Litchfield enquirer., 1851-05-01
"o.-.:s. L1rcHF1ELD COMM THURSDAY MAY ], 1851.
Extraordinary AvaricO.

In the year 1902, an extraordinary in
stance Of avarice occurred in France. A
miser, OF the name Of Foscue, who had
amassed enormous wealth by the most
sordid parsimony and the most discredit-
able extortion, was requested by the
government to advance u sum OF money
as a loan. The :aniser, to whom a fair in
terest was no Involvement, sufficiently
strong to enable him to part with his
treasured gold. declared his incapacity
to meet this demand : lie pleaded severe
losses anu The utmost poverty. Fearing
however,, that some Of his peighbors,
among whom he was very unpopular
would report his immense wealth. 10 the
government, he applied his ingenuity to
discover seme etfcctual way OF hiding Ills
gold, should they attempt to institute a
search to ascertain the truth or falsehoOd
Of his plea. Wlth great ease and Sc
crecy he dug deep cave in his cellar;
to this recep .acle for his treasure he de-
scended, by Il ladder, and to the trap
door he attached spring lock, so that
ON shutting, it would Hasten of it>elf,-
by and by The naiser Disappeared in
uuirics were made and the l,uuse WAS
searched, the woods were explored, and
The ponds dragged; but No Foscue could
they tird; anu the gossips began Ia cons
clMue that the mllsef had fled it'll his
gold 10 some part where, by living in-
cugn,tO, he would be Tee from Tile de-
lnallds vi the gOvea nment.
Some TIME passed Jn the house IN
which he had lived was sold. aud wo' 4
men were buslly employed in its repair.
In the prog, ess Of their work they met
With tue duor Of the secret cave, with
the key in the the lock outside. Thy
threw back the door and descended with
I. light. The dsst object Oh winch the
lamp reflected was the CHASTITY body oi
fuscuc, The miser, and scattered about
aim were heavy bags Of gold aud pom
derous chests Vt untold treasures u
c..ndlsstick lay beside him ON the hoor.
fn,s worshippes OF mammo" had gone
INTO his cave 10 pay, his devpirs ~ his
golden god and became u sacrifice " his
devotion.
What must have been the sensations
If that miserable man-what the horrors
Ut his situation, when he heard The door
close after him. and the sp'ms lock rttee-
,ual!y imprlson him with" rs sec'et
niue! How bitter must have been The
las, struggle Of that avaricious soul J.
Ito. terrible must have been the appeals
vi conscience within tn It Sordld sinner !.
tluw each hay must have d'sSorged 'Is
treasure, and each piece of gold danced
IN I'M equation, arOLnd him rs demon
HOW hatred, when the gliawlng pangs oi
stalya,ion came slowly upon linn, mus
sasssA hs.ss shat sslI.,s vssinn Ais Very
n.arL must have gown sick at that which
qnce he So Iea'ly loved.
Gold III bags; gold in chests: gold
piled M heaps; gold for "a pillow; gold
Sue we'd un the ground fur him tv Tie
gpon Whilst tho taper lasted. tu'n
ms eyes. where he would nothing met
him but his gold. hut when the last
hcker died away, the mixer Was left ~
da, kness u dwell upon his coming death
and upon his many SINS. how awful must
nave been the agonles Of c"nsc'enc@ -
dow surely. ah.list the gl"oN Of that
,epulchrc OF gold. must the poor whom
lie had oppressed. ana the pntor,ona'e
whom he i.4d ruined by his svarice. have
risen up To reproach hlm and when tn"
mind BEGAN. ievered with its last deadly
struggles, how the mines, must IN one
,uud d..curdant cho. Us, have cried for
vengeance aid retribu:ion upon his guilty
soul