The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-03-11
The Miseries of Misers.

The following interesting account Of
| these curious fossils will interest our
readers and show them one of the worst
rhozcs of poor warped, or perverted hu.
man nature.
There died at Paris, in the year 1870.
literally Of want, the well.known banker,
Ostervald. A few days previous to his
death he resisted the opportunities Of
his attendant to purchase some meat for
the purpose of making little soup for
him True. | should like the SOUP"
he said "but lave no appetite for the
meat what is to become that2 1t will
be sad waste This poor wretch died
worth fl25, 600 sterling. Another des.
perate case was that Of Elves, whose
diet and dress were alike of the mos, re.
voting kind. and whose property was es.
timated at Cs00 600 Daniel Dancers
miserly propcnsiies were INDUCED TO
such a degree, that on one occasion,
when. at the urgent solicitation Of a
friend he venture1 to give shilling to
jew for an old hat-better as new
to the astouishment of bis friends. The
next day he actually retailed it for eigh.
teen pence. lie performed his ablutions
at neighboriug pool, drying himself in
,he sun to save the extravagaut indul-
geucc ofa towel; yet this poor mendicaHt
had property to the extent Of upward of
Is 600 per anuum.
The welIknown Nat Bently, alias Dir.
~ Dick, of London, was the victim not
only to craving for gold, but for old
iron.
Another dcplornble case might be ci-
ted-that of Tom Pitt, of Warwick
shire. 1t is reported that some weeks
prior to bis sickness which terminated
his deporable career, he went to several
unGertakers in quest Of cheap coffin.
He left behind him f2415 in public
funds.
Another instance is that of tho noto.
rious Thomas Cook On his physician
inthnating the possibility of his no, ex-
listing more than five or six days, he
protested against the useless expense of
sending bim Medicine and charged the
doctor never TO show his face to him a.
gain. His property was estimated at
about cl30000
Sir William Smyth, of Bedfordshire
was immensely rich, but most parsimon.
ious and misorly in bis habits At sew.
enty years Of age he was entirely de,
priycd Of his sight, unable to gloat over
saadcG ni bv nh2ior hI # ,Gc
to he couchcd-who was, by agreement,
to havo sixty guncas if lie restored his
p,'ien an d grec of sight Tay 'or sue.
o1, d in he operation and Sir William
was enabled to read aud write without
the aid Of glasses during the rest Of his
life
But TO sooner was his sight restored
than The barcuct began to regret that his
agreement had been so for large sum.
His ihouehs were now how to cheat the
oculist. He pretended that he had only
a glimmering and could sec nothing dis
tinctly for which reason the bandago
on his eyes was continued month long
er than the usual time. Taylor was de-
ccived by these Misrepresentation, and
agreed to compound the bargain, and ac
crptrd twenty guincns instead of sixty.
n VIC liiIlt ullCUQcu III III uc Huu
a large estate, an immense sum ofmouey
in the stocks, and G6 600. in the house
A miser by the name Of Foscue, who
had amused enormous wealth by the
most sordil parsimony and discreditable
eytortion. applied his Ingenuity to dis
cover some eiEectual way of hiding his
gold. with great care and secrecy he
al a..
tacle for his treasure he descended by
ladder, and to the trap door he attached
spiipg.lock, so that shutting it, it would
fasten Of itself By.and-by the master
disappeared; inquiries were made the
house searched; woods were explored,
and the ponds dragged but no Foscue
could they fud. Some time passed on
The house in which he had lived was sold.
aud workmen were busily employed in its
repair. In the progress of their work
they met with the door Of the secret cave,
witk the key in the lock outside
They threw back the door and descend.
cd with light. The first object on.
which the light reflected was the ghastly
body Of FOscuc, the miser, and scatter.
ed around him we're heavy bags of gold,
and pondorous chests of untold treas.
uro a caudestick lay beside him Oh the
floor. This worshiper Of Mammon had
gone into the cave 20 pay his devoirs to
his golden god, and became a sacrifice
TO his devotion.
MoRAL-On the principle that it is
"more blessed to give than receive" is
a mau's happiness augmented, 10y using
for the benefit of the living any proper.
ty-aN property which he may acquire
-whiie living We cannot take prop.
erty with US TO the other world, aud
enough to meet our common wants, or
to provide for a rainy day, accidents,
etc, is all We need. He is the happiest
man who distributes his money and 9th.
er property, through his benevolence and
judgment, Dhilc lie iC6s-Lfe Illus.
trated
MARRIAGE.-If | were talking to
daughter of mine, l would entreat her