The Narrative of Gordon Sellar Who Emigrated to Canada in 1825 | Page 6

man ready to take the farm at the advanced rent. He was
sorry, but the master had to pay the rent asked or leave the place. If I go,
what will be allowed me for the improvements I have made? Not a
shilling; he had gone on making them without the landlord's consent.
You saw me making them and encouraged me, said the master, and I
made them in the belief I would be given another tack to get some of
the profit out of them. The factor replied, Tut, tut, that's not the law of
Scotland. The master felt very sore at the injustice done him. On his
lordship's arrival from London, accompanied by a party of his English
friends, for the shooting, the master resolved to see him. On the
morning he left to interview him we wished him good luck, confident
the landlord would not uphold the factor, and we wearied for his 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.
When he took anything in hand the master went through with it. Before
the week was out he had given up the farm, arranged for an auction sale,
and for going to Canada. My heart was filled with misgivings as to
what would become of me. I knew crops had been short for two years,
and, though he was even with the world, the master had not a pound to
spare, and depended on the auction-sale for the money to pay for outfit
and passage to Canada. I