return. The look on his face as he came into
the kitchen showed he had failed. He told us all
that passed. On getting to the grand house and
telling the flunkey he had come to see his master,
the flunkey regarded him with disdain, and replied
his lordship was engaged and would not see him.
Persisting in refusing to leave the door and telling
that he was a tenant, the flunkey left and returned
with a young gentleman, who asked what was his business,
saying he was his lordship’s secretary.
On being told, the young man shook his head, saying
his lordship left all such matters to his factor,
and it would do no good to see him. Just then
a finely dressed lady swept into the hall. Pausing,
she cried, ’Tompkins, what does that common-looking
man want here? Tell him to go to the servants’
entry.’ ‘He wants to see his lordship,’
was the reply. ‘The idea!’ exclaimed
the lady as she crossed the floor and disappeared by
the opposite door. The master could hear the
sounds of laughter and jingle of glasses. ‘My,
good man,’ said the secretary, ’you had
better go: his lordship will not see you today.’
’When will he be at liberty to see me?’
asked the master, ’I will come when it suits
his pleasure. I must have his word of mouth that
what the factor says is his decision.’ The
secretary looked perplexed, and after putting a few
questions, among them that he had paid his rent and
wanted no favor beyond renewal of his lease on the
old terms, he told my father to wait a minute and left.
It might be half an hour or more when a flunkey beckoned
the master to follow him. Throwing open a door
he entered what he took to be the library, for it
had shelves of books. His lordship was alone,
seated by the fireplace with a newspaper on his lap.
’Now, say what you have to say in fewest words,’
said the nobleman. Standing before him the master
told how he had taken the farm 19 years ago, had observed
every condition of the lease, and had gone beyond
them in keeping the farm in good heart, for he had
improved it in many ways, especially during the past
few years when he had ditched and limed and levelled
a boggy piece of land, and changed it from growing
rushes into the best pasture-field on the farm.
’Gin the farm is worth more, it is me who has
made it and I crave your lordship to either give me
another tack at the same rent or pay me what my betterments
are worth.’ His Lordship turned and touched
a bell. On the flunkey appearing, he said to
him, ’Show this fellow to the door,’ and
took up his newspaper. As the master finished,
he said to us, ’Dear as every acre of the farm
is to me, I will leave it and go where the man who
works the land may own it and where there are no lords
and dukes, nor baronets. I am a man and never
again will I ask as a favor what is my due of any
fellow-mortal with a title.’ We went to
bed that night sorrowful and fearing what was before
us.