Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1849-05-17

his long night watch.
His father, who had now grown TOO aged to
attend to the farm, left it entirely under his con-
troll Here his suspicious had nearly finished
him off-for he suspected during his harvests that
his shocks were pulled and robbed in the night. He
therefore hired a clown to sit up watchman,
armed with an old double -barreled gun, loaded
with slugs. The first night his suspicious would
not let HIM sleep The watchman might be bribed
TO connvance, and he get laughed at He was
soon dressed, and creeping along the hedge, where
his suspicious were verified by hearing low muir
muring voices. He crawled close in their vicini-
ty, and there discovered that it was the poor
fellows wife, who had brought him something
comfortable for his supper. He crept back cau-
tiously, but stumbling over the root of tree,
reused the attention of the watchman, who chal-
lenged him Immediately. He lay still for mo-
ment hoping he should escape observation in the
darkness of the night, but upon his first attempt to
raise himself, he received about dozen slugs in
his arm and back for his watchman was better
shot than he suspected. The picking out of these
by the village surgeon positive satisfaction
to the many to whom his character had become
pretty we'll known.
"Thus he went on, until his fathers death left
him entirely alone. for his suspicious mind never
allowed him to form friendship which can only
be true and valuable where there is mutual con-
fidence and openness of character. He, by his
suspicious nature, had locked himself within him.
self, which is The most fearful Of mprisonments.
"His fathers wealth enabled him to please his
fancy so, to set his mind at ease, no sold the farm
that he might, as he thought, be free from host
OF pilferers. He built himself house in the croft
mentioned at the beginning of the tale, the very
prototype of himself 1t had most suspicious
look-it had but one door, but windows were placed
so that he could see all that was going OH every
side.
." He had but one domestic, an old cripple, with
out relations, who was too lame to 60 out, and o
course, had no visitors. 1t was we'll known ir
the neighborhood that he had withdrawn large
sums from the different country bankers where j
had been invested by his father, and it was strong
ly believed that he kept it in the house, he sus
petced that these speculative gentlemen might
one fine morning, turn out to be insolyent Ills
walks were confined to within sight of his solita
! ry mansion, the precincts of which he was neve
known to leave, as age crept him, but wan
dered about like an unquet spirit aronnd his self
! imposed tomb.
| "In the course of time, his old domestic was
conveyed to the village church yard, much les
solitary than the abode which she had left
"For moment, the old man stood and gazet
after the bearer, his white hair blown about b.
the cold wintry wind, and his shvelled hand sha
ding his eyes He turned slowly from the sight
and closed the door.
"Many were the kind offers from the simpl
people of the village, but all offers he resoutel
declined, as he suspected that his age and wealt
were calculated upon TO nicely, and humping
legacy looked forward to as the reward of som
trifiing attention. Distant relations began to ho
YER around him. and make tender inquiries
These he would meet on the doorstep. which wa
his only audience chamber for such callers.
"That solitary old man sat as long as day-ligh
lasted, at window overlooking the high road
| Here he passed his life in reading and watching
The same window showed light burning durin,
the hours Of darkness, for he always appeared OF
| his guard, as upon any person approaching neare
than usual to the premises, his ears were salute'
by the deep growl of his dog, which never left tn
house any more than his master.
"Abont two years after the decease of hi
housekeeper, the nightly light was missed from
the window. for it had become quite guide Il
many coming to the village. This, of course
caused some of the more curious to approach tn
house, in the daylight and reconnore. Bu
there sat the solitary, apparently deeply occupied
with his book, and also the dog peering throug
/ the glass This satisfied them and they departed
"A week had elapsed, and the village was a
larmed by the appearance of Mawby's dog ca
reering in wild manner through the village
Upon being noticed, he sped back to the croft. =
Many followed him, and upon approaching th
house and looking up at the window, they per
ceiyed the old man, still sitting unmoyed, althoug
the glass frame bad been broken by the dogs exit
After repeated calls which met with no attention
they forced their way into the house.
"Eyerything in the chamber was neat AM
comfortable. There sat the poor old man in hi
large arm chair, dead and alone, Of what value
were those riches now which had closed his hear
against all the pleasures of this beautiful world
40 ainst the possession of wife, children kindred
| friends There was no will. for he suspected thu
moment he made it in anv ones favor, that wouit
be his last moment Of security. lttherefore sprea'
| itself for more evil. and was split up into tort,
righlful heirs