The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-04-03
PARSIMONIOUS PEOPLE.

PARsIMONIoUS PEOPLE.
1t is a duty OF every one to he thrift:
but it should be kept i'll mind there is q
difference between thrift and mean parsi-
mony. Some people who are al ease in
their circumstances make Themselves
ridiculous by shabby attempts at saving.
We once knew an old Scotch lady who.
though she had a considerable sum Of
money left her, was parsimonious 10 ;,n
extraordinary extent. As she grew old
she grew more misery until she woulj
not allow herself milk for her tea or mtft
| for dinner. Bent double with rhaumu-
tism IN her old age. she would nor pav
any one to wash or clean her house. but
with infinite labor accomplished tasks
| for herself She never would Send rNr a
doctor. for she pitily remarked, They
cost a power o silver. and did no Good. "
On bitter winter days We often found her
shivering over a single handful al fire:
small piece of hard cheese aud Il cap OF
tea with mouldy bread her only dinner.
When she died, she left about eigh; hun
| dred pounds, besides various moneys in
silver. copper. and hank-notcs which size
had stuffed into drawers and various Sc
cret recesses. All her money went to 4
couple Of nephews who never paid her
the least respect, and who even grud@cd
the necessary outlay for her funeral.
An old clergyman Of very mean habits
got married when far advanced IN life, to
the great surprise ofall his acquaintance.
Upon inquiry. however, it was found he
had married entirely from motives Of
| economy. The lady OF his choir, Was
the widow Of respectable schoni-na>tcr
who after her husbands deceasc WAS in
the habit Of lending him the clothes oi
the defunct; so, thinking that marriage
would put him in possession Of the re
mainder of the said garments, he pre-
posed, and was accepted. His stipeEcd
was, with glebe and other things. about
two hundred pounds per annu:n. yet h.
dnt Of sheer niggardlineSs he died lcay-
ing many thousands. He made point
of picking up and taking home anything
he could find-a piece of coal fallen t'rnjl
a passing cart, an Old lucifer-match bon,
pieces OF stick from neghboring wood
anything to save an outlay in his OWE
house. lie never wrote on new sheet
of paper. always using blank pages ot
other peoples letters, and turning all en-
velopes outside il, 50 as to make thvm
available for his own use. After his
death, a drawer full of turned envelope.
gummed together i'll very ingenious
way, was found. On one occasion he
gave a dinner, which consisted ola Sleeps
head minus the trotters. which wcr" t"
be kept for next days dinner.
There WAS Thomas PETIT who died in
tlinorts Passage London. III fStl#. He
was 4 native of Warwickshirc. lie CAME
t. London at the age of ten. with 'uc
shilling III his pocket. As he Lad II"
| friends or relations in the city. lie was
indebted to the kindness of al old woman
whu sold pies for Il morsel of bread. TIL
he could procure himself employment.
Some time alter. lie was engaged as cl-
rand boy by II tallow-chandler. Mrs. Dip
tho chambers wile--bcing n lady o.
London mould could not endure hi
rustic manners and awkard gait: "a she
sent him OF one bitter winters ni"ilt.
with the remark. Your master hired y.gr
in my absence, and III turn Won uG in
his The good husband did NOS desert
Tom, however: he found him out and
sent him as apprentice t"a butcher ia
Southwark. For the first five years hc
L.
and drink. The accumulation of money
and the abridgment Of expenses were ti,v
two sole objects of his thoughts. His cN-
penses We're reduced to three heads
lodging, clothing. and washing. I'm the
nr>t he fixed on Il back room on the second
floor, with one window, that occasionally
admitted a stray sunbeam. OF his drra-
every article was second handed. Men
was he choice in the color or quality.
sagely observing, when he was rcaSCd
about his grab. that according to Solomon
there was nothing new under the SIln.
and that us to color. it was a mere matter
Of fancy. Concerning washing. l'c said
that no man deserved a clean shirt Who
could not wash il himself; and that the
only fault he had to find with Lord North
WAS the duty he imposed upon soap.
There WAS one expense. however. that
always weighed heavily on lis mind AND
often robbed him OF Il night rest. and
that was shaving He often lamcHlcd
that he had never learned to shave him
self. lie used to console himself indcr
this affection by hoping that one day
boards would become fashionable. He
made promise IL himSelrthIt H. >,ruas
he had ;,maSsrd :: Thousand pcUIl;i~. lie
would treat himself to pint "i porter
-
MS power to perform this promise and h.
continued to treat himself till the adds
Cional duty was laid on porter: hr thcn
reduced his portion to half 4 pint u1rr Il
week. If he heard of an auction any
where near. he ran quickly and begged
a catalogue. rs if anxious to buy. auj
alter he had collected a number OF these
ne sold them for waste-paper. When hr
heard an accidental rumor that the hJua
IN which his money was hal failed. p,
shook from head to foot and tool. IL ms
bed. refusing to eat until he WAS assured
That all was right. lie WAS never known
even in the depth of the coolest winter
to light Il fire in his room or 60 - i,yd
by candle-h sht He loved good cheer
at the cost of another. EVERY map.
said he. should eat when he can: :n
empty sack can not stand. nnrc ru Il
time lie was prompted by the demon ~
extravaganza to purchase i wunlv l.iut
IF small-beer: but after buying it. Wa~-"
overcome by remorSe that he locked II in
mis- closet; then threw the key "ut Of H.,
window, that he might not he tempted
to make too free with 1t.
Thus lived Thomas PETIT, who's pulls.
inr the last twenty years OF hi iiiiy I,,,,'
and Tell with the funds: who toy ,ugT,-
two years lived in Glare Market 49, iu.l-
ncyman butcher: who lodged for iuilty
years in one gloomy apartment. which
was never frightened up by coal o. yand!'
light or the face of a visitor: wno neIrr
treated man, woman, or child to GLASS
ate morsel at his own expense, who
never said a civil thing to a woman: Who
would not trust q !aundrcSS with 4 pocket
handkerchief: who considered al mast
be mad or foolish that did not pile up
gold: and who tried to bargain irI his
coffin half an hour before he dic.i. H.
left two thousand four hundred and sr},!j-
ty-tive pounds to distant relations nni
one of whom he had ever seen or writicr
to. The list of his wearing apparel taken
by \ way in the ncigh6orhood runs ihu,.
AN old bald wiz. 4 hat as soft n
pancake. Two shirts that might pass
for tishing-nets. 4 pair of stockings
CONTINUED on THE FOURTH PAGE)