110 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



known. But we have had some cases of the fathers 

 having been worthy, industrious men, who did well, 

 and their sons having turned out worthless. The 

 bad times and prices of the last three years made 

 five tenants last winter unable to pay their rents. 

 Every one of the five was an habitual drinker, who had 

 been going down for the last ten years, but struggled 

 on by the help of friends and chances, till the pre- 

 sent bad times brought the crisis. Two are already 

 gone. Two more, one of whom holds near fifty acres, 

 have not a four-footed beast, beyond a cat, on their 

 land, and are sure soon to follow, and the fifth like- 

 wise, unless unusual luck should cause a respite. 

 There is the very best of goodwill between the 

 tenants and me and my family. 



* To act strictly in any way is so unusual in Ire- 

 land that it is impossible for the course I have 

 always taken to be popular, and indeed the rules I 

 act on are often not liked. But the tenants thrive 

 and are richer than others, and it is hard to get over 

 that. I am sure there is not one of them who does 

 not know that I wish to see him thrive, and will do 

 whatever is reasonable to help him. They consult 

 me on all sorts of subjects (outside their position as 

 tenants), and act on my opinion. I have had one 

 who deals in guano send me 500 of his own to 

 London to buy guano for him. 



A firm, resolute hand which gives scheming no 

 chance, and will not listen to a whine, but which acts 



