"Poor sufferer!" again sneered the hag. "Four hundred dollars is a
very SMALL profit in as many weeks. Well, I guess, you beat the
Yankees hollow. And pray, what brought you here to-day, scenting
about you like a carrion-crow? We have no more land for you to seize
from us."
Moodie now stepped forward, and briefly explained our situation,
offering the old woman anything in reason to give up the cottage and
reside with her son until he removed from the premises; which, he
added, must be in a very short time.
The old dame regarded him with a sarcastic smile. "I guess, Joe will
take his own time. The house is not built which is to receive him;
and he is not a man to turn his back upon a warm hearth to camp in
the wilderness. You were GREEN when you bought a farm of that man,
without getting along with it the right of possession."
"But, Mrs. R - -, your son promised to go out the first of
sleighing."
"Wheugh!" said the old woman. "Would you have a man give away his
hat and leave his own head bare? It's neither the first snow nor the
last frost that will turn Joe out of his comfortable home. I tell
you all that he will stay here, if it is only to plague you."
Threats and remonstrances were alike useless, the old woman remained
inexorable; and we were just turning to leave the house, when the
cunning old fox exclaimed, "And now, what will you give me to leave
my place?"
"Twelve dollars, if you give us possession next Monday," said my
husband.
"Twelve dollars! I guess you won't get me out for that."
"The rent would not be worth more than a dollar a month," said
Mr. - -, pointing with his cane to the dilapidated walls.
"Mr. Moodie has offered you a year's rent for the place."
"It may not be worth a cent," returned the woman; "for it will give
everybody the rheumatism that stays a week in it - but it is worth
that to me, and more nor double that just now to him. But I will not
be hard with him," continued she, rocking herself to and fro. "Say
twenty dollars, and I will turn out on Monday."
"I dare say you will," said Mr. - -, "and who do you think would be
fool enough to give you such an exorbitant sum for a ruined old shed
like this?"
"Mind your own business, and make your own bargains," returned the
old woman, tartly. "The devil himself could not deal with you, for I
guess he would have the worst of it. What do you say, sir?" and she
fixed her keen eyes upon my husband, as if she would read his
thoughts. "Will you agree to my price?"
"It is a very high one, Mrs. R - -; but as I cannot help myself, and
you take advantage of that, I suppose I must give it."
"'Tis a bargain," cried the old crone, holding out her hard, bony
hand.
