Jack's Ward; Or The Boy Guardian Read online

  CHAPTER VI

  THE LANDLORD'S VISIT

  It was the night before the New Year. In many a household in the greatcity it was a night of happy anticipation. In the humble home of theHardings it was an evening of anxious thought, for to-morrow thequarter's rent was due.

  "I haven't got a dollar to meet the rent, Martha," said the cooper, in adepressed tone.

  "Won't Mr. Colman wait?"

  "I'm afraid not. You know what sort of a man he is, Martha. There isn'tmuch feeling about him. He cares more for money than anything else."

  "Perhaps you are doing him an injustice."

  "I am afraid not. Did you never hear how he treated the Underhills?"

  "How?"

  "Underhill was laid up with rheumatic fever for three months. Theconsequence was that when quarter day came round he was in about thesame situation with ourselves--a little worse, even, for his wife wassick also. But, though Colman was aware of the circumstances, he had nopity; he turned them out without ceremony."

  "Is it possible?" asked Mrs. Harding, uneasily.

  "And there's no reason for his being more lenient with us. I can't butfeel anxious about to-morrow, Martha."

  At this moment, verifying an old adage, which will perhaps occur to thereader, who should knock but Mr. Colman himself. Both the cooper and hiswife had an instinctive foreboding as to his visit.

  He came in, rubbing his hands in a social way, as was his custom. Noone, to look at him, would have suspected the hardness of heart that layveiled under his velvety softness of manner.

  "Good-evening, Mr. Harding," he said, affably. "I trust you and yourexcellent wife are in good health."

  "That blessing, at least, is continued to us," said the cooper, gravely.

  "And how comfortable you're looking, too, eh! It makes an old bachelorlike me feel lonesome when he contrasts his own solitary room with sucha scene of comfort as this. You've got a comfortable home, and dogcheap, too. All my other tenants are grumbling to think you don't haveto pay any more for such superior accommodations. I've about made up mymind that I must ask you twenty-five dollars a quarter hereafter."

  All this was said very pleasantly, but the pill was none the lessbitter.

  "It seems to me, Mr. Colman," answered the cooper, soberly, "you havechosen rather a singular time for raising the rent."

  "Why singular, my good sir?" inquired the landlord, urbanely.

  "You know, of course, that this is a time of general businessdepression; my own trade in particular has suffered greatly. For a monthpast I have not been able to find any work."

  Colman's face lost something of its graciousness.

  "And I fear I shall not be able to pay my quarter's rent to-morrow."

  "Indeed!" said the landlord, coldly. "Perhaps you can make it up withintwo or three dollars."

  "I can't pay a dollar toward it," said the cooper. "It's the first time,in the five years I've lived here, that this thing has happened to me.I've always been prompt before."

  "You should have economized as you found times growing harder," saidColman, harshly. "It is hardly honest to live in a house when you knowyou can't pay the rent."

  "You shan't lose it, Mr. Colman," said the cooper, earnestly. "No oneever yet lost anything by me, and I don't mean anyone shall, if I canhelp it. Only give me a little time, and I will pay all."

  The landlord shook his head.

  "You ought to have cut your coat according to your cloth," he responded."Much as it will go against my feelings I am compelled, by a prudentregard to my own interests, to warn you that, in case your rent is notready to-morrow, I shall be obliged to trouble you to find anothertenement; and furthermore, the rent of this will be raised five dollarsa quarter."

  "I can't pay it, Mr. Colman," said Timothy Harding, gravely. "I may aswell say that now; and it's no use agreeing to pay more rent. I pay allI can afford now."

  "Very well, you know the alternative. Of course, if you can do betterelsewhere, you will. That's understood. But it's a disagreeable subject.We won't talk of it any more now. I shall be round to-morrow forenoon.How's your excellent sister--as cheerful as ever?"

  "Quite as much so as usual," answered the cooper, dryly.

  "There's one favor I should like to ask," he said, after a pause. "Willyou allow us to remain here a few days till I can look about a little?"

  "I would with the greatest pleasure in the world," was the reply; "butthere's another family very anxious to take the house, and they wish tocome in immediately. Therefore I shall be obliged to ask you to move outto-morrow. In fact, that is the very thing I came here this evening tospeak about, as I thought you might not wish to pay the increased rent."

  "We are much obliged to you," said the cooper, with a tinge ofbitterness unusual to him. "If we are to be turned into the street, itis pleasant to have a few hours' notice of it."

  "Turned out of doors, my good sir! What disagreeable expressions youemploy! If you reflect for a moment, you will see that it is merely amatter of business. I have an article to dispose of. There are twobidders, yourself and another person. The latter is willing to pay alarger sum. Of course I give him the preference, as you would do undersimilar circumstances. Don't you see how it is?"

  "I believe I do," replied the cooper. "Of course it's a regularproceeding; but you must excuse me if I think of it in another light,when I reflect that to-morrow at this time my family may be without ashelter."

  "My dear sir, positively you are looking on the dark side of things. Itis actually sinful for you to distrust Providence as you seem to do.You're a little disappointed, that's all. Just take to-night to sleep onit, and I've no doubt you'll see things in quite a different light. Butpositively"--here he rose, and began to draw on his gloves--"positivelyI have stayed longer than I intended. Good-night, my friends. I'll lookin upon you in the morning. And, by the way, as it's so near, permit meto wish you a happy New Year."

  The door closed upon the landlord, leaving behind two anxious hearts.

  "It looks well in him to wish that," said the cooper, gloomily. "A greatdeal he is doing to make it so. I don't know how it seems to others; formy part, I never say them words to anyone, unless I really wish 'emwell, and am willing to do something to make 'em so. I should feel as ifI was a hypocrite if I acted anyways different."

  Martha was not one who was readily inclined to think evil of anyone, butin her own gentle heart she could not help feeling a repugnance for theman who had just left them. Jack was not so reticent.

  "I hate that man," he said, decidedly.

  "You should not hate anyone, my son," said Mrs. Harding.

  "I can't help it, mother. Ain't he goin' to turn us out of the houseto-morrow?"

  "If we cannot pay our rent, he is justified in doing so."

  "Then why need he pretend to be so friendly? He don't care anything forus."

  "It is right to be polite, Jack."

  "I s'pose if you're goin' to kick a man, it should be done politely,"said Jack, indignantly.

  "If possible," said the cooper, laughing.

  "Is there any tenement vacant in this neighborhood?" asked Mrs. Harding.

  "Yes, there is one in the next block belonging to Mr. Harrison."

  "It is a better one than this."

  "Yes; but Harrison only asks the same rent that we have been paying. Heis not so exorbitant as Colman."

  "Couldn't we get that?"

  "I am afraid if he knows that we have failed to pay our rent here, thathe will object."

  "But he knows you are honest, and that nothing but the hard times wouldhave brought you to this pass."

  "It may be, Martha. At any rate, you have lightened my heart a little. Ifeel as if there was some hope left, after all."

  "We ought always to feel so, Timothy. There was one thing that Mr.Colman said that didn't sound so well, coming from his lips; but it'strue for all that."

  "What do you refer to?"

  "I mean that about not distrusting Providence. Many a time hav
e I beencomforted by reading the verse: 'Never have I seen the righteousforsaken, nor his seed begging bread.' As long as we try to do what isright, Timothy, God will not suffer us to want."

  "You are right, Martha. He is our ever-present help in time of trouble.When I think of that, I feel easier."

  They retired to rest thoughtfully but not sadly.

  The fire upon the hearth flickered and died out at length. The lastsands of the old year were running out, and the new morning ushered inits successor.