A Farmer’s Life 
“Why, that I ain’t going to have the water 
turned in there; and you got no right to put it 
there; 
‘““ But the water must be drained off the road.” 
“It’s drained oz to the road ever since the 
common was enclosed fifty years ago. And I 
ain’t going to have it in my ditch now.” 
Two district councillors were present, and one 
of them intervened. 
“Well but, Smith, it’s only in bad weather 
that the drain ’Il get any water at all.” 
“‘ And it’s in bad weather that I got all I can 
do and more too to deal with the water I got a 
right to deal with. The ditch ain’t big enough 
then to take the water from my own fields—you 
can see it Standing there now between the furrows. 
And now you want to put more there.” 
The other councillor tried. 
“Oh, well, Smith, I'll undertake that the 
council favours you as much as possible.” 
““T don’t want favours from the council or 
anybody. But I don’t want injustice either. If 
‘twas my own land I'd fight to my last penny 
before you should put a drain in there. As it is, 
I must go to my landlord and get him to help 
me fight. I ain’t going to have it. I’m under 
covenant to deal with the water off the road 
further down, and now you wants to saddle me 
with it up here. Why don’t t’other man clear 
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