New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-12-21


restrg.p lsce, and the email teart1, VITA oroksh
stove between the jamie. There was no nre 10 lh'S
stove: but the mis,T bad brought home coHi- ~,
cind..s scraped from some ash'leap, and nov
them On the floor, ont Of a rtny harikcrcbel. sup
iTg them groapng increasingly, n placed re" st9hs
IN toe stove ana esssyed 10 Ignite them oy tne eu v
a match which ne TOOK from The fireplace. Presently,
the stick. took FIRE and flashing up, cast taeT .shl
uuou ia. " tlerei features of this wretc1ed doarl
Ih.y were very forbidaDg 10 look az; lips shriyelei
epd drawn in a, the corners gums yellow and almost
.oo-hles: hose hooked and chin prOtrudng eyes
iur,e and restless in their glanc" rosl0g aocGt tue
attainment scanning every s,atOg, and tTllkh-g
Ike fir, aies under the bony forehead-a portrait OF
di,tYust iyetfulness, ana fear. ,
Tie outer gsrb OF this old man consisted Of shao
by brown coat, full Of patches of other colors, aud
ffngei with Tags upon sirt end sleeves lastea1 OF
buttons, strand Of rope confiled il about he w,her
"a fure ard held up, az the same, the watOdnls OF
thin tlOwsers, lkewse pate hei and tatter.d. pAI
Of rsiy boots rot in divers places shod his fvet, ana
were bound about by pieces Of bagsing tnst sr'eu
legsres to cover the broken lea1er An oil blue cot
ton sbrt that had prob ,by covered hs body durlag
months partially visible his bre ist, and ms
crsy hsir covered by for hat, once white, but
lon ago blackf ned with street mud, IRON Tncn the
doard had picked IT, when his last head gear feu to
p.eces from rvtieuness. Such was Mallory the NJ ser
who now after causing his rcsety stove 10 emit pan
Of smoke till the miserable apartment was hl.ed win
IT, rCse 10 his feet: ard saued slowly toward the door
still watched by Phil, the dTunkard, from WITHOUT
Pausng h~ reached il, be stretched ont his talon
Ike Ggtrs, 2rasplng wooden bar that STOOD 10 tue
corner anc fixing the like staIchion against pauei
for the rusteaten lock had long been useless listened
moment at,entlvely, as though hearing voice, ana
then totte.ed TO bis sing window, letting down
smokestaned newspaper that served Tor lts curtain
This done, he cIept, still slowly and steathly 70 tue
fireplace ind sat down with hls back toward The Ioo
at which Phil was Watching bis movements. No"
came the drunkard's moment of Interests tor he be-
held the old man remove brick rom the SIDE vi tue
hearth disclosing dark recess, from which ne drew
out broken owerpot, his palslei hands shasng tue
vessel and causing its contents 10 strike together WITH
the peculiar chuk Of metal. II vas gold-brgat, yell
low gOld-the god Of the old man, whose eyes ghsten
ed with snaky light AS lie glanced nervouslY around
him. claspng his two hands oyer the no@er-pJt, aad
croucniDg upon II, ike some unc!ean io"l oroodIhS
over lis young.
one by one chink, chnk while smoke pulled MP,
UNDECIDED from mis- broken stove, there the dotard
squatted in the hollow OF his wretcned hearth count
ing his hidden treasare-one, two three; chlnk,
cllk chiuk lettering dr. cling oil niser hour after
hour day and night bis only sOlace has been to gloat
with fheumy eyes over the boarded accumnlalons of
a he unbs 81 by affection, barren OF sympathy, DESC
i'e and destitute 10 the last degree; his only scace
10 caress and embrace. ard sleep with his darling
gold zee sleep with his idohzed, his adoredi
tor hurdle of stray, at the fireplace Iamos,
hard by the nook that held his treasure, had
been the only bed Of Mallory the Mser, during half n
OF years. There had he stretched SO long his
w,beref bosom, close To his well-beloved.
And now, bowirg down, he Rugged the clay vessel
tbat contained the joy OF his existence. Starving IN
body and soul with the grave yawniug under his dim
vision the mser casped TO his dry heart the
bride OF his dotage, his shining fend-@e, born from
yellow earth.
Phi, as be beheld the scene before him, started
back, surprised and comparatively sobered, at the
unexpected .iglt. He had known that Mallory was
penuIious, and was aware OF the reputation he had
acquired among iellow-tenaDts, of having scraped
together wretched savings, thereby gaining the
sobrquet of mser; but the sight % pot " ght
goo pieces WAS something totally unexpected by the
drunkard, and had the effect oi a cold showerbath
upon his faculties. True, the impulse that had
prompted him 10 follow the old man up stairs was
one which locked for the discovery OF some mystery
Ike this but the extent of MsliOrys am4ssngs con-
founded the spy completely go that some time elapsed,
after bis tst glimpse at the iower-pot before he ven
ured TO eppy hiseye once more TO the narrow nee
may ' tfst The miser had ariseo suddenly, after con-
ceallDg hs treasure, and close to the door.
In another instant, his wthered hands had removed
tie bar, and Phil, lie could balance himself, fell
fol- ward over the threshold.
"1hieyes help murder ~ screamed the old man,
rs he fell back upon floor; while Phil rolled
him. and struggled 70 his feet. 4 ancied noise start
he'd FASTENED 10 the door, after hastily conceang the
pot, and Pills body, pressing against the palel,
caused il to give way at the moment Mallorys hand
shifting to anglia the bar that served for
The abrupt Intrusion, oyeTthrowing his
feeble frame, did rot, however, deprive him Of his
voice, which continued TO cry for help.
q" Curse ye - mutt. red Phil, he grasped the
misei's arm, fling him TO his feet. :, WHAT are
Otis you, Phip-Mr Kelley said the miser
somew hat relieved as be recognized the counenance
OF neghoor, whom he had often encountered in t1e
passage-way OF the teDanthouse but he sll rembled
with alarm for he lad regarded Kelley a suspicious
character, and the latters looks and position, at
this moment, were no, at all IN his favor.
d" was comm 70 pay ye visit" said the drunk.
ard with gnm smile; and the miser fancied he
L. l. t4.aE r.vfoH
Is poor place you've come to, Mr.. Kee.ey,'
cespoI ded the Old man, uneasily.
BeggaIs mustn't be- chopsers,' replied Phil, with
4 Twinkle OF his eye for his GINNING hal already
'of me }" cried the miser, tvitcling his head to
one side, and affecting 20 laugh.
IAN who else Mallory Sure, its the poor that
knows hog to help the poor ami tie likes Of us Is poor
That's true It'll had world p said the mi.er, in
!. whining tone.
IAN so II make bowld wild ye, Mallory. Lind me
goolt piece, to pay Ferret the rin that's doo. Phi
said this with eer that was unnstakab.e IN Ks mean
rg, and the old nan grew ghss.ly pale.
What DO you mean = he gaspei, as the drunk
,r1s crafty eye fell upon him. I've no money,
.yict I'm poor man, Ike
RS lie, Mal!ory GIVE me GOLD piece, l say
an be ueig hDorly for in yer 'e. As he uttered
his Phi placed his back against the door, and care
essy stopped, picking up the heavy wooden bar that
ma FttuIrl IL. lueIc NJ. u sudbH; expression set
ling over the mans features that bDded no good 10
he mser, and the latter retreated as he elcoan-
cred il.
."Wba. DO you mean 70 DO, NJ. Kelley" he asked
u a terrified whisper.
HaIk 70 me, Mallory. There's a sixpsnce--iivl
coin have / but that-4u' / ka0w ye have pliDty
[ stsiIs nov is my wife, maybe dyn end the chlld
Mol, without DIT or sup. In drunkari, they say
and spnd al make at TIE Gran-shop; al is thrue;
out, Mallory, I'm 10 miser.'
Tie Old man covered under the singular gaze that
Taa fixed upon hin, shrinking back toward the fire.
place. ike Of those gr1,esque gnones taat are t
Jlei ~ guard TIE hidden treasures Of earth, in deep
aves. He felt that his long-conceal9d Secret WAS
Known % Keeey, and that the latter was resolved
Jpop some means desperate or otherwise, 20 obtain