Page:Remarkable history of the miser of Berkshire- John Elwes, Esq..pdf/14

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appearing round his face, and this black ſtray wig at the top of all!

One dark night Mr. Elwes, hurrying along, went with ſuch violence againſt the pole of a ſedan chair, that he cut both his legs very deeply! As uſual, he thought not of any aſſiſtance; but Colonel Timms. at whoſe houſe he then was, in Orchard Strect, inſiſted upon calling a doctor: He at length ſubmitted, and an apothecary in conſequence attended; who immediately began to expatiate on the bad conſequences of breaking the skin; the good fortune of his being ſent for; and the peculiar bad appearance of Mr. Elwes's wound. Very probably, ſaid Mr. Elwes. But, Mr., I have one thing to ſay to you: In my opinion, my legs are not much hurt: Now, you think they are. So I will make this agreement; I will take one leg, and you ſhall take the other; you ſhall do what you pleaſe with your's, and I will do nothing to mine : And I will wager your bill, that my leg gets well before your's. He exultingly beat the apothecary by a fortnight!

The rooms of his ſeat at Stoke, that were now much out of repair, and, would have all fallen in, but for his ſon, John Elwes, Esq, who had reſided there, he thought too expensively furniſhed, and that worſe things might have done If a window was broken, there was no repair but that of a little brown paper, or that of piecing in a bit of broken glaſs, which had, at length, been done ſo frequently, and in ſo many ſhapes, that it would have puzzled