Uncle Ro and I laughed, in spite of our efforts to the contrary, there being a pathos in this question that was supremely ridiculous. Curbing his merriment, however, as soon as he could, my uncle answered the question. "If der landlordt hast a right to coome and dake as many chickens as he bleases, und ast often ast he bleases, den dat wouldt look like a feudal right; but if de lease says dat so many chickens moost be paid a-year, for der rent, vhy dat ist all der same as baying so much moneys; und it might be easier for der tenant to bay in chicken ast it might be to bay in der silver. Vhen a man canst bay his debts in vhat he makes himself, he ist ferry interpentent." "It does seem so, I vow! Yet there's folks about here, and some at Albany, that call it feudal for a man to have to carry a pair of fowls to the landlord's office, and the landlord an aristocrat for asking it!" "But der man canst sent a poy, or a gal, or a nigger, wid his fowls, if he bleases?" "Sartain; all that is asked is that the fowls should come." "Und vhen der batroon might owe hist tailor, or hist shoemaker, must he not go to hist shop, or find him and bay him vhat he owes, or be suet for der debt?" "That's true, too; boys, put me in mind of telling that to Josh, this evening. Yes, the greatest landlord in the land must hunt up his creditor, or be sued, all the same as the lowest tenant." "Und he most bay in a partic'lar ding; he most bay in golt or silver?" "True; lawful tender is as good for one as 'tis for t'other." "Und if your Herr Littlebage signs a baper agreein' to gif der apples from dat orchart to somebody on his landts, most he send or carry der apples, too?" "To be sure; that would be the bargain." "Und he most carry der ferry apples dat grows on dem ferry drees, might it not be so?" "All true as gospel. If a man contracts to sell the apples of one orchard, he can't put off the purchaser with the apples of another." "Und der law ist der same for one ast for anudder, in dese t'ings?" "There is no difference; and there should be none." "Und der batroons und der landlordts wants to haf der law changet, so dat dey may be excuset from baying der debts accordin' to der bargains, und to gif dem atfantages over der poor tenants?" "I never heard anything of the sort, and don't believe they want any such change." "Of vhat, den, dost der beople complain?" "Of having to pay rent at all; they think the landlords ought to be made to sell their farms, or give them away. Some stand out for the last." "But der landlordts don't vant to sell deir farms; und dey might not be made to sell vhat ist deir own, and vhat dey don't vant to sell, any more dan der tenants might be made to sell deir hogs and deir sheep, vhen dey don't vant to sell dem." "It does seem so, boys, as I've told the neighbours, all along. But I'll tell this Dutchman all about it. Some folks want the State to look a'ter the title of young Littlepage, pretending he has no title."