Page:The Poor Rich Man, and the Rich Poor Man.djvu/165

Rh thought he, "my friends here are really richer than many that live in four-story houses." Having an important purpose in his inquiries, he went on. "Do you not, Mrs. Aikin, experience serious inconvenience from having so many families under one roof?"

"We do, sir. I have often thought the time must come when landlords would feel more for poor people, and be more considerate who they put together. It is so difficult to keep children from bad company, poor things—they are not particular, you know, sir. This is the only thing that has ever really worried me about our situation: I can contrive to get along with little troubles."

"And what are the little troubles?" .

"Why, sir, it is something of a trial not to have a decent steps, entry, and stairs. We have no place to store wood, so we cannot buy it in summer, which would be a great saving to us. Then, the cistern is leaky, and not half large enough to furnish water to half the tenants; and, if we set tubs under the front spout, there is always some one to dispute our right; so we have given up rain-water, and make pump-water do: since then, every one in the house offers us a portion of their rain-water; so, as my husband says, 'The peace principle is the best policy.'"

Mr. Beck with, after making a calculation, exclaimed, "Four hundred and sixty-nine dollars is paid for the rent of this house. The whole property is not worth four thousand five hundred. But so it is all over the city; the poor pay rents out of all proportion to the rich. With the very poor and vicious this is inevitable—they are transient tenants, and