Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-11-23
T H e
MISER
HE door of the doctors house was

T HE door of the Doctors house was
closed almost noiselessly, and
John Breen went slowly down the
short fight of steps, his grayish coun-
tenance working with fury.
"a guinea for prescribing more rest
and nourishment, plus a bottle of drug
gist's filth" he muttered. What on
earth possessed me to- consult him?"
Reaching the pavement he began to
walk swiftly, but throbbing behind
the old scar on his temple compelled
him to slacken his pace.
81 suppose it was that that made
me take fright" he said to himself.
81 never used to have headaches.
If I'm not better by tomorrow I'll
take his prescription to the chemist,
though I believe it's nonsense"
A hanson driver hailed him invit-
iDgly, but he shook his head impa-
tiently, and quickened his steps in
spite of the dull throbbing that caused
him to half-close his eyes. 1t was
a chilly evening, and as he turned
from the quiet street into the busy
thoroughfare sleet began to fall, but
instead of taking bus, he set out
to walk the two miles that lay be-
tween him and his place of abode.
He arrived at his door wet and shiv-
ering.
His home was an old-fashioned,
peglected-looking building in the neigh
borhood of Russell square, and he was
the sole occupant. A charwoman came
for an hour every morning and made
a pretense of cleaning up generally, al
though her work consisted chiefly In
removing the ashes of the parlor CRATE
lin wlnter) and washing the dishes
which the master had soiled the pre-
vious day He placed both in the hall,
for she was not admitted to the par
lor. John Breen did his own cooking,
such as it was, at the sitting-room fire,
and his bed consisted of the sofa and
& travelling rug in the same apartment.
The other rooms, eight in number, of
the uOuS6 W6I6
On entering the hall, which echoed
his steps, he locked and bolted the
door with exceeding care, and made his
way in the dark to the parlor, situated
on the same floor. 1t was necessary to
unlock the parlor door, and having
done so, he entered and locked it again
behind him. The inside of the door
was covered with sheet iron and fitted
with heavy bolts fitting into sockets
at top and bottom.
EYES," he muttered, eff I'm not bet
ter by tomorrow I'll go to the chem
list. can't afford to be i'll. I'm glad
l didn't go to doctor close at hand.
He might have found out who I was,
and insisted on attending me. How
my head does ache!"
He sat down in the WORKOUT easy
chair and inserted few slips of wood
between the bars of the CRATE. Small
flames pierced the blanket OF dross
and presently he set little kettle on
the hottest part.
"a cup Of tea will pull me together"
He rose and crossed the room to
bookcase void of books. From low
err shelf he took loaf of bread and
a cut of cheese, also a plate and knife
and carried them to the table close
to tho side of the easy-chair.
Then suddenly he began to smile and
rub his hands softly. The window
shutters, iron-bound like the door, were
closed and bolted, but he went over
and examined them and drew the faded
curtains together. After that he
peered into all the corners and under
the sofa, smiling and lingering some
thing in his pocket John Breen was
not timid man; he was merely care
full.
When he was quite satisfied that he
was alone he went back to his easy
chair, and, stretching out his right
hand, opened the paneling at the side
Of the fireplace, disclosing the door Of
small but apparently deep and su-
premely strong safe Inserting a
couple Of keys, he manipulated them
until the locks yielded and the stout
door swung open. The safe was
packed with little bags OF gold, par
cells of notes and bundles OF negotiable
securities The latter papers repre-
sented John Breen's capital-his IA
theirs legacy to him--the notes and
gold the interest, less his trifing ex-
penses, of nearly 80 years The in
vestments were as safe as the nation 8
credit and the owner had never sought