Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-06-30
TALES & SKETCHES.
MIR. sELDEN,s REVENGE.

Mr.. Selden was lawyer in the town Of
b. He was an intelligent, upright kind
hearted, pious man. But he had neigbbor
who was very different. Jacob Mills, "Old
Jake" as he was called by the boys of the
neighborhood, lived by Mr.. Seden in an old
tum ble-down house, in which he had been
born and brought up, and which he would
neither sell nor repair, SO that in time 1t came
to he the one blot on an otherwise pleasant
and tidy-looking street. Old Jake was a
miser; that is he preferred to hoard up his
money rather than spend it in making him.
selfand others comfortable. So he lived year
after year, in the dngy, chilly old house,
with no one to take care of him but wo-
man whom he hired to come in twice a
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 the windows
and watching him counting over his gold
and putting it carefully away in the old
russet trunk, till one night he happened TO
catch them at it, and after that he always
put up the shutters and bolted the door at
nighttall. Finally, the woman who had
taken care of him for long time was
obliged to go away from B to live. He.
had not paid her anything for more than
two years, always putting her off when she
asked for her wages and promising to pay
ut the next quarter day, or else getting so
angry that she dared not press the matter.
But now that she was gong away, she
plucked up courage and told old Jake she
must have her money, stating the sum he
owed her. Old Jake swore he did not owe
her so much, and finally refused to give her
anything unless she would stay another six
months.
The poor woman went to Mr.. Selden and
| asked Lis help. Luckily she had old Jake's
written promise to pay her so much
month for knowing how misery he was,
she had exacted that when she began to
work for him. So Mr.. Selden took the pa
per over to the old man, and told him if he
would not pay the bill forthwith be would
be prosecuted. Jacob was in great rage,
as you may imagine, but knowing very well
that if he went to law the case would go
against him, and lie 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 became the object
of his special hatred. Old Jake blamed
him for the loss of his precious dollars,
and threatened vengeance against him.
| He was too much afraid of the law to do
| any open mischief. but he found many Sc
cret ways of annoying and injuring his
neighbor. If Mr.. Senden's hens happened
to fly over the fence into Old Jakc's yard
they never came back, though there was no
garden for them to spoil. If Mrs. Se!den
| had particularly large washing on the
lines he would build bonfire so as to have
the smoke and SCOT blow on the clothes.
Mary Seldon's pet kitten was thrown over
the fence with its poor little paws cut OIL
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 snap and bark at the children
on their way to and from school. Luckily
after about six months, "tsx day" came
round, and Jake, unwilling to pay two dol
lars even for the sake of tormenting the Sci
den's, gave him up to be killed.
So it went on for several years. Finally
to crown all, Dir. Seldens cow died sudden
ly, and was found to have been poisoned
Nothing could be pre- we'd as to who did it
and SO no redress could be had. BY thii
time Mrs. Selden's patience had about rur
out Many time she begged her HUSBAND
to go and threaten Jake with some sort o
punishment if he did not stop such wicket
treatment of those who had done nothing Il
deserve it. Mr. Seldom; too, was much irri
tate6, especially at the loss of his COW, which
great pet with the family, and long suffer
ing as he had been, the lawyer felt that b,
could not bear old Jake'e snnoyances mucl
. longer without some remonstrance.
While he was pondering what it was bes
to do, the miser suddenly fell sick OF fever
and now he was miserable indeed. sTh
fever was severe and nurses were difficult 4
be had. Several were unwilling to 60, be
cause of the old mans misery habits an,
bad temper, knowing that probably the pa,
they would get would be accompanied wit
his lasting hatred. So 1t happened that a
the worst stage of The disease he was left en-
tirely alone. as Mr.. Selden happened to nm
on going home from his Office one evening
!. He sat down to read his newspaper as usus
0 but his kind heart could not rest at tn
|, thought of his poor peighbor lying ther
alone aud sick. ~ T'h. l'-ai
|. .'wife," said be. at length, ~ am going I
8 have our doctor for Jacob, and 70 watc
: with him TO night. wish you would CIV
' me some Of that jelly we had Tor dinns
and sone wine To carry over"