Page:Remarkable history of the miser of Berkshire- John Elwes, Esq..pdf/16

 ( 16 )

horſe loads of ſmall fiſh were taken, not one would he ſuffer to be thrown in again, for he obſerved, he ſhould never ſee them more! Game in the laſt ſtate of putrefaction, and meat that walked about his plate, would he continue to eat, rather than have new things killed before the old proviſion was exhauſted ! with his diet, bis dreſs kept pace, equally in the laſt ſtage of abſolute diſſolution! Sometimes he would walk about with a tattered brown coloured hat: and ſometimes with a white and red woollen cap!

When any friends, who might occaſionally be with him, were absent he would carefully put out his own fire, and walk to the houſe of a neighbour; and thus make one fire ſerve both. His ſhoes he never would ſuffer to be cleaned, leſt they fhould be worn out the ſooner. Bar ſtill, with all this ſelf-denial, he thought himſelf over profuſe; and frequently ſaid, he muſt be a little more careful of his property When he went to bed, he would put five or ten guineas into a bureau, and then, full of his money, after he he had retired to reſt, ſometimes in the middle of the night, he would come down to ſee if it was ſafe. The irritation of his mind was unceaſing! He thought every body extravagant; and when a perſon was talking to him one day of the great wealth of old Mr. Jennings, (who is ſuppoſed to be worth a million, and that they had ſeen him that day in a new carriage ; Aye, aye, ſaid old Elwes, he will ſoon ſee the end of his money!