Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1874 — "Doing” an American. [ARTICLE]

"Doing” an American.

An American relates the following^ “ Four years ago 1 came over from New York to superintend the English busy ness of the firm to which I belonged. As my residence was likely to be a long one I looked out for a house within a convenient distance of London; for I am a family man and I like my children to have the run of the fields when I can manage it. I hate to see them dressed up fine —and what’s one of those squares to play in? Well, I got just the thing to suit me—nice garden; farms-all around; half an hour’s railway ride from my office. The rent was stiff for a yearly moderation which was so-so —two hundred for a yearly tenancy, one hundred and fifty if I took a seven-year lease. I reckoned that I should want it for a good ten years: so I decided for the lease, especially as the agent told me I should be sure to underlet it if I wanted to. When I got to know my neighbors and compared notes l found that I was paying at a much higher rate tnan any of them were. However, that did not vex me so long as I could live there. But after two years certain changes took place which made it necessary that I should go live at Liverpool. So I had to move again and tried to underlet my house. I could not do it for some time, because I stood out for the rent I paid myself, but at last 1 grew tired of the dead-loss, and told the agent to get the best he could. So he let the place for ninety, and that has been goings on for foug years, so that the lease is nearly up. But I never kpewtill last year Mho my tenant M’as. Who do you think?” “ I cannot guess.” “ Why, my landlord. I have been paying the cuss sixty'pounds a year for living in his own house all this time. It’s a fact.” —Once a Week. . *