The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-03 00:00:00

A FE IV NOTES ON MISERS.

(From Salad for the Social.)
One of those misers who have died literally of want was
the well-known banker—Ostervald. A few days prior to his
death he resisted the importunities of his attendant to pur-
chase some meat for the purpose of making a little soup for
him. " True, I should like the soup," ho said, " but I have
no appetite for the meat ? what is to become of that ; it
will be a sad waste." The poor wretch died possessed of
12:5,0001. Another desperate else was that of Elwes, whose
diet and dress were alike of the most revolting kind, and
whose property was estimated at 800,000/. Daniel Dancer's
miserly propensities were indulged to such a degree, that
on one occasion when, at the urgent solicitation of a friend,
he ventured to give a shilling to a Jew for an old hat--
" better as new"—to the astonishment of his friend, the
next day he actually retailed it for 18J. He performed his
ablutions at a neighbouring pool, drying himself in the sun,
to save the extravagant indulgence of a towel; yet this
poor mendicant had property to the exent of upwards of
3,0001. per annum. The well-known Nat Bentley (alias Dirty
Dick) of London, was the victim not only to a craving for
gold, but also for old iron. Another deplorable case might
be cited -that of Thomas Pitt, of Warwickshire. It is re-
ported that some weeks prior to the sickness which termi-
nated his despicable career, ho wont to several undertakers
in quest of a cheap coffin. Ho left behind him 2,4751. in the
public funds. Another instance is that of the notorious
Thomas Cook. On his physician intimating the possibility
of his not existing more than five or six days, ho protested
against the useless expense of sending him medicine, and
charged the doctor never to show his face to him again.
His property amounted to 130,0001. Sir WIP. Smyth, of
Bedfordshire, was immensely rich, but most parsimonious
and miserly in his habits. At 70 years of ago ho was en-
tirely deprived of hie sight, unable to gloat over his hoarded
heaps of gold. He was persuaded by Taylor, the celebrated
oculist, to be couched; who was, by agreement, to have
sixty guineas if he restored his patient to any degree of
sight. Taylor succeeded in his operation, and Sir Wil-
liam was enabled to nett and write without the aid of
spectacles during the rest of his life. But no sooner was
his sight restored, than the baronet begun to regret that
his agreement had been for so large a sum. His thoughts
were now how to cheat the oculist. Ho pretended that ho
had only a glimmering, and could see nothing distinctly;
for which reason the bandage on his eyes was continued a
month longer than the usual time. Taylor was deceived
by these misrepresentations, and agreed to compound the
bargain, and accepted twenty guineas instead of sixty.
At the time Taylor attended him, he had a large estate, an
immense sum of money in the stocks, and 6,030/. in the
house. A miser of the name of Fescue, who had amassed
enormous wealth by the most sordid parsimony and dis-
creditable extortion, applied his ingenuity to discover
some effectual way of biding his gold. With great care
and wormy ho dug a deep cave in his cellar ;`to this re-
ceptacle for his treasure he descended by a ladder, and to
the trapdoor he attached a spring-lock, so that, on shut-
ting it, it would fasten of itself. By and-by the miser
disappeared—Lug uiri were made—the house was searched
—woods wore explored, and the ponds wore dragged; but
no Fescue could they find. Soule time passed on ; the
house in which he had lived was sold, and workmen were
busily employed in its repair. In the progress of their
They drew back the door, and
met with the door of the secret cave, with the
descended with :a light. The first object upon which the
kwooyrki
at
he lock outside.
lamp reflected was the ghastly body of Fescue, the miser,
they
and scattered around him wore heavy bags of gold and
ponderous chests of untold treasure; a candlestick lay be-
'hie him on the floor. This worshipper of Mammon had
gone into his cave to pay his devoirs to his golden god,
and became a sacrifice to his devotion.

A. SOLDIER OF TIM FIRST DRAGOONS BILL® BY HIS
COMRADE.—At Exeter on Monday evening, two soldiers,
named Shaw and Wilson, of the First Dragoon Guards,
stationed at the Cavalry Barracks, were in their room
with other comrades. Shaw was intoxicated, and a
quarrel havin7 arisen, he struck Wilson a blow in the
face, on which the latter took up a poker and said that
if he did it again he would give him "something with
that." Shaw was advanoing for the purpose of repeating
the blow, when Wilson struck him with the poker, pro•
duc:ng
such injuries that the poor fellow died on the fol-
lowing morai, Wilson is in custody- at the Exeter
arracks. °„.