Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-08-14
d oriGtp.
Extraordinary Avarice-

In the year 1862, an instance OF ava
rice occurred in France. A miser of the
name of Foscue, who had amassed enor-
nous wealth by the most sordld parslmony,
and the most discredltable extortlon, was
requested by the Government to advance
sum of money as loan, The miser, to
whom fair interest was not an inducement
sufficiently strong to dispose him to part
with his treasured gold, declared his inca
pacity to meet this demand; he pleaded Sc
we're losses, and the utmost poverty. Fear
ing. however, that some OF his nelghbors,
among whom he was very unpopular, would
report his immense wealth to the Govern
ment, he tasked his ingenuity to discover
some efIectual way of concealing his gold,
should search be instituted to ascertain
the truth or falsehood Of his plea. With
great care and secresy he dug a deep cave
in his cellar; to this receptacle for his treas
ure he descended by a ladder, and to the
trap door he attached a spring lock, so that
on shutting it would fasten itself. By and
by the miser disappeared; inquiries were
made: the house was searched; woods were
explored, and the ponds we're dragged; but
no Foscue could they find; and gossips be-
gan to conclude that the mlser had fled
with his gold to some part, where, by living
incognit0, he would be free from the de-
mands of the Government, Some time
passed on; the house in which he had lived
was sold, and workmen were busy in its re-
pair. In the progress of their work, they
met with the door Of the secret cave, with
the key in the lock outside. They threw
back the door and descended with light.
The first object upon which the lamp was
reflected, was the ghastly body Of Foscue,
the miser; and arornd him were scattered
heavy bags of Gold and ponderous chests
of untold treasurer a candlestick lay be-
side him on the floor, This worshlPper of
mammon had gone into his cave to pay his
devoirs to his golden god, and became
sacrifice to his devotion. What must have
been the sensations of that miserable man
what the horrors of his situation, when
he heard the door close over him, and the
spring-ock effectually imprison him within
his secret mine How bitter must have
U6eH tic last otluSSlC VI Lldl dFd'ANiONS
soul How terrible must have been the
appeals of conscience within that sordld
sinner How each bag must have dis
gorged its treasure, and each piece of gold
have danced, in imagination around him,
as demon! And how hated, when the
knawing pangs Of starvation came slowly
upon him, must have been that yellow Wis
ion; his very heart must have grown sick
at that which he once SO dearly loved
Gold in bags, gold in chests, gold piled ii
heaps, gold for pillow, gold strewn upor
the ground for him to lie upon Wills
his taper lasted, turn his eyes where HI
would, nothing met him but his gold Blu
when the last flicker died away, and tn,
miser was left in darkness to dwell upor
his coming death, and upon his many sins
how awful must have been the agonies o
conscience How surely amidst the gloon
of that sepulchre of gold, must the poo
whom he had oppressed, and the nnfortu
nate whom he had ruined by his averice
have risen up to reproach him; and whel
the mind became fevered by its last dead,
struggles, how the faces of haggard poverty
of hate and loathing for the mser, must, il
one long discordant chorus, have cried fo
vengeance and retributon upon his guilt
soul1