Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1866-06-06
Mistella ny.
MR.. SELDEN's REVENGE.
A STORY FOR THE CHILDREN.

Mr.. Selden was a lawyer in the town
of B. He was an intelligent, upright,
kind hearted, pious man. But he had a
Deighbor who was very different. Jacob
Mills, "Old Jake" as he was called by
the boys of the neighborbood, lived close
by Mr.. Selden in an old, tumble-down
house in which he had been born and
brought up, and which he would neither
sell nor repair, so that ip time it came to
be the one blot on an otherwise pleasant,
tidy-looking street. .l.
Old Jake was a miscr: that is, he pre-
ferred to hoard up his money rather than
spend it in making himself or others com
Portable, So be lived year after year in
the dingy, chilly old house, with no one
to take care of him but woman whom he
hired to come in twice week to cook
some food for him and mend his clothes !;
though as TO the latter, he was not very
particular how they looked :.
The boys used to peep in at his wind
ows and watch him counting over his gold
and putting it carefully up in the old rus
set trunk till one night he happened to
catch them at at it, and after that he al
ways up the shutters and botcd the door
at pightfall ........
Finally, the woman who had taken care
Of him for long time was obliged to 60
away from B to live He had not paid
her anything for more than two years, al
ways putting her off when she asked foi
her wages, and promising to pay at the
next quarter day, or else getting so angry
that she dared not press the matter. Bu
now that she was going away she plucked
up courage and told old Jake she mus
have her money, stating the sum he ,owet
her, Old Jake swore he did not owe he'
so much, aud finally refused to give heI
ANYTHING unless she would stay anothe
six months. .--t...
The poor woman went to Mr. Seldei
and asked his help. Luckily she hac
old Jacks written promise to pay her 8
; much month; for. knowing the old maj
: she had exacted that when she began t
t work for him .,r -.
J So Mr.. Selden took tho paper over t.
the old man, and told him If he did no
pay the bill forthwith be would be prose
e cuted Jacob was 10 great rage, as yo
NAV imagine, but, knowing very well tha
! If he went to law the case would 60 a
]. painst him, and he would have more
pay, he at last reluctantly handed owe
: the amount-small enough, indeed, bu
great in the eyes Of the poor old money
i. loving man. ..
After this selden became the object
e his special hatred. Old Jake blame
o him for the loss of his precious dollars
and threatened vengeance against him an
u his He was too much afraid OF the la
n to do any open mischief, but he foun
st many secret ways of annoying and ipjul
:, s. ing his neighbor. If Mr.. selden
- hens happened to fly over the fence int
r, Old Jake's yard, they never come bacl
r though there was no garden for them
:, ,s spoii. If Mrs, Selden had PARTICULAR
in large washing on the lines he would bull
sd a bonfire 50 as to have the smoke and so'
r Low Oh the clothes. Mary Seldcn's p
q I;t,er was thrown over the fence with !
: @ noor little paws cut off, and Jake bOugl
q vicious dog, though he could hard
IL Il hiring himself to keep creature that q
" voured 90 much food. who was taught
Is bark and snap at the children on the s'
way to and from school Luckily att
i, about six months, "tax-day" came ronn
or and Jake, unwilling to pay TWO aoi,a
!, for the sake of tormenLing Selden'gaVe "
lis up to be killed. - Mn,
So il went on for several years fln'
n ly. to crown all, Mr.. selden's COW ~
he suddenly, and was found to have DC
ne poisoned. Nothing could be proved as
= who did It, and SO no redress could DC n
rs, at all. =,
%, o. By this time sho begged her husband
,re 10 and threaten Jake with some sort oi