Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1839-10-25
-A SKETCH FROM LIFE.

Arnold fellow, whose name we veil undo
that Of Hunks died in the adjacent town o
Charlestown Inst week, who would haw
been a capital subject for Dickens, u nigh
have sat to Scott for Observation-Disclosures o
rrapbois in the Fortunes Of Nigel He was .
rniserly close-6sted old hunks, real skinfiint
who. i; was supposed BY his neighbors, had
xcraped together, as such characters will. in
une way s. another, considerable amount Of
money This was not known, however. Some
said that he had money concealed in the
earth--others judged. from the slovenly man.
ner in which he lived and dressed that he
had nothing but the few acres which he cul-
,ivated. He lived like the poorest, shutting
the door upon every intrudet-till at last
Death knocked, and he was obliged to open.
During his sickness he wns wont TO send
daily Tor small purse Of gold and silver
hid in the wall Of his cellar. which he would
vount over with that feeling Of painful de.
light, which inhabiis the bosom OF the true
,niser alone. Disease, however, wore down
his frame rapidly. and at last he was unequal
10 the task Of going through his daily custom
olcounting the pieces in his purse & could
only, as they were displa yed before him, pat
them softly with his hands. MS lady
would pat her favorte dog on the back
One day during tho last stages Of the dis
ease. he sent for a neighbor. and expressed q
wish TO impart q secret to him-"Go down
CELLAR said he, '.and in the further corner
YOU will find tub. Raise it. and you will
sre a shingle, beneath which lisa box. "The in
dividual followed the directions and found a
box OF specie. "Now 60 10 another corner," "
saidthe miser. describing the place. Anoth-
~r box was found embedded in the earth. A
day,oI two after when he found he must soon
leave all his earthly treasures. he desired to
DC raised up in his bed. His request was
granted when be Immediately reached out
his skinny hand beneath his pillow. and 10,
another box was found cunningly concealed.
containing about five hundred dollars 10
French gold pieces. which. it is understood,
he took from one Of the banks about the
time ofthe suspension ofspecie payments
All these buried treasures were given in the
keeping Of his neighbor for the benefit Of 9th.
ers. He said there was one other box, but
that he did mt like 10 tell where il was. as be
nigh want it himself. He however consent
ed 10 write the place Of interment on piec.
OF paper. so that the secret might not perish
with him. He died soon after. and his hid
den treasures. no nconsideruble sum, were
counted over at the close Of the funeral cere
monies.
Thus died. at an advanced age, one whose
only aspiration through long life. seems tc
have been the boarding Of specie and burying
it, where it could be Of no earthly benefit &c
any one. perfect mser. lover o
money, not for the blessings which il nigh
impaTt and diffuse around him. but for il.
own sake; not for the name OF possessing it
for he feigned and was thought to be poor
but because The mere habit OF acquisition haC
become passion and the bare conscious
ness Of possession was phantom OF delight
which he could hug with rapture to his Dos
ON. Well will il be for such il they have lait
up treasures in heaven as well as on earth
But we will not sermonize the lesson con
veyed by the sketch is left with the reader,
Claremons Eagle