property in Queens county and the wild maritime county of
Kerry, in which his ancestors were in bygone days a sort of kings.

Probably Lord Lansdowne's agency was worth to Mr. Trench quite $5000 a
year, equal in Kerry, where living is still very cheap, to $15,000 in
New York City; and he had two or three other agencies in addition.

On the smaller properties the agent is usually paid five per cent., on
the large by fixed salary. The best agency of all is that of Lord
Pembroke, who owns the most valuable portion of Dublin and a great deal
of adjoining land.

When the duties and risks of an agent are considered, he can by no means
be regarded as highly paid. Very many agents have lost their lives, and
others are exposed to continual danger. They are sometimes harsh,
tyrannical and overbearing, but far less so now, when railroad, press
and telegraph let light in upon all parts of the country, than formerly,
when they were left to themselves, and as long as the rents were duly
paid no heed was taken of their operations.

To do an agent's work well great firmness and knowledge of the Irish
character is required, and in some districts in the West a knowledge of
the Irish language is very desirable and absolutely requisite.

When an agency becomes vacant a proprietor receives innumerable
applications for the vacant office, often from persons ludicrously
ignorant of its duties. Thus, some time ago a seeker of such an office
accompanied his application--he was a retired army officer--by a sketch
of a sort of watch-tower whence he proposed to watch the tenantry, and
fire upon them as occasion required! With few exceptions the agents on
large estates are gentlemen bred to the business, whose fathers have
been agents, and have thus early become initiated into the mysteries of
the office.

Many Irish landlords are, and still more used to be, very much in the
hands of their agents, of whom they have borrowed money, and further
depend on for support in elections. Instances are by no means wanting of
men now holding high rank as country gentlemen whose fathers and
grandfathers grew rich out of estates confided to them to manage by
negligent, reckless landlords, who gradually fell completely into the
meshes of their managers.

RANDOM BIOGRAPHIES.

JULIUS CAESAR. An ancient Roman of celebrity. He advertised to the effect
that he had rather be first at Rome than second in a small village. He
was a man of great muscular strength