CHAPTER XI 



UNREST AMONG THE COLONISTS 



TJUT a serious trouble, not destined to be so lightly 

 *^ met and settled, was brewing for my husband. 

 Under the leadership of a person whose main joy in 

 life was meddling, the farmers conferred and decided 

 they would not pay the interest due the Fund, although, 

 when applying for farming land, each of them had 

 signed a paper agreeing, in ten years' time, to return 

 every cent loaned him, with interest. The conditions 

 had been made very clear to them every angle of 

 the transaction having been explained. 



When my husband was confronted with this refusal 

 of the farmers to pay the amount due, he was exceed- 

 ingly indignant. He was unable to view the matter 

 from their viewpoint at all. Being a man always 

 ready to give, but reluctant to take, he tried to show 

 them that their stand in the matter revealed a lack of 

 pride and dignity. He told them he could not con- 

 ceive how they could wish to obtain something for 

 nothing ; especially as it had been a clear business deal 

 between the Fund and the farmer from the beginning. 

 The well-defined position of Baron de Hirsch, who 

 donated the money, and the Committee administering 



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