The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-11-23
THE ARTFUL MISER.

AI1 - S0sooSSs
The Cambridge (Eog) Independent,
Press contains tho following account Of .
singular character, lately deceased near
Ely, 10 Lancashire:
Our obituary announced the death Of
Miss Vaughan, . rich and penuriois old
maid, who by an arsful cultivation OF friend
ship, endcavered to to live upon the gener-
osity Of others. Immediately after her de-
mise, expectations were high, and many
were anxious to know who were fortunate
enough TO DO 10 her will. Those who late
" contributed to her creature comforts OK.
pectcd to be the recipients Of her bounty,
but we're doomed to disappointment. Her
visits TO her friends always happensd just
before meals, aud not Satisfied With eating
at the table, she frequently took piece Of
something nice or drop Of something good,
homo with her. She would take her ket.
tie or saucepan to q friend's 10 procure
warm water, At their FIRE, to save blaze
At home: take her own too to drink with
them, and ask leave to dip spoon pcrpen-
diculnrly into the milk to let il drop into
her own tea, saying that that was quite
sufficient to give il flavor. A ton Of coal
would last her twenty years, and at times
she wonld brush the brown dust of to give
il fresh appearance. In her peregrina.
tons she seized upon every biz Of straw or
morscl Of stick for kindling her fire, and A.
ter the conclusion Of her meal, il vas care
fully extinguisl,cd, whlo any necessary
warmth in severe weather vas gained BY
her. at ncighbor's FIRE.
But parsinonious as was cold Sally" 10
other respects, sho never retired to bed
without glass Of hot gin aud water. Her
house gave every indication Of squalid pow.
erty; a straw mat served the purpose Of
carpet and rug fnr her dirty brick noor.-
SalIy's chief delight Was TO keep house for
any friend that might require her assistance
during her temporary absence; and those
who had the good fortune to avail them
selves Of her services never on return COM
planned of any piece ofundue extravaganza.
Indeed, Sally's notion Of decency was ter
rible outraged BY Second application for
pudding. md she would tartly exclaim, ITO
morrow will come, remcmber:" % that .
a carver at another's table, she did unto
others, M she would be done BY. Sally
was in the hnhit Of saving her bonee for
her ncichbors dogs, hut NO never knew q
dog to get particularly Cat. upon the old Ia.
dy's gencrositv; indeed the bright Polish
they exhibited rendered them objects Of Gu
riositv. Still, il looked AZ though she had
. kindly feeling toward the "poor dumb
animals" Being sorely pressed by poor
relative for assistance. Sally drew her
purse strings, and bought the ncedv appli-
can't common cotton dress, for which she
gave four shillincs; hut tho recipient re-
ccived strict injunctions to wear il only IN
Sundays till the expiration Of . twelve
month.
Shortly after, Sally bad some misgivings
that this new dress would be donned to Ms
tonish the Browns before the time specified
90 she trudged over to neighboring vii
lnge, where she resided, TO test the accurs-
cy Of her suspicious; and there sure
enough, she found her in the morning atti-
red in tho new cotton dress. So soon ~
Sally recovered her breath, she gave the
cxtravngant woman very severe rebuke,
threatened that If il were not forthwith Ia
ken of, and the original stipulation agreed,
her name should be omitted 10 document
to which she would feel deeply interested.
Sally was very choice over her own dres-
ses, and she had been heard 10 boast, that
after wearing cotton dress ten years. she
had il turned. and decent ''turn OUT she
said il had made. Her linen, which was
almost rotten from old age, would lie in her
box unworn; but periodically, they were
fresh folded lest the crcases formed boles.
In personal appearance, even in her palm
lest days, Sally was never attractive; how
ever her wealth gained Cor her, an uncom-
mon number Of friends. Indeed, her vino
gar aspect, and antcnuated appearance,
saved her from the ovcrtures Of marriage
from even the most desperate Of fortune
hunters.
Sally, however, always looked spruce on
Sundays, the only day in which she sp-
peared in silk dress and velvet bonnet,
both having stood the battle and The breeze
many year. She was until very lately
= punctusl attendant q the Cathedral, and
nodded tims with her bead to tho chanting
Of the service, yet though : Vaughan, she
was no singer; the only notes she vas &C
quaintsd With were bank notes, and she
bad crochet Of getting number Of them,
the possession Of which, appeared . bsr,
not an inducement to her taking the air,
for she seldom, or mover, lost sight Of her
favorite church. MANY were induced 10
hopes Of being better off after her death 70
feed her, and work for her. Even poor
Sally, her nsmessks and washer woman,
now declares that sho would not have
washed her dirty things, had she NOT sid
four shillings q week would be Z nice thing