I have known a case in which the proportion has been higher than this.
And then the tenants in such districts began to decline to pay any rent at all--in very many cases could pay no rent at all.

They, too, depended on the potatoes which were gone; they, too, had been subject to those dreadful demands for poor rates; and thus a landlord whose property was in any way embarrassed had but a bad time of it.

The property from which Lady Desmond drew her income had been very much embarrassed; and for her the times were very bad.
In such periods of misfortune, a woman has always some friend.

Let her be who she may, some pair of broad shoulders is forthcoming on which may be laid so much of the burden as is by herself unbearable.
It is the great privilege of womanhood, that which compensates them for the want of those other privileges which belong exclusively to manhood--sitting in Parliament, for instance, preaching sermons, and going on 'Change.
At this time Lady Desmond would doubtless have chosen the shoulders of Owen Fitzgerald for the bearing of her burden, had he not turned against her, as he had done.

But now there was no hope of that.