The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 45

How He Paid His Rent

How He Paid His Rent.

A Farmer in the West of Englaud, whom we will call Giles, rented a farm from the lord of the manor. Prosperity seemed to have taken Farmer Giles under its special protection. Everything thrived with him, he paid his rent regularly, and was respected by everybody in the county far and near. Nobody, however, envied him his good fortune, for he vas a genial good-souled man who had a pleasant smile and a kind word for everybody. Unfortunately, however, a change came over his prosperity. Farmer Giles had not been able to stand the ordeal of success. Giles took to drink, and little by little neglected his farm. Then slowly and surely his prosperity waned and waned. His rent was seldom paid now when due; but his landlord was not over strict with him, for he remembered what a good tenant he had been, and was sorry to see him so fallen from his former state.

At length the landlord died, and his widow, assisted by her eldest son, took upon herself the management of the estate. Rent-day came round and Farmer Giles did not appear with the money. His landlady having consulted with her son—the young master—determined upon a certain line of action, and sent for the defaulting tenant. Farmer Giles, in great trouble, made himself look as smart as possible, displaying ostentatiously a large seal at his fob, although he knew that his watch had long since departed—melted with other valuables in the potent and evil spirits.

Giles found the widow seated at a table with a large book open before her, and her son standing at her side. She was writing in the book as Giles entered.

"I regret to hear, Farmer Giles, that you cannot pay your rent," said the lady looking up for an instant, and then continuing her writing.

"Oh, ma'am," cried Giles, "you're not going to turn me out of the old farm where I've lived all my life. I'll pay you every penny some day, only let me remain on the farm."

"But," said the lady, "what security have I that you will not only cheat me out of this rent, but, continuing to drink, be unable to pay the next and the next rent?"

"What security, indeed I" cried Farmer Giles in despair. "No one would go security for me now."

"Will you go security for yourself? If you cease drinking, you will not be long in my debt. But so long as you are in my debt, you must give me self-denial as interest. You must not touch drink until the rent is paid. I have written out in this book an agreement to that effect for you to sign. Then you can take your own time to pay the rent."

The farmer saw that this was his only resource from utter ruin, and signed the agreement.

Once more a sober man, he gave all his attention to his work, and was able to pay his rent several times over when next it became due. His landlady was, therefore, surprised to find that the amount of his rent was one shilling short. Upon drawing his attention to the fact, he said:—

"Yes, my lady; I mean it always to be a shilling short in future, for I intend to pay the same interest upon it all my life."

He is still paying interest, but his principle is increasing every year.

How He Paid The Rent

How He Paid The Rent

"I have written out an agreement in this book to that effect."