vast before he might be a tenant, und den der
State wilt examine into der title, I fancys."

"Yes, yes--in that way; but these men want it another way. What they
want is for the State to set up a legal examination, and turn the
landlords off altogether, if they can, and then let themselves have the
farms in their stead."

"But dat would not be honest to dem dat hafen't nothing to do wid der
farms. If der State owns der farms, it ought to get as moch as it can
for dem, and so safe _all_ der people from baying taxes. It looks like
roguery, all roundt."

"I believe it is that, and nothing else! As you say, the State will
examine into the title as it is, and there is no need of any laws about
it."

"Would der State, dink you, pass a law dat might inquire into de
demandts dat are made against der batroons, vhen der tratesmen sent in
deir bills?"

"I should like to see any patroon ask sich a thing! He would be laughed
at, from York to Buffalo."

"Und he would desarf it. By vhat I see, frient, your denants be der
arisdograts, und der landlordts der vassals."

"Why you see--what may your name be?--as we're likely to become
acquainted, I should like to know your name."

"My name is Greisenbach, und I comes from Preussen."

"Well, Mr. Greisenbach, the difficulty about aristocracy is this. Hugh
Littlepage is rich, and his money gives him advantages that other men
can't enj'y. Now, that sticks in some folks' crops."

"Oh! den it ist meant to divite broperty in dis coontry; und to say no
man might haf more ast anudder?"

"Folks don't go quite as far as that, yet; though some of their talk
does squint that-a-way, I must own. Now, there are folks about here that
complain that old Madam Littlepage and her young ladies don't visit the
poor."

"Vell, if deys be hard-hearted, und hast no feelin's for der poor and
miseraple----"

"No, no; that is not what I mean, neither. As for that sort of poor,
everybody allows they do more for _them_ than anybody else about here.
But they don't visit the poor that isn't in want."

"Vell, it ist a ferry coomfortable sort of poor dat ist not in any vant.
Berhaps you mean dey don't associate wid 'em, as equals?"

"That's it. Now, on that head, I must say there is some truth in the
charge, for the gals over at the Nest never come here to visit my gal,
and Kitty is as nice a young thing as there is about."

"Und Gitty goes to visit the gal of the man who lives over yonter, in de
house