Maryland free press., 1866-07-26
q Mn!. IsELDoN,s REVENGE.

f-l-T-
kind hearted, pi us man. But he had a
hcighbor who was different. Jacob Mills,
t"0id Jake. as he wes called by the boys
: OK the neigbborhood, lived by Mr.. SeIden
in an old tumbIe-down house, in which he
b had been born and brought up, and which
he would neither sell nor repair, so that in
time it came to be the one blot of an other
wise pleasant and tiny looking street. Old
Jake was miser; that is he preferred to
hoard up his money rather than spend it
I TO make himself and others comfortable. -
u So he lived year after year, in the dingy.
chilly old house, with no one to take care
of him but 3 woman whom he hired to
cook some food for him andamend his
clothes; though as to the latter he was
not very particular how they looked. ia5
ID The boys used to peep in at the window
and watch him counting over his gold and
putting it carefully up in the old russet
trunk: till one night he happened to catch
them at It. and after that he always bolted
the door at nightfall. Finally the woman
who had taken care of him for a long time
was obliged to 60 away, from b. to
live. He had not paid her anything for
more than two years, always putting her
off whens she asked for her wages, and
promised to pay at the next quarter day,
or else getting SO angry that she dare not
press the matter. But'now that she was
going away, she plucked- up courage and
told old Jade she must have her money,
stating the sum he owed her. Old Jake
swore he did not owe her 80 much, and
finally refused go give her anything un-
less she wodld stay another six months.
The poor woman went to Mr. Selden
and asked his help. Luckily she had old
Jake's written promise to pay her so much
month for knowing how miserly he
was, she had exacted that when she began
to.work for him. So Mr. Selden took the
paper over to the old man, and told him
that if he would not pay the bill forthwith
he would be prosecuted. Jacob was in
gaeat rage, as you may imagine, but know
ing very well that if he went to law the
case would 60 against him, and he should
have more to pay, he at last reluctantly
handed over the amount small enough,
indeed, but great in the eyes of the poor
old money loving man.
After this Mr.. Selden bccame the object
Of his special hatred. Old Jake blamed
him for the loss of his precious dollars and
threatened vengeance against him and his.
lie was too much afraid of the law to do
any open mischief, but be found many Sc
cret ways Of annoying AMI injuring his
neighbor. If MIR. Selden's hens happened
TO fly over the fence into old Jakes yard
they never came back, thous sh there was
no garden for them to spoil. IF Mrs. Sci
den had a particular large washing on the
lines he would build bonfire so as to have
the smoke and SCOT blow on the clothes
Mary Sclden's pet kitten was thrown over
the fence with its poor little paws cut off,
and Old Jake bought vicious dog though
he could hardly bring himself to keep a
creature that devoured so much food, who
was taught to sn sp and bark at the children
on their way to and from school. Luckily
after about six months 'tax-day" came
round, and Jake, unwilling to pay two dol
lars even for the sake of tormenting the
Selden's gave him up to be killed.
So it went on for several years. Final
ly, 10 crown all, Mr.. Scden's COW died
suddenly and WAS found to have been poi
soned Nothing could be proved as to
who did it, and so no redress could be had
BY this time Mrs. Selden's patience had
about run out. Many time she threaten
ed Jake with some sort of punishment if
he did not stop such wicked treatment of
those who had done nothing to deserve it.
Mr., Selden, too, much irritated, especially
at the loss of his COW, which, besides being
a valuable one had been great, pet with
the family, and long suffering as he had
been, the lawyer felt that he could not bear
oldJake's annoyances much longer without
some remenstIance.
While he was pondering what it was
best to do. the miser suddenly fell sick of
fever, and now he was miserable indeed.
The fever was severe and nurses were diff
fcult to be had. Several was unwilling to
40, because of the old, mans miserly hab-
its and bad temper, knowing that the pay
they would get would be accompanied with
his lasting hatred So it h. ppened that at
the worst stage of the disease he was left
entirely alone, as Mr.. Selden happened to
find on going home from his Office one eve
ming. He sat down to read his newspaper
as usual, but his kind heart could not rest
at the thought Of his poor neighbor lying
there alone and sick. =, q,v o.. ,,.,.. = T
Wife," said he at length, " am 60
ing to have our doctor for Jacob, and to
watch with him tonight. 1 wish you would
give me some of that jelly we had for din
ner, and some wine to carry over"
II don't like to have you CO." said his
wife; II am afraid Jake will kill you if he
secs you in his house, he hates you 500
''He is too sick for that" replied Mr..
Selden, and taking the comforts which his
wife had prepared, he went over to the
gloomy old house, sending his little son
for the doctor, st' -
Pitiful indeed, was .he scene that met
his gaze on entering the room where old
Jake lay tossing on his bed, without light
uttering wild ,delirious cries, and then sink
ing back exhausted, into kind of s:upor.
Mr.. Selden tried to make the old man
n little mora communicable Eobt,J = f,o