Thus, while endangering his neck to save the payment of a turnpike, and starving his horse for a _halfpenny-worth_ of hay, was he risking the sum of _twenty-five thousand pounds_ on some iron works across the Atlantic Ocean, and of which he knew nothing, either as to produce, prospect or situation. [Illustration] In 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, with some difficulty, a _crow's nest_, for this purpose. On the gentleman wondering why he gave himself this trouble. "Oh, Sir," replied he, "it is really a shame that these creatures should do so. Do but see what waste they make!" To save, as he thought, the expense 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 river drawn, though sometimes 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. 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 should be worn out the sooner. But still, with all this self-denial--that penury of life to which the inhabitant of an alms-house is not doomed--still did he think he was 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 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, "Ay, ay," said old Elwes; "he will soon see the end of his money!"