Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-02-05

LONDON, ENGLAND, Jan. 81, l

excess and caution degenerates into ava
rice. In no country, perhaps, have there
been more misers-men subsisting upon the
hardest fare so as to be enabled to amass
sums of money, desire in
creasing with the augmentation of them.
A strange discovery has lately been made
in the neighborhood of London, where
maiden lady of very penurous habits had
lived for many years. She was reputed
to be wealthy, but no one could really tell
of what her wealth consisted or the extent
of it. Some people declared that she pos
scssed a million in the funds, others be-
lieved that one-half of one OF the leading
metropolitan thoroughfares belonged 10
her; some said she specialized largely, and
always with success. on the stock ex
change; and when she died it was found
that there was no will; stranger than that,
the heirs to what property the old lady
really possessed are unknown. In the
usual course the premises she had for
many years occupied passed into other
hands, and whilst few necessary altera-
tions We're being made, the workmen
came across Il very strange trOuudtAe.
Behind the wainscot was found an old
stocking, much the worse for wear, and of
by no means tempting appearance. Any
ordinary burglar would have passed it by
with contempt. None the less were its
contents, like the proverbial jewel in the
toad's head, rare beyond all that their en-
vironage suggested. In the extremity of the
toe of this eXtemporized purse lay some
five hundred sovereigns and twenty-three
spade guineas, which, most curious of all,
were wrapped up in an old parchment
that turned ont to be the title deed to the
fee simple of some valuable freehold prop.
crty. The eccentrcities of misers are in
many cases attributable to the difficulties
experienced in earning money. Its pos
SCISSORS, having found it hard to obtain,
were very careful in its expenditure, and
dreadng the occurrence of penury, saved
and saved, until their very thriftiness be-
came u vice. Daniel Dancer slept upon
the mattress with which he had stuffed his
wealth, and he patched it with rags gath.
cred from the roadside. OF another miscr,
John Elves, | am told that he got together
a vast fortune, not by boarding merely,
but by saving and investing. Owning
large estates he allowed them to grow
expended nothing on their improvement,
but putting the rents out into other and
equally tangible securities. He encouraged
no art, advanced no science, worked nc
material improvement on his estates OF
country, ditfuscd no blessings around him
bestowed no benevolence upon the pool
and needy, and showed few signs of pa.
rental care and affection. His one weak
ness was fox hunting, upon which he
spent three hundred pounds year, con
irving for that most moderate sum tc
keep and maintain Il kennel of hounds and
II stable of hunters. A thrifty man is diff.
ltrcnt from II miscr who boards money fol
the mere sake of looking at it, and stnt
himself of the necessaries of life for the Sakt
of that moroSe qualification. lie does NJ
good during his life, and, keeping dealt
out of his thoughts, he seldom provide
for the distribution Of his money after hi
. last look at it, Depositors in saving
Banks have no sordid love Of money
regarding it as II provision against tim
J, of difficulty. On the occurrence of tina
= time II thrifty mans trouble is lightene
= by the appearance of his bank book, an
whatever amount Of money is indicate
- therein rs the result of his proyident say
ings. The distress of the present time i
= lesson TO all income-elrners, whilst
= also guides them to the safe investment o
government securities as II medium
= through which destitutons may in futur
- be prevented.
y. Strikes, it ha, been said, are the wars O
= trade, and this week, which has seen tn
e development Of one strike, and the frs
f murmers Of Two more, must rank anon.
n the most disastrous periods that this cour
- try has known for some time. The good
guards Of the Midland railway have struc
agains: reduction of wages and an il
crease Of hours, and there seems likel
- hood of the strike extending to other line
l. The amalgamated engineers, one of tt
most powerful unions, is defending II
. nine hours system, while the miners
.. Derbyshire and South Yorkshire are T.
- sisting proposed reduction of twelve an
= onc-haf per cent. Only one grain
comfort is to be derived from all the.
~ disastrous strikes. The conduct of Il
- men has been absolutely irreproachabl
They have lail their case before the pul
i lie and expressed their intention of fgh
ing it out, but there has been no rccrim
,, nation, no threat of violence, no ev
y though much strong feeling,
N There is an ancient rule, of seoul;
o. origin, doubtless, that it is unlawful to e
st trpc on Friday, and there still surviv,
: an archaic superstition against marryin
IS and giving in marriage between As
Is Wednesday and Easter. At the reformi
he ion the sacred season of Lent was eXpu
Ie gated, together with image worship an
j, other pricstly devices, but on it being re
r resented to Henry VIII, Of pious memor
J. that the abolition of fasting would inu
C. the Cornish pilchard fishery trade, Il
If forty days Of abstinence We're allowed
remain. For some centuries. howeve
the plchards have gone to Italy, and IL
profne Briton eats his beef and muttc
without reference to an absolute oblig;
- ton. Nevertheless, ever since the reviv
,e of Medievaism in England, might
at pother has been made anent this mo
a unlestive season, and the parsons, who f
W the most part forget TO fast are up in arm
G at the motion of matrimOny on tho shall