His expenditure increased, his income decreased; his rent remained the same, and rent audit came round with the utmost regularity.
Mr.Smith began to think about his lease, and question whether it was such an unmixed blessing.

There was no getting out of it, that was certain.

The seasons grew worse and worse.

Smith asked for a reduction of rent.

He got, like others, ten per cent, returned, which, he said looked very liberal to those who knew nothing of farming, and was in reality about as useful as a dry biscuit flung at a man who has eaten nothing for a week.