon and Ireland it would '111 naworemn constant aeuukuu. ta fields of growing grain are in fine condi tion. I think it must, rsin when we are asleep, to keep the earth looking to fretS: and green." We left the cars at the little station and toon were riding over roads in tne most perfect condition. We called at one place where there was quite a comfortable house and barn. 'This is one of the farms I mentioned," said the agent. While the duke and the agent were walking about talking business, 1 Inter viewed an old uiiiu who had been cultivat ing the corn. "Sir, I asked, "can you tell me how this land came to be lu the market?" Yes, sir," said he, "this was once my home. I came hero from Ohio when laud was cheap. I bought this hundred sixty acres of hind, paid part down, and i gave a mortgage for the balance. ; put on improvements ss fast as I could, i woriej my farm carefully, and for a few years everything went well. Then times became hard, crops were not good, and what I could sell brought a very low price. But good crops or poor, good times or bad, the interest ou the mortgage kept growing all the time. We began to live more careful ly; wife would make one hundred dollars do the work of three In living and cloth ing. . We kept less help and worked early and late, but to no purpose. The time came when the mortgage was due, and the interest had accumulated until it ate up all there was over the mortgage. Then the place was told. Now, here I am a ten ant where I hoped to be the owner." "Where do you place the blame of your unfortunate circumstances?" "The scarcity of money is the first cause. That makes hard times. I can raise just as much wheat to the acre when it brings one dollar per bushel as when it brings fif ty cents. With the dollar I can meet my obligations. With half a dollar I must raise twice as much grain, or fall. The price of wheat Indicates, I think I may safely say, the rise and full of money. lx)vr prices make good times for money loaners and bankers who art willing to secure themselves by a mortgage on our real estate, and help us by loaning money at the moderate rates of from one, two, or even three per cent par mouth, if the men whose only business is to deal in the cir culating medium of the country are per mitted to increase or decrease the quanti ty as they please, they have the advantage over the laboring and producing classen. When farmers are in debt, and money all the time growing scarcer, there Is no hope but to sacrlflco their homes for much less than their real value. Large tracts of land arj being obtained by speculators in this way, and held at moderate prices. This tempts rich foreigners to Invest large sums of money here. They are willing to wait for the time when they can realize good profits on their Investments, while in the meantime they secure a good income by leasing their hinds to tenants." "ou seem familiar with the important topics of your country," I said. "Yes, sir," he replied, "I am a member of the 'Farmer's Alliance Club'; that keeps us posted on all thut concerns us as fanners." "Then you are opposed to foreigners coming here and buying lands?" I asked. "I urn. Wo have no lauds for people who enly care to bleed us!" he said vehe mently. "Any mini that wants a home and will come here and live on the lands he buys, I am ready to welcome." "You have large land monopolies amony your own people," I said. "We have, 1 am sorry to say. But our motto should be, 'No American laud mon opoly, either foreign or domestic!" CHAPTER Tin. TEN ANTItT IN AMERICA. The day following the one on which the duke finished his purchase he said to me: "Now, Waverland, we will visit lord Sanders' estate and see how his tenants feel on the landlord subject." "To which of bis estates shall wo go?" asked. "To the nearest one. It will only take a few hours to reach It." The morning was bright. A gentle shower had fallen in the night Every thing seemed rejoicing in the warm sun shine. We passed out from the buzz and bustle of the noisy city into the calm, cool air of the country. We saw large herds of horset and cattle lazily feeding in great pastures, under the shade of oak, elm and maple trees. We passed through a country that lay before us like an immense map marked off by different shades of green, vast corn fields with their deep rich green, wheat and oat fields shaded to a bright tint. Oil on we sped, post large farm houses surrounded by orchards full of growing fruit, great red barns that told of care and comfort, towering wind mills that could rival the imaginary giants of Don Quixote, full corn cribs laden with the golden ears, post villages full of busi ness, fine churches, large school houses, cozy dwellings and substantial stores, Commerce, culture, society and religion were all provided for in response to the needs and industry of man. Then came a change little rough shan ties, straw barns, and rail cribs without corn, i We entered a little tumble-down village without church or school-house. There, the conductor told us, was the place our tickets called for. "Are we still In America?" I asked "This seems more like Ireland and a ten ant village." "It is a tenant village," said the duke, as we walked from the steps of the old rickety depot. "Can It be that tenantry has been so long In America as to have caused its loathsome form to cover this fair land?' "Now, Waverland, I did not come to hear you preach. I came to see the chan ces of success with American tenants," said the duke, us we crossed to a little low, wooden shanty with one window, door and a hole In the roof for the stove pipe to pass through. The duke knocked at the door and a woman about thirty opened It. I was surprised at the neat ap pearance of the Interior of the cabin. The ceiling and the walls of the room had been papered with newspapers and looked clean. The woman was bright, intelligent look ing, and neat in a simple gown. She had been washing and a little boy was putting cobs, picked from the pig pen, into the ttove to make the kettle boll. A bed In one corner of the room looked neat and clean. There were three or four shelves, made by a running cord through , small holes In each side of the boards and held in place Dy a knot on the under side, tuii of books. I saw Kmerson't prose works, Dickens' stories, "Uncle Tom't Cabin," and a good many other good friends in that little rough shanty. When we had taken the seats she had offered us, (two old wooden chairs, which, with a rough deal table, completed the Inventory of tha household furniture,) the duke asked: M "Are yon living on one of Lord Bandera' farms?" "Yes, sir," said the woman, "we rent from his agent." I7ie duXe knoclud at the door and a wo man about thirty opened it. Do you make a comfortable living?" I. asked. ' 'Not very comfortable, though we never" suffer," said the woman, with a peculiar look in her dark eyes. " we could choose onr own time for selling our grain wa could do better. There comes my hut-' band," she said, "he can tell you better than I about the place." 1 A large, fine looking man drove near the shanty with a team and cultivator. We bA'Je the woman good-day and went to in terview the farmer himself. v 'Have you been on this place long?" asked the duke, after a few words of in troduction. "Six yeors," said the man, "and I am as poor to-day as when I came here." "Why do you stay here then, when lands are so cheap out west?" "Yon must know it costt a good deal to get a start even if lauds are cheap. I had a brother who went west. He made him self a good farm with good comfortable buildings. Ho had quite a start and was proud and happy In his new homo, that he had made from the wild prairie of the west. But he hnd taken lands that were afterward gobbled up by the railroad com pany. He lost all he hud and came back here to rent. I keep hoping that by work ing a little earlier, a little later and a little harder, that I can get a start here.' There Is neighbor Jones who has the same num ber of acres that I work," said the man, pointing across the rood to where a neat little frame house stood, shaded by tall maple and Cottonwood trees. "He Is mak ing money every year, and has some com forts for his family besides. He is all the time making Improvements. He hat a nice young orchard, grape vines and small fruits that add to the comfort and value of his place. I came here tlio same year that ho bought there. I work just as hard at he does, but I can only raise enough to pay the taxes and the rent, and have a little to live on." 'Tlieu you pay the taxes," told the duke. 'Yes, sir," said the man," "I have the taxes to pay, though they are not half as high as Jones's are. Ixird Sunders is rich and knows better than to Improve his lands, and then we cannot even have a de cent school to send our children to, be cause the agent will not permit us to vote as we please. Oh, he s a shrewd one, is that Lord Sanders. He knows he can get just as much rent for that old shanty with a few polos and a straw stack for a born, as though he had good buildings." "What is the re-ison you cannot make as much as your nelghboi?" I asked. "Are bis crops better than yours?" "No, sir," said thii man. "We raise bushel for bushel; we did lust year of both wheat and corn." , "Then what is the trouble?" asked tha duke. "Well, sir, I can tell you the trouble. He eould choose his own time for selling his grain, and he received one dollar per bushel for hit wheat and twenty-five cents a bushel for hit corn. I had to sell when Lord Sunders' agent demanded the rent, and got sixty cents per bushel for ray wheat and fifteen cents for corn. On the two you can see quite a margin for free dom; yes, freedom! I ara bound under an iron clad lease almost as binding us a bill of sale used to be in slavery times!" "But you need not stay here if the terms do not suit you," remarked the duke. "That's true. But here I have a shelter; my wife and child are quite comfortable. If I should leave here I might do even worse. Some of the tenants on Lord San ders' estate have a terrible struggle to get along. One day last winter when the thermometer was twenty degrees below zero, I went to a tenant's house, and there they were boiling whole corn to keep them from starving. Their lire was made of roots dug from the earth ten miles distant-- and brought home to burn to keep them from freezing. Oh, I could tell you tales of sufferings that would make your heart ache. If there is any more suffering in Ireland thnn right here on Lord Sanders' estate, (rod pity them! Here In this beau- ft tiful country where everything grows In abundance! I went round to the different families and gathered up provisions to keep one family from starving to death." "What made the people so poor?" asked the duke. "Because they had to sell all they could raise to pay the rent, that the greedy laud lords may live in ease aud luxury in some foreign city, where he cannot see or hear of the misery he causes. While the thrifty farmers, like neighbor Jones, who have their own homes, must pay their own law ful taxes and a portion for my Lord San ders beside." "Why man how do you make that out?" asked the duke. "Your neighbor has im proved his lands, while Lord Sanders has not, that makes the difference." "That is just, where the injustice cornea in. If Iiord Sanders hnd to pay taxes on that naked land and not on the Improve ments, he would soon be willing to sell tome of his hundred thousand acres. But while he can shirk out of the taxes and re ceives a good rent, he will not sell any of his broad fields, though offered five timet their real value." "You are rather hard on the land owner," eaid the duke. "If you could carry your theory into practice you would make a fine mess of the finances of your country. It might benefit the small farm ers, but it would be hard on the landlords who hold larne estates." ell, eir, we would De willing they should suffer a little. They have bled the people long enough. Beside, the lands of this country were intended for the many, not for the few. I would like to tee the man who owns the lands live on them ami To be Centinued. V.