TENANT-RIGHT AND THE THREE F'S. 185 



health, which in Ireland often takes a sort of Oriental 

 character, I said, " Well, Andy, how are you getting 

 on these times ? " " I've got a new farm of forty- 

 seven acres," was the answer. " At what rent ? " 

 " Oh, the rent's cheap enough, 10s. per acre. Sure 

 you know the land, it's bounding you and me. 'Tis 



that 's farm, and under my own landlord too." 



" I hope you didn't pay much money for it, Andy ? " 

 " 'Deed I did — a dale too much. I had to pay £300." 

 " What could make you such a fool as that, Andy ? 

 I thought you were a knowing man." "Sure that 



, who bounds it the other side, offered £300 for it. 



I knew well it was too much, but my family made me 

 give it, though I knew it was not worth it." " What's 

 the interest of your £300, Andy ? " " Sure it's £15 a 

 year." " And what term of the farm have you ? You 

 know you ought to get back the £300 by the time 

 the term is out." " I've no term at all. There is no 

 lease of it, but I have great confidence in my land- 

 lord." " You are an old man. Suppose you die, and 

 your landlord dies, and the estate has to be managed 

 by trustees for his children, how long can they leave 

 your son land at 10s. an acre that is worth 20s. ? " 

 And so I went on to show my friend his folly, and 

 that it would have been much better for him to have 

 kept his £300 in his pocket, and hired a farm at 20s. 

 per acre, with thirty -one years' lease. His £300 

 spent in manuring would have come back quickly, 

 and made a rich man of him. In his case I have no 



