Page:Remarkable history of the miser of Berkshire- John Elwes, Esq..pdf/15

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a mathematician to ſay what figure they deſcribed! To ſave fire, he would walk about the remains of an old green-houſe, or ſit with a ſervant in the kitchen.—---During the harveſt, he would amuſe himself with going into the fields to glean the corn on the grounds of his own tenants; and they uſed to leave a little more than common, to pleaſe the old gentleman, who was as eager after it as any pauper in the pariſhIn the advance of the ſeaſon, his morning employment was to pick up any ſtray chips, bones, or other things, to carry to the fire, in his pocket; and he was one day ſurpriſed by a neighbouring gentleman in the act of pulling down a crow's neſt for this purpoſe! Oh the gentleman cxpreſſing his ſurpriſe why he gave himſelf that trouble, Oh, Sir, replied he, is is really a shame that there creatures ſhould be allowed to do ſo. Do but ſee what waſte they make!

He ſtill rode about the country on one of his mares; and always kept her on the ſoft turf adjoining the road, to ſave the expenſe of ſhoes ; and, he ſaid, the turf was most pleaſant for her foot! And when any gentleman called to pay him a viſit, and the boy, who attended in the stables, was profuse enough to put a little hay before his horſe, old Elwes would ſlily ſteal back into the ſtable, and take away the hay very carefully.

To ſave the expence of going to a butcher, he would have a whole ſheep killed and ſo eat mutton to the end of the chapter When he occaſionally had his    drawn, though, ſometimes