The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-12-24
-09T u HHTI 3 9fH3I III II
The Miser's New. Years.


Peter Riggs was miser. Any one
might have read it in his face, with its
pinched outlines and eager expression
in his slouching gait, and his whole ap
pearance. They would have read il
still more clearly in the room which he
occupied, bare of everything but the
most absolute necessaries. A couple
of wooden chairs, table standing on
three legs, and rude bedstead, con
stituted nearly all the furniture he pos
sessed. His housekeeping was on the
most inexpensive scale. He boarded
himself, and the man worth thirty.
thousand dollars Jared worse than his
poorest tenants.
Peters wealth consisted almost en-
tirely in tenement houses, of which he
owned large number, and which in
proportion to their value, brought in 9
large income. 1t was questionable how
much good all this did to Peter, since
his personal expenses did not exceed
one-twentieth his income. What re.
NAMED he either invested in additional
houses, or boarded up in an old chest
which he kept securely locked under
his bed.
1t was the last day of December; to.
morrow would be quarter day. Peter
sat in his miserable room shivering in
spite of his cloak, which be had worn
time out of mind. He had no fire. As
it was six o'clock in the afternoon, and
he usually went to bed at eight, he pre-
ferred to shiyer two hours rather than
to incur the expense. of fire.
Peter was jubilant with the thoughts
of the money he would collect on the
morrow from his tenants. He drew
out his strong bag from its accustomed
receptacle, and counted for the hum
dredth time the glittering gold with
which it was filled. E tsai e..
"Two Thousand three hundred and
seventy-fye," he exclaimed with salts
tion, as he finished the count; and to-
morrow will make it nigh upon three
thousand. Ah! what fne thing it is
to have money; it pays me for all my
privations-and suffer many. Money
is a fine thing. Ah little do they
think that see the old man in his thread
bare clothes, how much he has to make
him happy"
Peter was really happy after his
fashion, yet he was never quite content.
elf it were only FIVE thousand" he
continued, show fine it would be /! but
it will in year or two. I must be
more economical"
1t would be hard to tell how Peter
could be more economical than he was
now; and he tortured his fancy to de-
wise some means of retrenchment with
out thinking of any. ~
"It costs sight to live" he sighed,
" q sight. If / could only live as cheap
as they say one can in China, for cent
day it would help me greatly"
Peter locked up his chest carefully,
and pushed it back undes the bed. He
then sat down, folded his cloak closely
around him, waiting until he should
hear the city bells strike the hour of
eight, his usual bed time. 81 aes
But Peter was more tired and drowsy
than he imagined. He began to nod,
and perhaps it was the influence of the
cold-he soon dropped asleep in his
chair, with his head resting upon his
hands. Then a dream came to him
which was destined to change the whole
tenor of his life.
1t seemed 10 him that he was sitting
in his room as usual, the door was sud
denly opened, and dark figure Of
threatening appearance entered. Peter
was terrified as he might well be, since
the door he knew to be locked, and yet
the visitor entered as if there were no
obstruction. ,-.t.,a t.f, ~
"Who are your" He faltered, eye
ing the unknown, "Have you come
to rob me p
"Of what ?"
"Of my-my money-that is what
little have"
Sand if ! should it would be of no
use to me-" t.f.
"O,"sai Peter, re-assured. "Then
] am ready to hear your business"