Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-12-11

even during their lifetime, but now, in
deed he merited the title. Ever cra-
wing for money, he added to his store by
the strictest parsimony. His clothes
were patched by himself, again and again
till no trace of the original stuff remain
ed.
Generally his feet were bare, and even
when he wore any covering on them, it
consisted Of old shoes which had been
cast AWAY as worthless, and picked up by
him in his solitary wanderirgs through
the town. His food was of the coarsest
description, and taken simply to sustain
life. He no longer occupied the dwelling
in which his early days had been spent !;
his present home was an old goomy
house, built with a degree Of strength
which defed any attempt to entrance, un-
sanctioned by the will of its occupant, at
least without a degree of force being used
which must inevitably have led to ter-
tain detection.
Here, then, dwelt Jacques Guyot quite
alone. But far worse than alone was he
when absent from his house, for the evil
repute in which he was held was such
that as he walked little children ran
shouting after him, There goes Guyot.
See the wretched miser! how thin he is,
He grudges himself food to make himself
fat, and the clothes to cover his lean old
body" Then the mischievous urchins
would cast stones at Jacques, and load
him with insults, unchecked by their pa
rents.
But even this was not the worst. One
day he met friend, or at least he had
been such in youth, and whom he had no
seen for many long year. For tht
moment jacques forgot his rags and hi
isolation it was so long since kindly
word had been bestowed on him, and oh
how he yearned to win it. Eagerly h
advanced with an indescribable CLEAN o
joy lighting up his pinched features, bu
his former comrade shrank back, holdin!
up his hands, as if to forbid his nearer ap
proach, saying, as he did So
q Will not hold communion with
thing like you. Did you rot love you
money better than her who ought to hav
been your wife? but you suffered stran
ger to carry her away, and now the ac
cursed thing is dearer to you than your
self, though you have neither child o
kin to whom to leave it. Away, touc
me not"
Another trial came still later, and
was the hardest of all. A portly dame
elderly, but still fresh and comely look
ing, with a fair daughter by her sid,
passed leisurely along the streets of MAJ
seille. They seemed to be new arrival
but the elder one was evidently no strar
ger, for she pointed out to her daughtt
various changes which had been made
late.
jacques Guyot looked eagerly at ii
girl, for her features brought vividly
} his mind those ofthe object of his on,
loved dream, and as he came near
: heard her mother call her Madeline
: Another glance, and he recognized Il
: elder female as TIE Madeline of h
t youth. Though so many years had goE
D over his head, his pale face was in m
: ment flushed. Again he forgot the Gu
:, ses and the stones daily showered aroul
a him, the vision of the bright-eyed chill
with the little treasured pitcher in h
: hand, was before him, and he too was
n an instant young but for how brief
d instant. Madeline, even in her dista
/. home, had heard of the miser Guy
e who heaped up wealth though with no
n to share it, and denied even the small'
IS aid to the miserable, though surround
n with gold. Even at that moment, II
Ie she heard the taunts of the passers-t
le so gathering up her skirts closely arou
is her, as though his very touch would p
re son, she swept by with such look
scorn, as rooted the miser TO the sp
ID and brought back the scenes of his loI
le illness more terrible than ever.
er Though no inbabitant of Marsei
at ever entered the miser's dwelling duri
his life, am able to tell how he sp'
.. his life there. know he never entel
,e his silent comfortless home, without f.
n ing that his heart would leap with JOY
C. hear a friendly voice, or if he might
er might be permitted to clasp child to
bosom. I know that, in spite of insu
,v reproaches and taunts, his heart teen
nj with loving kindness to his fellow CT
to lures, and often when suffering fr
of them he would even smile and muru
W q it is because they know me not. for {
,-s day these curses viii be turned into b