Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-10-06
CHAPTER X
: The Miser-A Tale ofthe Carpenter

The Mser-A Tale ofhe Caypentey
Allan Wlngfield was miser; he loved his
gold as he did his soul, and " ahen good men
slept the sordid wretch might have been seen
sitting in the midst of his oags worshipina them
and feeling of the pieces of money, weiohino
them IN his fingers, and then letting them fail
on the table to hear their musical rino. which
was sweeter music to him than the voice of .
thousand stringed instruments-it was his idol
or alteration, and when he bowed himseIfto #
quaint, dry smile would dance DER his face
showing how sealed and dry was the fountain
OF human feelings in his bosom-the ad,ration
OF his idol swallowed up every other faculty
OF his soul-he was a mser; 6 q man c0,2fo,,s
TO eTtremity''
1t has been shown that, when boy, Allan
was possessed Of an avaricious heart: # has
been seen that he placed the cup of excitement
IN the hands of his brother in law and led him
along the highway to destruction II hos hao--
it as passport through the world, and 1t has
been seen that he stopped not to wiring from
the hands Of dying woman her hard earned
pieces of silver. With this knowledge of his
/ character, the reader will not be surprised at
! the recital of incidents to follow.
| An honest Carpenter owned neat residence
| in the suburbs Of the City, where he lived in
/ the enjoyment of domestic peace andquietude
with his wife and child 1t was a happy fami-
ly the carpenter lived by the labor Of his
hands and was not perplexed with the cares
and yeXations attendant upon the possession oi
many goods He worked industriously from
day to day, and his trade being good one, Ii
supplied him with an abundance of the com
forts and luxuries Of lite-he was happy an(
contented man. His wife was frugal and at
4 H., ,Io
dering their home quiet retreat tromthe toll:
of the laboring man-st a0aS q happy Jdn1isJ
The carpenter aided in the erection Of Wing
fields Tavern, and had on several occasion
/, been employed by its proprietor to build or re
. pair houses in his posses ion IN different part
OF the city He had received consideraol
= sums Of money from Allan, which was alno;
: as grudgingly given by the msery wretch
p would bave been the warm drops Of his heart
4 blood, aud he contrved means to regain wh5
is he had paid the carpenter. and more besid
! What was the engine ?-the means tile ca
! Of cnchanlmcnt. The carpenter was sobe
temperate man, but he was not free from Il
q ingenious wiles Of the tempter; he was worl
10 ING for Allan and time after time he called Il
carpenter into the Tavern and with his ov
N hands gave him glass after glass of his me
at exhilaratlng liquor. From day to day he i
rv the unsuspecting carpenter on in this mannt
# with the hand of pretended kindness forci
of the cup to his lips and tempering his appet
be for the g fire water by judiclouS degrees.
en- The carpenter did not see the true character
the vile LIQUOR seller beneath the black ma
w. of hypocricy, and when others, who had
the agony of Allans heartlessness, cursed
bv name and memory, the carpenter spoke up
he Allan's defence and blessed bis generosity
re- Allan bestowed gifts Of his enchanting cord
nd upon the carpenter and led him on step
NE step in the inebriate path to the doom a
,on the death at its fearful end.
no The carpenter found, ere he was aware
" it. that he had contracted taste for the liqu
- of Aians bar, and as he grew more and N
fond Of them it seemed that the gifts of Wi
viii cordial and old French became more and IN
ills rare but this may have only appeared s.
ory first. However, when Allan saw that his
tim was enchanted with the taste and eff
n, of his liquors, he was too saving man to
the ish more upon the object Of his designed
The struction than he thought sufficient to Sc
tile his purpose. With this view he withheld
the some extent his generous (O gifts. The
penter might have thought little strang
ling this at first, but his appetite having gained
md. mastery over him, he felt its cravings WI
ned. and sought his way to the Tavern, called
rear a glass, treated his friends and dropped P
Re- Of money in the drawer of the Bari
n was the first and unhaPpiIy not the last
ince every day found him visiter there, and T
oon. after piece of his earnings fell into the a
may cious palm of Allan Wingfeld At this
and miser chuckled and laughed with great
'ully to think that another victim was in his
lded marching swiftly to ruins brink. The car
ter was a good customer, for he not only d
| the TO excess himself. but he called his Ia
ne in friends around him and extrayag atty tr'
{ re- them all. and they humored his weakne
and praising his generosity and continued TO
arge, like ravenous vampires, his earnings from
uain- He continued to drink, and at times was
Julia reeIing away from the den of infamy am
,ster grace in a fit of beastly intoxication.
elop- employers saw this, and as he had alread
histo- gan to neglect his work for the sake {