Page:Original stories from real life 1796.pdf/122

Rh After ſupper he informed me, that he had once a very good farm; but he had been ſo unfortunate as to diſpleaſe the juſtice, who never forgave him, nor reſted till he had ruined him. This tyrant always expected his tenants to aſſiſt him to bring in his harveſt before they had got in their own. The poor harper was once in the midſt of his, when an order was ſent to him to bring his carts and ſervants, the next day, to the fields of this petty king. He fooliſhly refuſed; and this refuſal was the foundation of that ſettled hatred which produced ſuch fatal conſequences. Ah, Madam, ſaid the ſufferer, your heart would ache, if you heard of all his cruelties to me, and the reſt of his poor tenants. He employs many labourers, and will not give them as much wages as they could get from the common farmers, yet they dare not go any-where else to work when he ſends for them. The fiſh that they catch they must bring firſt to him, or they would not be allowed to walk over his grounds to catch them; and he will give juſt what he pleaſes for the moſt valuable part of their pannier. Rh